In Essence Free Ads on Google

[ecommerceprofit]

I was researching this one industry and noticed something amazing on Google. As an example type in "perennial plants"

Now scroll down and see how Google gives out in essence free ads that look somewhat like product ads. Home Depot shows up then their competitors one by one. Rows and rows of images. Click on the 3 vertical dots next to each category of images that relate to perennial plants for each company. Google states these are not ads when clicking on the 3 vertical dots.

It seems to me Google should be charging for these but are not. What's even more amazing I saw other categories also show up on Google's first page. So a company could have 10 plus categories all showing on Google's first page for each respective category. I personally verified this is the case in the industry I was researching. Wow!

[aristotle]

Maybe I'm confused, but I didn't see any clearcut free ads when I searched for "perennial plants".

There is a row of "sponsored" image ads at the top.

The layout of the rest of the page is jumbled, so there could be something there somewhere that might be interpreted or regarded as a free ad.

[ecommerceprofit]

I guess what I was trying to say is “it seems like” free ads but is not. Each listing seems like an ad because each row where each lucky merchant is listed shows a horizontal listing with about 10 images. Free and even better than a paid product ad

[jimji]

Got curious, so I gave it a try, and I also don't think I'm seeing what you are describing.

First, that is one colorful page. Very soothing. Nice place to go when not feeling so good. I'll have to try and remember that.

BUT I only saw that three-dot thingy just to the right of each company listed, and that gave me two popups the first time. The small popup I understand because I am so famous they just had to know how to get my signature. Something about giving them my location. But I am so sorry to all my fans working at Google that I can't give them my location so they can flock to this abode. Sorry Google. I should give them my wife's abode and they can go get her signature.

Now the other popup was a bit larger in size and had this style:

About this result [Beta]
Source
Not personalized
Your search & this result
And that part about an advert or not:

"This is a search result, not an ad. Only ads are paid, and they'll always be labelled with 'Sponsored' or 'Ad'."
At the top next to a kind of title of my (almost) search terms "Perennial plant" (not my plural form) I saw three dots, but that only gave me "Share" and "Send feedback".

And I did click to see all the images and very colorful there, too, but not so much like advertising in any unusual way. I see that style any time I have clicked to see all the images.

I guess what the FireFox browser isn't showing me is this that you wrote "3 vertical dots next to each category of images" and my FireDog is a recent version.

Do you reckon it could be your location that allows you to see that? Browser?

Kind of an interesting description worthy of some checking into, but that first try didn't produce what you describe. I might try another browser or two later to see what happens.

But what also caught my attention with that first result was that "Beta" showing in that popup. That really is something new? Or being tested? Or is "Beta" now meaning something else?

But I do have to write it again; that is one colorful page of results. I think I might even try and see what shows when I use the older IE11.

WAIT, while checking my spelling I remembered, I think, that there was a third designation besides "Sponsored" or "Ad" --- no? Some reason I have this feeling I did some checking on that once, a bit back. Really, just those two; sponsored or ad?

[tangor]

The other "category" is "PAID"...

[ecommerceprofit]

* Got curious, so I gave it a try, and I also don't think I'm seeing what you are describing *

I think you described it perfectly! This is in essence what I am seeing...very colorful...looks good in my opinion plus it's free.