Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Anyone have any ideas on this?
Ann
Besides, they are a search engine primarily and hopefully someone at Google still has the sense to realise that's why people come to Google - not to see wall to wall spam. They *might* just be showing a spark of sense in having search results in the top hotspot, and not the ads. If people got the idea that Google was now an ad display company and not a search engine they would migrate elsewhere PDQ.
Hopefully sense has prevailed somewhere in the depths of Google's surreal brain. I poersonally wouldn't read too much into where they place the ads on search pages!
That's one idea,(and thanks for responding), are there any more?
Ann
"Once upon a midnight dreary as I sat and pondered...."
OK, now since Google does not control editorial on Adsense sites, they doesn't really care where the ads go – it doesn't affect the Google search engine. Well, as long as it is not deceptive (yadda yadda, see the Adsense TOS).
They give info on likely 'prime readership spots' but it's entirely up to you whether you fill the visible screen with ads, pushing content 'below the fold' or feature your content with ads in 'second place'. Or something in between.
Every site makes their own editorial decisions, including such criteria as indicated above.
Personally, I think of the three major SEs, google has the balance of ad/editorial best, including both content and position. I find Yahoo! almost unbearable - and MSN is so inconsistent (they've even changed URL now - breaking domain management 101!). Dunno about Ask, I don't think I've been there since they sacked The Butler :)
It's almost 5 am so I better toddle off to bed now.
Ya'll hang in there and keep thinking.
Nighty night.
Ann
One thing that the Google results page does, unlike many sites, is that it is elastic therefore all the ads are always seen, in fact the smaller one makes the browser window the more prominent the ads become.
Familiarity may also be the answer, users generally know exactly where everything is and where to look...maybe?
The searcher hopes to find a really specific and interesting organic result to their query vs a canned commercial ad. I always burn down the regular results in hope of finding a real gem, then giveway to scan the ads as a second line alternative "well there could be something there" outlook.
I think if they messed with it that would take some of the adventure out of it.
They advise the reverse because the visitor already kinda has a basic idea about what sort of info you have, they just have to read it. So to wade through the ads first or during the expierience is more effective.
IMHO
[edited by: Khensu at 11:04 am (utc) on Sep. 19, 2006]
Any site I go to that has the top 1/4 of the page and the whole right site covered in ads is suspect to me.
Combine that with the crud that floats to the top of the serps (I should know, my site is #1 all over the place) and what do you have? A bad user experience.
Google speaks with two tongues.
OK... rant done.
While this heat map is useful as a positioning guideline, we strongly recommend putting your users first when deciding on ad placement. Think about their behavior on different pages, and what will be most useful and visible to them. You'll find that the most optimal ad position isn't always what you expect on certain pages.
Google has a brand and a reputation to protect, so it needs to maintain visible separation between organic search results and paid ads.
Google doesn't need to worry about protecting Joe Publisher's brand and reputation, however: That's for Joe Publisher to do (or not, as Joe sees fit).
