does the average internet user know the first spot on google search is often paid for

uhhhh, how about the proof that it says "sponsored link" far to the right of it put there by google themselves???

 

Most people won't know that Adwords are paid ads. However, if they're relevant to the search itself, I really doubt most care

 

The first spot in Google is NOT paid, unless you are talking about the sponsored ones.
My site was number one for quite some time and i didnt pay anything, just good SEO.

 

of course we are talking about the sponsored links, and the fact that they are on top and in the first spot that the average internet user is going to read first when they do a search

and they are not very well distinguished from the real search results, same typeface and color, and the little 'sponsored link' marker is far off to the right where people are not looking, as all the search information is to the left

even us 'experts' have to look closely to figure out for sure where the paid listings end and the real search results begin

 

Few years back, I didnt knew anything about advertisements in any site. I had no idea about adsense, the ads in sites, I knew nothing

And right now, all my family members also don't know anything about paid advertisements.

 

i agree with this, you cannot buy placements in the organic listings i think you are talking about sponsored listings

 

i usually see the paid listings in a box of a different color at the top, marked "sponsored links", so i think it's really easy to tell the paid listings from the real results.

 

LOL. Most people who are internet savvy will realize it's a sponsored ad.

 

no definetly not

 

I don't think so . . . they often focus on the things they want to know . . . If they see results similar to what they need. They would immediately go to it!

 

Yep.. Some people doesn't know it is paid or not.. But that important thing is they are related to what you have type in the search box. So what the heck about having a discussion of it. The main purposed of it is to let people know for the certain keyword that they have entered there's a company or a persons who are advertising with the same keyword that they have entered. Meaning it is related to your query.

Haha... I wonder how much that company paid with 10x clicks.. Hehe.. FYI: For the sponsored links, they are the ones who paid google for every clicks with their ads. too bad...

 

only the webmasters know that.