From a comment by Matt Cutts, on Andy Beard's blog (when asked about displaying AdWords above the results): So, it's not all about the money... but still we get ads like these: I love the fact that Amazon will ship your child bride to you for free, as long as you pay more than $25 for her. Got another one here as well: http://smackdown.blogsblogsblogs.com/2007/12/18/matt-cutts-says-paid-ads-are-a-type-of-search/ -Michael
Yes, valid point. But I think you may have too much time on your hands if you are looking up this sort of stuff. Unless this is your main keyword???
Um, no. I was specifically looking for examples because of what he said, because I know how little the ads can have to do with certain types of searches. -Michael
"we do think of ads as a type of search" What a crock. Ads are not a type of search. Ads are Google revenue, and it does really tick me off that G puts 3 sponsored ads above natural listings for my most important phrases. /*tom*/
True but worse yet is they say "Google does no evil" they nickname Matt Cutts porn cookie guy to remove porn but yet if I want, I can find a prostitute in my country (which is illegal) simply using Google. They have known this for years but yet they still advertise prostitution which many of us KNOW that many girls/women are slaves to the trade. My question to Google is, why are YOU still advertising criminality and yet tell webmasters what is right & wrong? Dont get me wrong, I'm no part of a "hate Google campaign" I just believe in whats good for the goose is good for the gander. I also see prostitution very very wrong and that Google has failed in quality in this matter.
But thats not the problem! The real problem is when a webmaster buys a PR6. (Please detect the sarcasm)
cormac, just so you know, this is actually about a totally different issue. It's not really Google's job to filter out pornography, the adult filter is there to do that if you so choose. This is about Matt claiming that the ads are relevant enough to warrant them being considered "a type of search". Admittedly they do use less real estate for it than Yahoo does... but you don't know how many times I've had problems trying to tell people to ignore the ads when directing them what to click on over the phone. They have no clue. -Michael
Looks like it's not that big of a deal to Google. They don't have a problem serving up plenty of ways to buy links......oh, including their own adds. Seems ironic G is so against this kind of stuff but if your paying you can get top billing. Guess it's ok as long as they are making money. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=buy+pr7+links&btnG=Google+Search
LOL at the above and LMAO at amazons offer. But i do find his comments re 'a type of search' to be interesting. I've usually found the guy to be very level headed in his comments but his insistence at towing the company line here makes him look a little silly IMO.
Anybody who understands adwords knows that adwords system is all about making them the most money. No matter how relevant your ad is to the searched keyword if i put up a large bid, my irrelevant ad will be shown.
Yes, i have. Did you even read the post above, for example the one by rasputin. I suppose .fr link sales are pretty relevant to the use searching france on google. Like i said previously, if i put up large enough bid my irrelevant ad will be shown ahead of your relevant ad. One more thing when i say irrelevant, i mean from the users point of view not from the bots point of view and also google will catch up, like i said adwords is designed for squeezing out the most money from the system, relevancy doesn't matter.
I posted a more serious example of how stuff like that affects serps quality here: http://smackdown.blogsblogsblogs.co...tts-statement-about-adwords-above-serps-is-bs -Michael
Looks like you can pick on up at Target too! LOL! I will have to ask the manager of my local Target store what aisle I can find the Child Brides in and show him the advertisement. Although, maybe they are only available online