Would we get a higher click-through if Google........

Yeah we would get higher click-through, ads would look like they belong to the site. And also if they could speed up the script a little so it would show up in the same time as the rest of the page shows we would get even higher click-through

 

I think one way to determine whether it increases clicks by removing the "Ads by Goooooogle" is to look at the sites who already have and continue to do it.

The biggest sites are not governed by the same TOS as we are. They don't have to display "Ads by Gooooogle" and they don't. I would have to imagine that these sites would keep it there if it increased click through rate.

The ethical question is another one entirely.

If people think the text is an ad or not, they still likely would not click if the ad did not provide some level of interest.

I think Google's position might be: As long as the resulting page that they land on (even if it is another site), does actually provide the information that they anticipated when they clicked, then the visitor is being treated fairly.

But if the ad is misleading or results in a page or site that had nothing to do with the ad copy, then the user may feel deceived and consequently it may be deemed as unethical.

I suppose this methodology would apply to ANY link on a website, not just an ad link. If you had a link that said "HOME" and it didn't take you to the home page, would that also be unethical? It would at the very least piss off a few people.

So why then do some of these big sites take off the "Ads by Gooooogle"? I think it may be because when someone sees the word "Ads", there is a preconditioned notion that the resulting content is trying to sell them something. This may be the case, but it also might not. There may be some very good content being offered even though that link was paid for.

These large sites probably want to circumvent that social stereotype of "all ads are crap" that many surfers have been conditioned to think.

But then if that is they case, why would Google force the rest of us to have "Ads by Goooooogle", especially when they have eliminated that condition for their largest merchants? I think it is simply branding. Google wants their name on everything because it helps their overall company. It may just be a strategic business move.

But you never know if this prerequisite will change for the rest of us if their earnings drop low enough.

Of course, these is just my ramblings...

 

Ads by Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Let's face it folks it's unattractive
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooogle

 

Yap I agree with man.