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Express distaste over AdWords' display of competing links

While Google’s new search-in-a-search feature, which it quietly unveiled on users earlier this month,  is convenient for users looking to zero-in on exactly what they’re looking for, many webmasters and website owners are less than pleased.

Webmasters’ main issue is the fact that when users use this new tool, Google will display ads in the user’s refined search results. Much like a regular Google search, competitors’ ads will inevitably appear alongside the refined search results, allowing Google to profit from ads sold against the webmaster’s brand.

“Google is showing a level of aggressiveness with this that’s just not needed,” said internet consultant and former Crutchfield.com CEO Alan Rimm-Kaufman.

In one example, users searching for jobs at a specific company by typing “jobs” into Google’s search-in-a-search feature would find ads for services like Monster.com in addition to the company’s search results. The consequences are obvious: users might be lured away from what they were originally looking for, siphoning away business and page views from the websites and retailers that expect to receive it.

Retailers should be especially wary of this feature, adds Rimm-Kaufman.  Google’s search-in-a-search could supplant retailers’ search engines, which are often tailored to a user’s buying preferences and purchase history.

Webmasters’ complaints bear heavy resemblance to the claims from a 2004 lawsuit against Google, where Geico sought $8.65 million over claims of trademark infringement. Users typing “Geico” into Google’s search box were presented with ads from competing insurance companies; right next to the users’ regular results. The lawsuit ended in 2005 with both sides claiming victory; the U.S. District Judge found that while Google’s policy of displaying competing ads was legal, it did indeed commit trademark infringement when the ads displayed used Geico’s name.

For the time being, Google says it removed the feature for a handful of websites that asked for it, though it adds that these sites may not have the opportunity to get it back. “We ask them to try it out and see if they want it removed,” said an unnamed Google spokeswoman. “We think it could be a really useful feature.”

It’s important to note that search-in-a-search is merely the latest incarnation of Google’s “site search” feature, presented to the user in an easier-to-use fashion. (Users’ refined search results will show the “site:” tag appended to the end of their search query). At this time, search-in-a-search is only thinly available; searches for several popular broadcasting companies and online retailers yielded a mixed assortment of sites with and without the search box.

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Advertise yourself
By Kefner on 3/25/2008 10:36:51 AM , Rating: 1
Do a better job of getting you company web address out there, and stop relying on Google search for people to find your business. If your going to rely on Google search (or any other search engine), then deal with the consequences if they find "another" business.




RE: Advertise yourself
By omnicronx on 3/25/2008 11:02:35 AM , Rating: 3
What kind of stupid attitude is that? I bet it costs thousands of dollars to place adds on google, something most companies can not do. If you value competition, and you ever want a startup company to succeed again, I think you may want to change your attitude on things.


RE: Advertise yourself
By Kefner on 3/25/2008 11:05:00 AM , Rating: 1
I'm not saying for them to advertise on Google. And it's not a stupid attitude. The stupid attitude is relying on Google or other search engines to drive business your way (then getting upset when the consumer finds someone else). There are more ways in this world then Google to advertise.


RE: Advertise yourself
By omnicronx on 3/25/2008 12:52:46 PM , Rating: 2
Thanks for thinking about 3% of the internet businesses out there. For man businesses Search Engines are their business, and for many it is used as their main source of advertising.

To say only companies with enough resources to advertise everywhere should only have a chance is just stupid. The great part about the internet is that it is partially free of large corporations taking over everything and everyone.

'then getting upset when the consumer finds someone else'
You obviously missed the point.. If you search for a product in google, the number one site, (and any other site whether it be big or small business) has had to work to get the higher google ranking. whereas now another company can merely pay google to be put on the page, regardless if the product is better or cheaper, chances are some of the people will click on it and buy from that store.

Its obviously great add revenue for google, but I personally think its a step in the wrong direction..


RE: Advertise yourself
By Kefner on 3/25/2008 1:09:36 PM , Rating: 2
So Google is supposed to not "run" their business, so that some 3% don't complain! If your going to rely on a search engine for business, then you'll have to deal with the consequence of doing business that way. Yea, it sucks for the little guy, but thats business. Is Google suppose to go around and pat everyone on their back and say "how do you want us to run our business to benefit you?" Thats ridiculous.


RE: Advertise yourself
By Kefner on 3/25/2008 1:27:25 PM , Rating: 2
Also, I comparative shop everything I buy on the internet, and I want to see all my options when buying. Not just the page ranks of how often someone clicks on a site. Just because I see an add doesn't mean I am going there to buy it. And if they can afford to pay for said add, so be it. I appreciate the additional options.


RE: Advertise yourself
By Kefner on 3/25/2008 2:44:04 PM , Rating: 2
Opps. should of been ad, not add, were not doing math here :)


RE: Advertise yourself
By dever on 3/25/2008 1:44:19 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
The great part about the internet is that it is partially free of large corporations taking over everything and everyone

quote:
now another company can merely pay google to be put on the page, regardless if the product is better or cheaper
Your statements are somewhat contradictory. While large companies (that, for some reason, you want to portray as ominous) often have top results in Google, little companies can now create finely targeted competative advertising using adwords.

The cost of advertising and competing has dropped significantly precisely because Google and others create advertising opportunities for anyone to take advantage of.


Crutchfield is Overpriced
By MagnumMan on 3/25/2008 11:44:48 AM , Rating: 4
Crutchfield is just upset because they have the most expensive prices for A/V equipment in the world and every single other retailer on the internet is cheaper. Now people will just see it more obviously than before. I like the level of detail on their site but their prices are unjustified. Lower your prices, compete, and stop complaining.




RE: Crutchfield is Overpriced
By michal1980 on 3/25/2008 12:42:54 PM , Rating: 3
it has high prices because crutchfield sells 'legit' merchandise that comes with a manufactures warrenty.

most online car audio for example is gray market... warrenty from the seller.

crutchfield on a whole has some of the best cosumter service too.. that costs money.


RE: Crutchfield is Overpriced
By JoshuaBuss on 3/25/2008 9:12:20 PM , Rating: 4
when you're buying expensive AV gear it's nice to get the level of support crutchfield offers.


Consumers win
By leonardotmnt on 3/25/2008 10:42:24 AM , Rating: 3
Wouldn't this either end up being a net gain/loss of 0 if all companies are equal since each competitor would end up losing the same amount of business to another competitor or else let the best competitors with the best services win? The only people that can really complain in this case are the companies who lose business because their services are inferior. If I search for a particular company and find a competitor next to it in the search I'm only going with the new guy if they're better than the one I originally searched for.




RE: Consumers win
By omnicronx on 3/25/2008 11:00:05 AM , Rating: 1
I would be mad too if I had an well known company, in which it has taken years to get up there on the google rankings to be one of the first search results.

If two things cost the same price, and you have two possible choices to click on, chances are, Google adds will take away some of the clicks..

Of course this is where Google gets its revenue so I am not surprised, but I can see why some business's are not very happy about it.


google is in the drivers seat
By phxfreddy on 3/25/2008 11:40:14 PM , Rating: 2
former poster is correct. they are the 800 pound gorilla for now. Resistance is useless. RESISTANCE IS USELESS!




By EricMartello on 4/1/2008 5:56:04 PM , Rating: 2
One of the great things about the internet, at least for me, has been discovering things I didn't know about before - this includes places to shop. Now you have these worthless wannabe's who thought they just open a yahoo store or install oscommerce and suddenly rake in 6 figures+ per year crying that they're losing visitors they "expected" because Google is making customers aware of competing merchants/service providers.

WTF is that?

Who cares what you expected? Learn how to run a business - and that means not basing your business model on hopes and wishes from Google. If your business model is "Spam google for high page rankings and hope for the best", you DESERVE to fail. If your company offers a worthwhile product or service, it will tend to have an intrinsic value that a customer will acknowledge and talk about. If your product or service is worthless (as are many), or if it is just a rehash of something that has been done to death already, why do you even expect to do well? Your business was DOA and failure is the only possible outcome.

Google has been showing competing ads beside their "organic" listings ever since they created Adwords...and if your business is so fragile that the mere act of making a potential customer aware of other options would be detrimental, then sell your domain and get a job at Walmart - because that will be the highest peak you will ever achieve in life.




Great...
By masa77 on 3/25/08, Rating: 0
beginning of the end
By omnicronx on 3/25/08, Rating: -1
RE: beginning of the end
By Mitch101 on 3/25/2008 10:27:16 AM , Rating: 4
I disagree this is the first step toward people going to another search engine and watching the google empire begin to fall out from underneath it.

After seeing this on my own sites I am seriously considering replacing Google ads with Microsoft ads.

Evolution of what search engines I used.
AltaVista.com - days long ago
Yahoo.com
Dogpile.com (Brief)
Google.com
Ask.com (Brief)
Live.com - today I use live.com more than google.

Its one thing to go in a new direction but when you start giving search results based of who pays the top dollar then its no longer a search engine its a pay for rank engine.


RE: beginning of the end
By glennpratt on 3/25/2008 10:46:14 AM , Rating: 2
They're marked as ads, not search results.


RE: beginning of the end
By Visual on 3/25/2008 11:02:16 AM , Rating: 3
besides, it's not users that are complaining from the feature - it's just greedy bastard site-owners that are worried users might accidentally find a better offer thanks to google.

i dont see how what google's doing is a bad thing...


RE: beginning of the end
By TheDoc9 on 3/25/2008 11:05:42 AM , Rating: 2
He's a business owner and to him it's important revenue, to us it's mostly annoying and another thing we have to block out. I don't believe that this makes it a rankings engine, in fact it simply allows google to show more selection. It's all in how you want to perceive it. Google wins and the advertisers win really. And if someone gets lured away from their site without actually visiting their site then so be it, it's competition. It's no different than walking into a street market and having different stand owners fight for your business.