The recent announcement of paid Google product search results has caused a massive furor. But what does it mean for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Internet marketing?
To answer that question it is first important to point out that Google’s whole ethos (at the start) was to provide the best possible search results without commercial bias.
This is why search experts are worried that this change in policy (albeit only for product searches) heralds the dawning of a new commercialized Google.
Is this a slippery slope to paid everything search? If so, where does it end and what will its effect be on you and me?
Google’s paid product search results
Before we all panic about what will happen to the painstaking SEO and social marketing efforts we’ve invested in our blogs, sites and content, let’s quickly look at what the changes entail:
- Free product placements in Google search results are out
- Merchants will have to bid to display their products
- Paid product placement ad space will be bid upon by merchants vying for position
- Premium adwords space will be reduced to make way for a sponsored product images box at the top of the page
That’s the gist of the changes – not too bad. Google has come up with the usual corporate spin you would expect – i.e. having a paid relationship encourages merchants to offer better product content, etc.
Should Google be allowed to commercialize search?
Europe’s antitrust chief has a problem with Google, which holds sway over about 90% of all search traffic in Europe.
The issue raised by many is not that it is unfair for Google to have a monopoly on search traffic, but that it should not be allowed to leverage this monopoly to the detriment of other businesses.
If Google decides to use its position as a search provider to extract “tithes” from businesses wishing to sell products, is that fair on smaller businesses who may offer high quality products but don’t have the budget to compete with larger corporations online?
Up until now, the Internet was a great leveler. Small companies could gain wide exposure online for providing high quality content, services and products. Now they can be outbid by a conglomerate in a different country.
The effect of Google’s paid search on SEO and social media marketing
The introduction of Google’s paid search might seem like a minor change that everyone is blowing out of proportion, but consider the following points:
- SEO and Internet marketing, by definition, are commercial enterprises designed to drive business and revenue
- Paid search obviates the need for quality content in lieu of an advertising budget and high converting landing pages
- Google may decide to extend paid product changes to paid service changes
- Where do we draw the line between what is a product and what isn’t?
Let’s quickly explore the ramifications of these points in more detail…
SEO and Internet marketing “is” paid product placement on Google search
The only reason we use SEO and Internet marketing (and to a large extent social media marketing) is to drive traffic so that we can convert it in one way or another to make money.
Who’s to say what qualifies as a product in Google’s paid search?
The line between product and service on the Internet is quite blurry. Is a downloadable software tool with a monthly subscription payment a product or a service?
Now that Google has made the leap into commercially biased search results, what’s next? Products and services are already more or less the same as far as Internet marketing and online retail go.
Google paid search allows sellers to bypass affiliate marketing
Let’s say your business relies on creating high quality content, and derives revenue from affiliate links that sell related products and services (which many businesses do). How will it affect you that the retailer can circumvent your content and pay commission directly to Google to appear at the top of search results without needing high quality affiliate content?
Affiliate marketing is a huge industry that may be seriously damaged by this change.
How big will the effect be on non-paid content that sells products and services?
I think the effect is going to be huge. Already, search results that are towards the bottom of page 1 get only a fraction of the traffic that search results at the top of page 1 get.
This effect will only be enhanced by having a row of images splashed across the top of the screen. Why would anyone looking for a telescope search deeper through content results when Google’s shopping comparison results are displayed right in front of their eyes?
What do you think they effect of the changes will be on SEO and Internet marketing? Have you already been affected by this? Are you already bidding on paid search product placements? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below or join the conversation on LinkedIn and Twitter.
I agree the aftermath of this drastic changes will be devastating for the non-paid contents. But again since Google wants to compete with e-commerce giants like Ebay and Amazon because they also use Google services to sell their products.
Looks like this amplifies the importance of social and building your list!
This has *always* been on the cards, always. Anyone who couldn’t see it coming has been blind.
This is all about value.
Clicks have value. Google know the value of a click better than any organisation on the planet.
If you don’t want clicks, don’t bother having a website, or an AdWords account.
If you don’t want to sell stuff online, forget about Google.
You too, absolutely have to *know* the value of your clicks. Because you are about to be hit where it hurts – in the wallet.
They are absolutely right that a commercial relationship is critical to this – too long has there been so much junk around that people can’t be bothered clearing it up because “it’s free” (well, actually, that’s misguided anyway, nothing on the Internet is “free”).
Why do you think G gave us Conversion Optimizer?? So *you* could call the financial shots, not them. What did they get in return? Commercial DATA. The value of clicks and Sales.
I call it “Follow the Money” – earn more than you spend, then spend it all.
In Jerry Maguire, it was “Show Me The Money!”
http://www.davidnrothwell.com/commission-only-adwords-management-show-me-the-money-4021/
nice post i`m definitely going to add product extensions to my account and check how they perform. thanks for the article!
The more I learn about Google’s latest “enhancements” the less I like it. These days Google’ss search results are full of crap. I am using Bing for research because at least it returns some decent information.
There is a difference between Google Search and Google Shopping. They are not the same thing. So starting with the first item:
“Free product placements in Google search results are out” this article leads the reader astray. None of the changes to Google Shopping will affect Google Search. You might as well be arguing that a change in the recipe for Pepsi will somehow affect the taste of Mountain Dew. While I agree the changes are a sign of Google’s new greed, we should at least learn what they are talking about before attacking them.
As for “what qualifies as a product” – again, it’s Google Shopping, not Google Search. And the definition of a product is quite clearly spelled out to the merchant. A service is not a product. You can find massage chairs, massage tables and all sorts of slippery oils on Google Shopping, but you won’t find a massage.
To Joe- Google Search will be affected as Google Search results will be pushed down with the addition of paid product searches. Read here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2012/05/31/how-evil-are-googles-new-paid-shopping-search-results/