Google is showing "sponsored" results?

R

ryannull

Senior Member

Feb 27, 2012

805

335

• Aug 17, 2012

• #1

When I was checking serps for the term "credit cards", I saw this:



I had to blur out my location.

I am assuming that this would be a FTC violation.

 

lancis

Elite Member

Jul 31, 2010

1,682

2,443

• Aug 17, 2012

• #2

I don't see it when search for "credit cards", may be its some browser plugin on your side?

 

themidiman

Power Member

Feb 25, 2011

700

1,564

• Aug 17, 2012

• #3

I see it over here. Boy, what a poor user experience.

 

steelballs

BANNED

Dec 5, 2008

1,831

4,585

• Aug 17, 2012

• #4

Access from Asia as one would expect the index results are completely different to what the OP is getting

 

R

ryannull

Senior Member

Feb 27, 2012

805

335

• Aug 17, 2012
• Thread Starter Thread Starter

• #5

lancis said:

I don't see it when search for "credit cards", may be its some browser plugin on your side?

Click to expand...

Above was done with Firefox. I just did a search with Chrome and IE, and it's still there for me.

 

Optic88

Regular Member

Nov 6, 2008

314

327

• Aug 17, 2012

• #6

Google has been doing this with Credit Cards and Mortgage for 4 months now. They seem to be split testing since it's not always showing up.

 

R

ryannull

Senior Member

Feb 27, 2012

805

335

• Aug 17, 2012
• Thread Starter Thread Starter

• #7

themidiman said:

I see it over here. Boy, what a poor user experience.

Click to expand...

Good, it's not only me. haha

This is a direct violation of their FTC agreement. They are favoring their own services.

 

deviatus

Power Member

May 25, 2007

517

388

• Aug 17, 2012

• #8

Ridiculous... you need to scroll down below the fold just to start seeing the top 10.

 

N

narfunk

Registered Member

Oct 31, 2008

83

84

• Aug 17, 2012

• #9

Showing up for me as well...Firefox...US

 

deviatus

Power Member

May 25, 2007

517

388

• Aug 17, 2012

• #10

We can report complaints here to the FTC, under their "Competition Issues" section:

Code:

http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm

And the FTC has taken on Google before, so you can't say they'll definitely do nothing about this.

 

themidiman

Power Member

Feb 25, 2011

700

1,564

• Aug 17, 2012

• #11

This is an independent comparison service provided by Google Comparison Inc. We provide this content only for informational purposes. While we strive to ensure the information we provide is correct and up-to-date, please always check with the issuer before applying for a credit card.

Click to expand...

Are those credit card companies paying to be part of the "Google Advisor" page, or are those just aff links?

 

R

ryannull

Senior Member

Feb 27, 2012

805

335

• Aug 17, 2012
• Thread Starter Thread Starter

• #12

themidiman said:

Are those credit card companies paying to be part of the "Google Advisor" page, or are those just aff links?

Click to expand...

It goes to the advisor section, but when you click on the "learn more", you can apply from there. I am sure Google is getting a cut. Who knows.

 

deviatus

Power Member

May 25, 2007

517

388

• Aug 17, 2012

• #13

Just think if any of us had a page that looked like G's results page.... half ads, half duplicate content, no non-advertisements above the fold. Panda should turn around and attack his masters!

 

F

flibbertigibbet

Regular Member

Apr 11, 2010

388

191

• Aug 17, 2012

• #14

ryannull said:

When I was checking serps for the term "credit cards", I saw this:

View attachment 15958

I had to blur out my location.

I am assuming that this would be a FTC violation.

Click to expand...

Haha. Shady. Google is learning from all of the IMers and Blackhatters around here.... sponsor your own listing and then use affiliates to earn more money for your company cause no one wants to use AdWords.... messed up but brilliant at the same time.

 

arsaltheman

Power Member

Aug 2, 2011

536

267

• Aug 17, 2012

• #15

I'm too getting'em ... on every search I do!

 

E

Expertpeon

Elite Member

Apr 22, 2011

1,959

1,198

• Aug 17, 2012

• #16

ryannull said:

When I was checking serps for the term "credit cards", I saw this:

View attachment 15958

I had to blur out my location.

I am assuming that this would be a FTC violation.

Click to expand...

This is a change over related to the European commission demanding Google label its own products when it artificially boosts them in its own results.

 

R

ryannull

Senior Member

Feb 27, 2012

805

335

• Aug 17, 2012
• Thread Starter Thread Starter

• #17

arsaltheman said:

I'm too getting'em ... on every search I do!

Click to expand...

I'm only getting them for "credit cards". Nothing else. They are definitely doing some testing.

 

E

Expertpeon

Elite Member

Apr 22, 2011

1,959

1,198

• Aug 17, 2012

• #18

ryannull said:

I'm only getting them for "credit cards". Nothing else. They are definitely doing some testing.

Click to expand...

Type in "laptops"
It's one of the worst looking searches I've ever seen thanks to recent changes of the interface.

80%+ of the total above the fold space is google owned products or advertisements from google.

 

arsaltheman

Power Member

Aug 2, 2011

536

267

• Aug 17, 2012

• #19

Don't know about u but I'm getting it on every search I do! I even get Sponsor Ads at Right Side...
View attachment 15963

 

Italian Hawk

Power Member

Apr 21, 2009

594

132

• Aug 17, 2012

• #20

YouTube is ranking better than ever since these last few penguin updates too. Google is just asking for a big investigation one of these days and it's either going to tone things down a bit or it'll crush Google. Personally, I wouldn't mind an era of Bing.