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Google diverting users to paid search listings
This entry was posted on 3/25/2008 8:47 PM and is filed under Engines,Google,Thoughts.
We
know that many searchers use the engines as navigational tools. Often,
users type the name of the company or site into the search box and go
to the the organic result. It is simple and easy. Even if you miss-type
the name, the engines have become smart enough to know what you want.
Now,
Google is leveraging that habit to increase the paid search exposure. I have
no real problem with Google or Yahoo! displaying paid listings against the brand
names. I think it is healthy. But the way they are doing it is crossing
the line. Google is corralling the users down a path like a live stock. They are taking learned behavior that they cultivated and turning it around to force an unnecessary search purely for the purpose of having a second shot at monetizing the user. Then, offering them an extremely bad experience.
If you type "best buy" in to the search, you get the results:
Notice that there is a 'search bestbuy.com'
box just below the organic listing. As a user, this leads me to believe
I am going to Best Buy. I am not. Instead, I am diverted to a page of
Google paid search listings along with organic listings on Google for
the best buy site. Again, one might say that this just gives users more
options. Unfortunately, it presents the user with a VERY poor
experience related to Best Buy. But, it does however, allow Google to
present their paid search results.
Type in "Panasonic tv." Is the best return for this search really the pedestal? How much reading does the user have to do to figure out what they might want?
Once you click to the page,to get to:
 You now have to re-enter your search if you want another product.
Best Buy has determined that there are several products that users
usually want when they type in 'Panasonic tv'. Along with this, their experience testing provides insight into how best to present this to the users. They have also provided
options to the consumer that can help them refine their quest even
further. Google simply and arrogantly delivers a link that ends in a
less than good experience. To get to something useful, you have to take 2-3 additional steps. This is bad for the consumer, bad for Best Buy and ultimately, will be bad for Google.
Google has often told us that their primary concern is user
experience. What is better, a list of algorithmic returns based in
general search knowledge gained by Google, or targeted returns with refined presentations based on
the very focused experience of a retailer? Despite all their best efforts, Google is not able to delve into our experiences as online
retailers. They sit in judgment of our experiences, deeming them poor,
when we know as retailers that consumers prefer what we have (otherwise
we wouldn't do it...we'd loose money). That is their right. But this hypocritical twist is about monetizing the search that was best served through the organic experience.
The user experience is clearly bad.
If this were just some
two-bit spammer site, I'd say 'who really cares?' But, this is Google,
the champion of consumer experience. They justify their position with quality rankings on the basis of 'user studies'. 'Users' want more information,
deeper links and more options. As retailers, we know that consumers get
frustrated when they know what they want but can not find it, or have
to work too hard to locate it. Based on their queues, we use our
experience to delivery what they want, including options. We can
provide easy links to options that help the consumer. Google's 'search'
circumvents all that. It delivers the user to a poor experience that
the retailer had no opportunity to cultivate. It frustrates the consumer and will hurt the retailer.
This is a way to monetize and complicate a
consumer experience.
Is this in response to paid search clicks being down? Is it an attempt to please Wall Street? Google is about business, but even
with that in mind, this is too hypocritical.
   
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