Google Wants to Become Your Competitor

[Graybeard]

Not satisfied by just controlling the search market and a large part of the SEM (AdWords) market Google is wanting to try CPA *affiliate* marketing for large e-commerce retailers.

Not satisfied by just being able to bully the webmaster market and constantly move the goal post -- now Google is going for the kill. This probably will have little effect on the breadcrumbs you are left with -- but eventually?

The Antitrust Laws

This may end up in US Federal Court or subject to FTC Administrative code.

" The U.S. technology company is teaming up with retailers including Target Corp, Walmart Inc, Home Depot Inc, Costco Wholesale Corp and Ulta Beauty Inc.

Under a new program, retailers can list their products on Google Search, as well as on the Google Express shopping service, and Google Assistant on mobile phones and voice devices.

In exchange for Google listings and linking to retailer loyalty programs, the retailers pay Google a piece of each purchase, which is different from payments that retailers make to place ads on Google platforms. ... "

Exclusive: 'Where can I buy?' - Google makes push to turn product...

Actually, I sort of saw this coming a couple of years ago. Being on the other side of the fence, hiring Google Search on a CPA/CPS (rev-share) basis had its advantages for reason of its dominance in search.

Graybeard, Mar 19, 2018

 

[Mr. Plan B]

Interesting piece of information.
This might disappoint many in the industry.

 

[Graybeard]

I think they are heading right into a wall. We'll have to see.

 

[azgold]

Another reason for me to hate Google.

Wouldn't this apply to them?

Section 7 of the Clayton Act prohibits mergers and acquisitions where the effect "may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly."

Microsoft went through this with operating systems several years ago.

 

[Graybeard]

Playing the Devil's Advocate: Google's lawyers could argue that they are helping medium sized businesses play on a more leveled playing field -- helping to slay *Amazon the Giant*

The fault in that argument is, IMO: Google is profiting from market weakness by using their dominance in the search (information) arena. This is hardly a charitable donation to the good of society

It's a rigged game. "Do no evil!" Yeah right ...

 

[azgold]

Playing the Devil's Advocate: Google's lawyers could argue that they are helping medium sized businesses play on a more leveled playing field -- helping to slay *Amazon the Giant*

I'm rolling my eyes so hard, it hurts!

It's a rigged game. "Do no evil!" Yeah right ...

Notice they dropped that tagline around the time that they started releasing the animals.

 

[Graybeard]

You know Yahoo Slurp is aggressively indexing Twitter now
Increase in Google Adwords costs | Inbound Marketing Agency

"Theoretically, this is a sound principle and should lead to improved user satisfaction.

The complaints are from advertisers who have been running successful PPC campaigns, with high click through rates and good conversion levels, who are suddenly forced to make massive increases in bid price, making the advertising nonviable.

As with most automated processes, it is likely that some websites are being unfairly ‘punished’ for not having landing pages that are deemed relevant by Google’s spiders. Some webmasters have considered restricting access to the landing pages with the robots.txt file but we believe this to be strongly inadvisable as it is likely to lead to the lowest quality score possible."

View attachment 12381

If enough people told Googlebot to *fk off* Other search engines might prosper and gain market share -- Live by the Sword -- Die by the Sword

There are only two forces that unite men - fear and interest. --Napoleon Bonaparte

 

[Graybeard]

@JeffBezos
Amazon, Blue Origin, Washington Post

Make my day?

 

[azgold]

You know Yahoo Slurp is aggressively indexing Twitter now

I did not but it makes sense.

Referencing the pic you posted above, yeah I thought of that after my post about them dropping the Do No Evil tagline. It disappeared after the release of the animals....and their expansion into robotics. I guess that means they're not lying by not saying it anymore. If you want to be incredibly magnanimous.

The mighty always fall at some point.

I know G is the biggest player and potential supplier of traffic in the universe but the only power anyone has over us, is what we give them. If there was a mass exodus to other search engines, they'd have to start to wither.

Can't see marketers leaving en masse yet but maybe a slow, consistent dribble. Gotta start somewhere. Although, with these latest developments, it increases the possibility.

 

[Graybeard]

Looking at the background and possible motives:

View attachment 12382

I think the big drop may be related to the increased bid prices for AdWords. Rather than lower prices for AdWords Google may offer CPA in place of CPC to select *partners*

Google is the ultimate *super-affiliate* they control the largest target market in the world -- just like 150 years ago in the USA the oilmen and railroads tried to control the market -- until the government stepped in with anti-trust laws.

View attachment 12383

Price fixing seems to be a necessary element in the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. But Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Home Depot all have affiliate programs. Google getting sued in a class action by affiliates is a stretch but is possible considering the animosity levels

 

[azgold]

I imagine you'd have to have awfully deep pockets to go after Google. Depriving them of income is cheaper, if it can be done on a large enough scale.

By the way, I wouldn't be surprised if they're working with the U.S. military with those robots. I remember watching a video a few years ago, where one of the bigger ones could run. Scary possibilities.

 

[Graybeard]

Good save

Google is not the affiliate's friend (anymore) Google (AdWords) is your number 1 competitor.
Search used to be a fair deal: free use of your content for free traffic.
I think that the parasite is eating it's host more and more -- if a parasite devours it's host it also dies off 2₵

 

[azgold]

I agree with you completely. Their cached pages have been very helpful in this case, though. Unfortunately, I haven't found that option with DDG.

 

[Graybeard]

There are exceptions to every rule -- in general cached pages (accessible to the public are often misused).
One common Blackhat tactic uses these caches.

 

[azgold]

One common Blackhat tactic uses these caches.

Huh! I did not know that.