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Google AdSpam
June 23, 2006
First, let me just say that I’m very tired of hearing and reading about Google this and Google that, but I’m unfortunately forced to write about them anyway.
Is it just me or is Google search results continuing to get riddled with tons of Spam sites? For months now, I’ve seen tons and tons of spam sites and alike taking up first page listings for hopes that people will click on their stupid AdSense-only-and-nothing-else-relevant-or-unique-about-this-page web pages for generating revenue from Google via Google AdSense.
For a company that prides itself as the most relevant search engine, I’m starting to feel like Google is allowing this and perhaps wanting this to happen because Google makes money regardless. I don’t get it. Their stock continues to climb to record numbers and everyone (except perhaps myself) loves them, yet their diversification is causing their core product (search) to truly diminish in quality and they seem to be forgetting their roots.
There are so many examples of AdSense-riddled top tens on Google that I’m not going to offer any examples to show our fellow Wagoneers. Instead, I’m wanting feedback from our readers with perhaps links to example search results showing just how pathetic Google’s so-called “relevant� search results are with solid examples of AdSense-only type sites populating most of the top ten real estate.
The more comments we get for this post, the better. AdSpam (aka Google AdSense) is a growing problem and I just don’t hear enough people talking about it. Perhaps this thread can start people talking and more importantly, allow Google to see that people are taking notice of their lack of attention to their core product and audience and just wanting to please share holders.
Now’s the time to chime in boys and girls!!
All posts by Sean Bolton
posted by Sean Bolton at June 23, 2006 04:23 PM
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Comments
Did you get banned from adsense at some point! Just asking, cause there seems to be a deep hatred for them from you. See the way I see it there seems to be four types of people, people who use adsense for what it is, people who complain about it because they got banned, people who tried it and never made a dime, and people who have no clue about it. I do read your site everyday and i like it so it really is not a shot at you. I am just really curious if you got banned or not?
Posted by: shane at June 23, 2006 10:08 PM
Hey Shane,
Thanks for commenting. No, actually, I don't think we fit into any of those categories. We've never run Adsense on the site, and we really do have a clue about it.
I don't want to speak for Sean (who, you may not know, typically consumes about six cups of coffee before posting), but I think he might fall into a fifth category, which I believe is a growing number of people who think that a clickthrough based solely on the desire to escape an Adsense trap really isn't the type of click that will a) benefit the recipient of the click and b) keep this financial model afloat in the long term.
We certainly appreciate the input. Keep it coming.
Posted by: Erik Dafforn at June 24, 2006 01:03 AM
Fair enough! Good Stuff!
Posted by: Shane at June 24, 2006 09:19 AM
Shane,
Erik is actually wrong on this one. I drink about 8 cups of java before posting. 8^)
Posted by: Sean at June 26, 2006 01:24 PM