Buy Google SERPS/Organic Listings only $25

[SFD]

SteveGibson commented in a thread the other day about Google could start charging to be in the organic listings, either with a 'website review' fee or some other charge to get included.

It seems now (thanks to Steve ;)) that Google are now trialing this with Local Listings, for $25 a month a local business can get a place on the front page. While anyone has been able to do this for years with adwords, the main point with this is that paid results are now being included within organic results, albeit highlighted.

A link to the story here (http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/mt/archives/2010/02/the_trouble_wit.php) and you can see the results for yourself in this Google search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=skateboards+in+houston)

What are your thoughts?

[Kev Jaques]

Does not surprise me in the slightest!! They have a duty to shareholders above their search users?

[directmarketingadvice]

What are your thoughts?

Interesting stuff.

Given they have paid versions of the normal SERP listings (i.e. adwords), why wouldn't they have paid versions of the local listings?

And, as with adwords, why wouldn't those go above the organic results?

I expect we'll see more of this (including paid video listings from Youtube etc) as the year goes on.

Steve

[awebapart.com]

with Local Listings, for $25 a month a local business can get a place on the front page. While anyone has been able to do this for years with adwords, the main point with this is that paid results are now being included within organic results, albeit highlighted.
This isn't really very different to the wide sponsored ads appearing at the top of, and above, normal natural searches, which Google has been doing for ages.

[SFD]

This isn't really any different to the wide sponsored ads appearing at the top of, and above, normal natural searches, which Google has been doing for ages.

I agree, as it stands, it's not much different, but if each of their sections,

News
Organic
Local
Shopping
Images
Video
etc

Has this added, then the number of actual 'organic' serps will be a lot less compared to the paid results on the page.

[los_design]

Not long then before we strive to get ranked number 27 in Google as this will be the 'top' free organic placement :eek:

I can see the ads now...we guarantee you a position on page 9 of Google Only $75,000,000 per month! Click here for details...
:rolleyes:

[OldWelshGuy]

gewnts this isn't the case. You are uying an enhanced listing, enhanced as in a better LISTINg, but NOT an enhanced ranking.

An FTC ruling makes it clear that there has to be transparancy between the two.

Google have however done this and so it is my belief that at some point in the future they will apply the same auction style algorithm to Local business centre as they do to adwords.