Google and vertical markets

[newsvend]

Google have been fairly active in the US taking over vertical sector search sites, now they've [URLNO="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/8368176/Google-buys-UK-comparison-site-BeatThatQuote.com.html"]bought[/URLNO] UK-based Beat That Quote. Will be interesting to see whether the purchase results in any anti-trust suits here as has happened as a result of previous and planned US acquisitions.

For sure Beat That Quote will have cemented its place on Google's 1st page results!

Any thoughts on whether this trend is good or bad for consumers ?

 

[Curious]

Tried Googling them?

http://www.google.co.uk/search?pws=0&gl=uk&q=beat+that+quote

 

[redtreeland]

It's hilarious... they've bought a site which is somehow blacklisted on their organic listings...

 

[newsvend]

Funny indeed. Just last week it was ranking high on a raft of keywords. Apparently the site was involved in 'numerous nefarious black hat SEO practices' according to seobook.com.
Are Google sending a signal? Be interesting to track the site's progress back up the index.

 

[Curious]

There was an article or post I read earlier, I can't seem to find the link now, it was basically saying that when they purchased the site a load of SEO's outed it as a site that was propped up on paid links. As a result they hit it on the serps with a penalty.

He went on to say that in his opinion it was currently going to get a bucketload of links from authority sites who've picked up on the story. So when the penalty is over they're going to be ranking because of these new authority links, not the paid ones. It was a bit tinhat-ish, but makes sense I suppose..

See if I can find the post again.

Edit:Thanks NewsVend, read it on SEOBook.

 

[newsvend]

Perhaps Google don't want to be accused of allowing BeatThatQuote to remain sitting pretty above other price comparison sites when many of their inbound links are paid-fors.

Then, with only clean links remaining + new links from all the publicity, they will build back up to the top before pulling out the scythe on the rest, who will no doubt have various percentages of dodgy links.

 

[redtreeland]

someone shared this earlier:
http://searchengineland.com/google-bans-itself-again-by-banning-beatthatquote-com-67437

 

[eventdomain]

Ofcourse - especially when they bought Like.com, Youtube and Doubleclick. It owns several social and video engines, and owns 91 websites.

There's still a ton of amazing companies to be had yet then they'll start buying up the 2nd tier engines - you watch, bcos some of them are major.

I think they'll buy some news site next, maybe one of the job sites too.

 

[I, Brian]

For sure Beat That Quote will have cemented its place on Google's 1st page results!

Any thoughts on whether this trend is good or bad for consumers ?

No doubt Google are more interested in pushing BTQ promotions *above* natural listings, pretty much like they are already doing with a search for credit cards.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

There wil be a raft of anti trust suits against Google, it is already fighting 2, I think that this will result in a third.

 

[Curious]

No doubt Google are more interested in pushing BTQ promotions *above* natural listings, pretty much like they are already doing with a search for credit cards.

Hadn't seen one of those before. Gosh! G are getting a bit involved with their own serps aren't they..

I don't understand the details, but surely there comes a point when their getting involved in this way gives them a bit too much biase in the results? Is that what you're talking about OWG?

 

[Oscar Tango]

It will interesting to hear what Matt Cutts has to say about it, but I guess they will just reiterate their stance that they don't want to return another search engine in the SERPS.

 

[Oscar Tango]

No doubt Google are more interested in pushing BTQ promotions *above* natural listings, pretty much like they are already doing with a search for credit cards.

Quite a good article here on that.

All part of Google's push to be #1 in Search, comparison sites have been a thorn in their side for a few years so I guess they will gradually take them all over.

Maybe the end results will be better for consumers - at least google are open about them being ads i.e. the results returned in the comparison are all paid-for slots (pay per lead).

Lots of the current comparison sites hide behind a thin veneer of fooling consumers into believing they are seeing a truly independent analysis.

 

[crossdaz]

Lots of the current comparison sites hide behind a thin veneer of fooling consumers into believing they are seeing a truly independent analysis.

First sensible comment so far.