What Traffic Google Giveth, AutoLink Taketh
My iMediaConnection column this month is on the Google Autolink controversy. In short, I think it's time for Google's advertisers to express any concerns they may have about the new Toolbar feature...
In late 2000 Google introduced two innovative services that revolutionized the web. The first, Google AdWords, was a breakthrough advertising paradigm that enabled thousands of online marketers to attract more traffic to their websites. The other, the Google Toolbar, helped millions of users search the web more efficiently. But last month the company added a new feature to the latter, called AutoLink, which threatens to negate some of the benefits of the former by siphoning traffic away from sites without their permission ... unless advertisers do something to stop them.
Steve,
I agree completely with your article with one minor exception. AutoLink should be removed completely. Having an opt-out is not a solution that should even be considered. Danny Sullivan called for this and it seems the industry jumped on the idea. One fact is missing though....
What about all of those new online businesses, content providers, etc. that launch onto the net daily? Who's going to tell them that AutoLink is robbing their traffic? Where is their full disclosure?
As you know, most web site owners don't know the first thing about search when they come online. All of the search forums on the net tell us that. Is it fair that those sites should have traffic redirected until they somehow "magically" learn of AutoLink and how they can opt out? I don't think you would be too happy if you found out after quite a long time that Google was doing this to your site and not disclosing it when you build your site.
Point is, AutoLink needs to go completely. An opt out is not the answer and can definitely still allow Google to exploit online sites at their own will.
Posted by: Joe Holcomb | Tuesday, March 08, 2005 at 02:35 PM
Steve,
Great article, ran across in iMedia Connection and came out to your blog to comment, since I just read something that I found a bit disturbing.
Although Google has claimed that they just "chose" Amazon for the link back on the ISBN number because "they felt" like Amazon had the biggest selection of books, and that Amazon did not pay any extra for this redirect through autolink, is it true that the CEO of Amazon is a major stock holder of Google?
If this is true, then does Google have yet another PR nightmare on its hands?
Posted by: Liana Evans | Wednesday, March 09, 2005 at 11:43 AM
Liana, I am not aware that Amazon holds such a stake, but I am sure this is out there already if true. I suspect it is not.
Posted by: Steve Rubel | Wednesday, March 09, 2005 at 11:52 AM
Steve - went back to re-read threadwatch .. not sure how reliable some of the posters on there are, but there are some posts on there referring to Jeff Bezos (Amazon CEO) is a shareholder in Google and was before the IPO. (http://www.threadwatch.org/node/1758) and comments to post(http://www.threadwatch.org/node/1726)
As for how much is stake is and it's validity, its for anyone's guess at this point.
Consequently the first thread is a survey done to see how people view the GTBv3.1, I found that quite interesting too.
Posted by: Liana Evans | Wednesday, March 09, 2005 at 12:48 PM
i need your traffic
Posted by: Leo DeJong | Sunday, June 04, 2006 at 03:02 PM