Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Google Site Search: Much Ado About Nothing

Google's new feature for site specific search has created some controversy, but publishers really shouldn't complain.

The secondary search box that is generated when a website name is entered can be a helpful tool. Several articles have pointed out that while the search results are all from within the site itself, the ads that are displayed may come from competitors.

This is the same thing that happens when you do any Google search that includes any brand or domain name, so I don't see the problem. People who search using a company name in the search box haven't branded their site well enough for people to memorize the URL, so it's fair game.

This new feature is great for Google because it generates more traffic for their site and therefore more ad dollars. Advertisers also like the chance to win over folks looking for a competitor, so it's no surprise that Google has gone in this direction.

Posted By John Gartner at 09:03 AM
Permanent Link: Google Site Search: Much Ado About Nothing | Comments (0)

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