Yesterday, Google announced a change to their algorithm. It’s a change that may not sit well with many website owners.
According to the official Google Webmaster Central Blog, The search engine now considers sites that have advertising above the fold to be a nuisance to searchers.
Here is what they had to say…
In our ongoing effort to help you find more high-quality websites in search results, today we’re launching an algorithmic change that looks at the layout of a webpage and the amount of content you see on the page once you click on a result.
As we’ve mentioned previously, we’ve heard complaints from users that if they click on a result and it’s difficult to find the actual content, they aren’t happy with the experience. Rather than scrolling down the page past a slew of ads, users want to see content right away. So sites that don’t have much content “above-the-fold” can be affected by this change. If you click on a website and the part of the website you see first either doesn’t have a lot of visible content above-the-fold or dedicates a large fraction of the site’s initial screen real estate to ads, that’s not a very good user experience. Such sites may not rank as highly going forward.
This probably will not effect sites that have a single banner ad in the header of their pages, but it will most likely effect sites that use the two large boxes of AdSense ads above their actual content.
Imagine that, Google is mad at you for using Google AdSense on your websites.
What do you think? Comment below.
Useful Internet Marketing Tools...
Hi Brian !
A word on a blog article is not the same as a banner ad or a “small” adsense ad on the sides of a web page. When a user reaches a homepage after clicking a search result and lands on a destination site where the information is reached, it is better to have a text word with a link to a CB AD or something than a 2x 2 or 4 x 2 banner ad
Google really doesn’t care for marketers at all. We are like an annoying distant cousin – they have to put up with us, but they don’t have to let us in the front door. Looks like they are happy to take our adsense money, but lothe us all the same. Maybe I need to start using Bing or Yahoo for searches, instead of Google. (sigh)
Thanks for the timely info Brian,
Hey EBR, i have to say that the majority of Google changes,so far, haven’t really affected me. Which tells me that the way I’m putting my sites together is actually decent. I always, always use unique content and, I think, reasonably placed advertising (I guess Google thinks so too). There is a lesson here for the marketer who doesn’t want to provide much value, but merely, easy ad income without effort. We really have to work at this biz these days and from hereon in. On another note, that’s why when you see the wso’s about huge cash over night etc.,…run like Forest Gump, cuz it’s bulls&*@t!
Like Charles said, put some social in your hustle.
And there are still a lot of other traffic sources. We don’t need Google for success.
Good for Google, I’m all for this change and yes I sell stuff on my sites but feel I need to earn the right to sell to my visitors by providing value right up front. One thing I hate is those sites with all those flashy banners and I’m only on them as long as it takes me to click away. Good going Google… clean up this mess.
I have always found those Adsense ads in two blocks above the fold a real irritation. Never have I clicked on any of them. I scroll down to the content I want to read. Google is right. It’s definitely not a good user experience. I can understand why some sites do it though. They provide very interesting and unique content absolutely free and they need some way to generate income, but those ads above the fold are too annoying.
For my main site in my tracking stats for search I have noticed my Youtube traffic has risen in the last month and Google is 63% Yahoo is 21%
Bing 16%
Wow all I have to say is “THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY!” … I guess it’s either shape up or ship out huh?
As far as I know, this was addressed with Panda. I’m not really sure what the difference is here or what has changed.
They just keep makin it easier for Facebook to whoop there A**!
very interesting.
would like to see how it will turn down the road
thnx
i agree with your Maury. Google always priority Adsvertiser and They algorithm..hikz..
Hi Brian
Good to see that Google is cracking down on all those crappy ‘instant sites’ that offer no unique content or good info and is just a page of ads with some ‘stolen’ or recycled article content added to the page as an afterthought!
Listen to the moaners – oh how my heart bleeds?
Dropped in the rankings – not my site.
Will google really punish site owners for places the ads where they tell us we should place the ads?
I’m just following advice they give for maximizing clicks.
I don’t think this will affect most websites.
Only the ones that egregiously place their ads. =0)
I think that it’s a great job that google is doing! Nobody want’s to see adds when they come to a website! Give me some great content that I can learn something from. Then If I want more let me know where I can get some information. I think that it’s a positive change. When you putting out content think about adding value to the reader. Then and only then will you be able to build a great business!
Yes Google always seems to take on more Google ads and products above the fold in their search results. Seems like they’re the ones that should remove their ads above the fold!
“Vic” – totally agree.
I too have been operating websites since 93 – and always abide by the principle such as: if it annoyes me, then it will annoy also the visitor – ergo, no advertising above the fold.
Rather have a enticing link to my section of ‘advertising’. If it’s of any interest at all, the visitor will naturally click on it. Creating better user experience makes for loyal return – creates solid sales. The BIG plus: never worry about what Google comes up with next.