Google Testing SearchWiki For Adwords
Search Engine Roundtable and Webmaster World have started a discussion of Google’s testing of a SearchWiki for Adwords. The addition would give users the ability to push certain paid ads down similar to what they are offering for organic search results.
The screen shot was grabbed by a Webmaster World user but later edited out though Barry Schwartz included it in his post at SERoundtable.com. The comments about this are interesting as they suggest they could be used to impact paid results.
Something tells me Google will allow individuals to drop the presentation of ads on a personal basis – like an iGoogle type of thing. Could they eventually watch trends and one day use them for Quality Scores? Yes, but that would be a very foolish move and one that would then open them up to manipulation.
The discussion of the situation on Sphinn is amusing to say the least. Well-known marketer Fantomaster starts the comments with “Yep – Negative SEO goes PPC. What another great Google idea!”
Then Marty Weintraub of AimClear replies “@fantomaster: Jup, just line em’ up and knock em off like shooting rats with a bbGun.”
Following those two amusing comments the gates opened and all sorts of rumors and thoughts of gaming Adwords. If Google were to use any of this as feedback it is obvious gaming would run rampant and not the 1% one Sphinner suggests. Adwords is too big of a game and too important to major online advertisers for it to be open to such manipulation.
Interestingly Google has yet to enter into the fray.