Following Google Inc and Dell's agreement to make Google the default search engine on Dell Computers, users are noticing that instead of editorial listings, search engine users on Dell Computers are transferred to Google SERPs full of ads.
Search Engine Land reports findings on the joint venture, especially on features that is angering users. For example: If you typed Microsoft but forgot to include .com in your browser on a new Dell computer, so that you just entered [http://microsoft] instead of giving you a link to Microsoft, the Google-Dell redirection lists a bunch of ads.
“In reality, these Popular Categories and Popular Results seem to have little to do with the popularity of URL error activity, as they would seem to imply. Instead, the seem suspiciously like a way to get Dell searchers to perform new queries that in response bring up ad-heavy pages that generate revenue for Dell and Google. “
As mentioned in their official Google Operating Sytem blog, "if you type a non-existent address in Internet Explorer's address bar, you're sent to a special Microsoft homepage that suggests some related links. Google decided this is a lucrative feature, so they install a Browser Address Error Redirector that replaces Microsoft's redirects. Here's the explanation:
This page was generated because of one of these two reasons:
* The web address you typed did not resolve correctly.
* You typed a keyword query in the browser address bar.
This page is meant to provide you with helpful related content, including web search results and paid advertisements, based on the meaning of the web address/keyword query that you typed. This program can be uninstalled from the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs."
For more on the deal gone wrong, read "Google & Dell's Revenue-Generating URL Error Pages Drawing Fire". A thread "Google turns the page… in a bad way" provides comprehensive detail to help you understand better the scenario.
Recommend this story
Navneet Kaushal, CEO PageTraffic is a trusted authority in the search engine marketing industry. He is a featured author at Web Pro News, Search Newz, Website Notes, DevWebPro, SEO Article and Web Help Now among many others.
@pagetraffic
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I love Google’s search functionality. I think since they’ve put new constraints (about a year ago) to address internet spam it’s lost a little effectiveness, but for instance, I have a site that I used their API for with some AJAX, and it’s the easiest site-search I’ve ever used.