Have you ever noticed that when you search for something on Google, you often have to scroll past several pages of ads to find the information you’re looking for? According to a Reddit user from two years ago, this is not just in your head. In fact, many users have noticed that Google’s search rankings seem to have gotten less accurate over time, with Wikipedia articles often appearing on the second page of search results.
One of the reasons for this may be the increasing amount of real estate occupied by ads on Google’s search results pages. As with any business, Google is always looking for ways to increase revenue per customer, especially as the ability to gain new customers becomes more difficult due to saturation. By adding more ads per search, Google can bill more per search and increase revenue across all search traffic globally.
Of course, this is not just a problem with Google. YouTube also uses pre-roll ads and unskippable ads to condition users to accept ads as a normal part of the viewing experience. However, as ads continue to grow in volume and become more obtrusive, there is a risk that users will start to reject ads entirely. This could be a problem not just for Google, but for its clients as well.
To avoid this, Google has a big role to play in finding a balance between ads and content. While paywalls can be annoying, they may be preferable to an ad-littered future in which it becomes almost impossible to find the content you’re looking for. As a leader in the space, Google has a responsibility to its users and clients to figure out where the fatigue point is and when to leave users alone.
In conclusion, while Google’s search rankings may have gotten less accurate over time, this is not necessarily a sign that the company is failing. Rather, it is a result of the maturation process of its business. As Google continues to find ways to increase revenue per customer, it is up to users to find a balance between ads and content that works for them.