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How Google Could Collapse

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Re: How Google Could Collapse

#61
post #26

It is obvious the author doesn't understand advertising. Honestly, skip this one. Here is a list of problems: * OP is constantly misunderstanding the difference between search, shopping, display, native, and social. * Unsubstantiated claim that youtube has 'insurmountable' problems * Display ads having 0.06% is irrelevant - the goal isn't clicks * Random claim that google lost a major portion of its audience already?…

He's blogging on a medium blog, he can't do better. That's the shallow medium BS I always rage upon.

Re: How Google Could Collapse

#62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Search was Google’s only unambiguous win, as well as its primary source of revenue, so when Amazon rapidly surpassed Google as the top product search destination, Google’s foundations began to falter. This is the most annoying line though. Literally his own sources don't corroborate his assertion. Also, it is in past tense. When the first source he links to is from 4Q 2016. Alphabet literally beat its earnings expe…

The post is written as if it was written in the future talking about things happening currently. See the line just below the title. Reporting from the very near post Google future.

Which, unless it's a post-apocalyptic future, isn't coming any time soon.

Re: How Google Could Collapse

#63
post #26

It is obvious the author doesn't understand advertising. Honestly, skip this one. Here is a list of problems: * OP is constantly misunderstanding the difference between search, shopping, display, native, and social. * Unsubstantiated claim that youtube has 'insurmountable' problems * Display ads having 0.06% is irrelevant - the goal isn't clicks * Random claim that google lost a major portion of its audience already?…

> Search was Google’s only unambiguous win, as well as its primary source of revenue, so when Amazon rapidly surpassed Google as the top product search destination, Google’s foundations began to falter. This is the most annoying line though. Literally his own sources don't corroborate his assertion. Also, it is in past tense. When the first source he links to is from 4Q 2016. Alphabet literally beat its earnings expe…

Agreed, that claim is the worst. Even more so because hes comparing product searches, while his claims are about all searches.

Its like saying.. more people search for images in imgur than on google, so all of google search is going downhill.

Re: How Google Could Collapse

#64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure what country you're in, but in the U.S. I've virtually never had that experience on Amazon. Sure, there are some lower quality products mixed in with the good stuff, but I always find it pretty easy to tell which is which. And, that being the case, I find that added degree of price/quality diversity to be a benefit in itself. Edit: By the way, are we still talking about "cheap Chinese knockoffs"? Seems o…

Try any search for a phone accessory like "mobile phone vr headset" or "usb battery pack".

Well, I see some products listed that I would not want to buy. But I also see the Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream, and some USB battery packs that seem perfectly good. (In fact, I bought one of these results just the other week, and am very happy with it.) And generally, speaking, the star ratings are about what I would expect of most of these products, given my (modest) knowledge of these brands. Certainly the star ratings, generally speaking, appear to convey useful quality information.

But what I certainly don't see is any support for the claim that "All that ever pops up when I search for a product is cheap chinese knockoffs with round numbers of mysterious, broken english, 5 star reviews and one pixelated photo."

Re: How Google Could Collapse

#65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And even if revenue did start dropping, unless it totally collapses overnight, Alphabet's enormous cash stockpile buys a lot of breathing room.

They could always try to more dirctly monetize gmail.

They already monetize it. Lots of companies pay for it.

Re: How Google Could Collapse

#66
post #20

I find it hilarious that people think something like Alexa / Google Home is anything but a gimmicky ad, let alone the future of computing. Like other ad supported content--Gmail for example--it has some useful features. Also like other ad supported mechanisms of the past, it's a huge invasion of a user's privacy for little gain. When this thing is actually "smart" (whatever that means) enough to do something useful w…

This.

It has the slowest and most limited I/O in the world: voice, and people think it's the future?

Seriously?

Google Now on Tap (which they cut out, so it seems) was far more impressive innovation, and the way computers should work in the future.

Re: How Google Could Collapse

#67
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Game and movie trailers are ads. People not only don't mind them, they seek them out and share them. (There do seem to be too many movie trailers these days before the movie starts, but I think we'd miss them if they were gone entirely.)

I remember 10-15 years ago there was a site that had all the latest commercials, just to show what creative stuff was going on in the advertising world. It got shut down for copyright.

I liked that site, and was disappointed when it got shut down.

Re: How Google Could Collapse

#68
post #19

Summary: more people are blocking ads and starting product searches at Amazon, so Google will lose their core business. And yet, the growth of Google's core business isn't declining and it hasn't even leveled off -- growth is actually accelerating! Year-over-year revenues are growing faster now than they did last year. Same thing with earnings. And margins are expanding instead of shrinking. Source: https://abc.xyz/i…

Agreed. But at the same time to assume the opposite is naive — that Google will always be relevant.

Re: How Google Could Collapse

#70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I avoid amazon search like the plague. All that ever pops up when I search for a product is cheap chinese knockoffs with round numbers of mysterious, broken english, 5 star reviews and one pixelated photo. Google, specialist sites or local places are where I'll always go for product search.

I'm not sure what country you're in, but in the U.S. I've virtually never had that experience on Amazon. Sure, there are some lower quality products mixed in with the good stuff, but I always find it pretty easy to tell which is which. And, that being the case, I find that added degree of price/quality diversity to be a benefit in itself. Edit: By the way, are we still talking about "cheap Chinese knockoffs"? Seems o…

YMMV. I've been noticing that it's harder to find the actual thing I'm looking for when cheap knock offs are prevalent. My most recent search was for a specific brand of rat trap, but page after page of Amazon search showed products where I was unable to authenticate the product, and reviews suggested that knock offs were being sent to at least some customers. I ended up finding it easier to drive to the local Home Depot than digging through reviews trying to find the right seller to buy from.

Also a common Amazon profit maximizing trick (aka scam) is to sell a legitimate product, build up 5 star reviews then switch to a cheaper knock off and let the momentum take you as long as it can. Rinse and Repeat. Before I buy anything of consequence I sort reviews by date, and look for this pattern to save me headaches.

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