I think that's the point - when everything looks like an ad, then nothing looks like an ad. (Read: ads blend in more - so users are probably more likely to click on promoted links.)
Every Google result now looks like an ad
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Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad
#42I don't like it, but I'm glad I'm not alone. I thought something was off as I was trying to "skip" the ads and get to the actual results but the "ads" seems to go on and on... Took me a while to realise they are not "ads" but actual results. I guess they are trying to blur the lines between paid and organic content by going the other way - instead of making the ads less obvious, they make the non-ads more ad-ish.
Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad
#43The FTC has spoke on this before. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2013/06/... I believe nearly all the search engines are still guilty of this one. I also think firms should be able to buy "blank space." For example facebook or amazon could pay NOT to have an ad above their result. Maybe they already do, I dont see an ad when I search facebook, however I do see an ad for amazon above the top amazo…
For example facebook or amazon could pay NOT to have an ad above their result That sounds an awful lot like a shakedown practice. "Nice search result you got there. Would be a shame if it would be obscured by an ad..."
Their current behavior is no different in that regard AND is more confusing for internet users and business AND is based on the twisted "market price" of the search keywords
Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad
#44I wish there was a way to directly help Bing/DuckDuckGo/Yandex improve their search results. I've tried both, and it's just not the same. Google I can bang in cryptic queries like > centos 7 tuned no daemon and get the 3rd link about how to run tuned in a no daemon mode. Bing/DuckDuckGo have the article at around 7th or 8th place, but prefaced by a lot of "while technically not wrong, not what I'm looking for" links.…
> We cannot, as a healthy internet, let Google control so much of the web.
It's getting worse too.
Back in the day, you could Google something for a manufacturer and include the name of the manufacturer like, "Pioneer 10" Subwoofer" and automatically the first result would be a like to Pioneer's subwoofer page or their main ecommerce site.
You type that into Google today? You will get 15 results for AMAZON pages with Pioneer speakers. No, I want to buy it from Pioneer, not Amazon. Oh yeah? The actual link to the actual company, who actually makes those speakers? They're on Page 2.
When you have the actual manufacturer being buried in the results, we have a major problem.
Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad
#45I've been in this A/B test for a couple of months now, so I've had time to adjust, and I still hate it. I've just become so used to seeing the complete URL in green. The complete URL! If you hover over the results, you'll see that they like to take bits like numeric components or the query string out. This is part of Google's attempt to de-prioritise the URL. Their destructive AMP service confusingly shows you Google…
To be fair didn't internet marketers ruin things first by cramming keywords in URLS and page titles to game search engines?
Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad
#46I made a Chrome extension a few months ago to fix the design, you'll find it here: https://github.com/attio/google-ad-fixer
I'll try and submit to the Chrome Store, let's see if it gets in :)
Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad
#47I wish there was a way to directly help Bing/DuckDuckGo/Yandex improve their search results. I've tried both, and it's just not the same. Google I can bang in cryptic queries like > centos 7 tuned no daemon and get the 3rd link about how to run tuned in a no daemon mode. Bing/DuckDuckGo have the article at around 7th or 8th place, but prefaced by a lot of "while technically not wrong, not what I'm looking for" links.…
I used to work at Bing. If you really want Bing to improve, the best thing you can do is just use it: clicks on search results, plus backs and dwell times, are vital training data. Ideally you could use Bing as your default engine, then fall back to Google whenever there's a search that doesn't yield good results. If you have the time, you can also use the Feedback link on the bottom-right of the page to report bad s…
Thanks for posting, it's nice to hear from someone on the inside!
Downvoters: why on earth are you downvoting Analemma's post? It's constructive, on point and overall the kind of post which makes HN comments valuable.
Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad
#48And it is hideous and much harder to quickly scan for relevant returns (all that empty space).
Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad
#49Not a solution for Google's larger product direction problem, but there's a zillion ways nerds like us can filter out this crap from search results. There's a few brand new browser extensions aimed specifically at stopping this. And if you use an ad blocker, here's some rules: https://lifehacker.com/how-to-fix-googles-ugly-logo-filled-s...
In the long run this kind of fix-up is a losing game. But maybe it'll bring you some visual peace for now.
Re: Every Google result now looks like an ad
#50It's pretty simple to just use UBlock Origin. Firstly, I don't usually see any of the doubleclick ad results, because they get filtered out, and secondly, if I do click on them, it redirects you to a warning page first.
Friends don't let friends use the internet without an adblocker.