[subego]

Just what it says. If you get a hit and a "sponsored link" for what you're searching for, which do you click on, and why?

[SSharon]

I avoid clicking on the ads. If the site I'm looking for is in the search results I don't want to make the site pay just because I clicked the sponsored link.

[ghporter]

I too avoid the ads. Let the advertisers give Google cash, I'll take the search results instead. Of course we should all be aware that Google's algorithms for ranking hits can be influenced, but at least I'm not buying into obvious advertising.

[-Q-]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

I too avoid the ads. Let the advertisers give Google cash, I'll take the search results instead.

They don't pay until you click, so it's really not impacting them.

It really depends on what I'm looking for, and how well-written their copy is. If it really appears to offer the product I want, I'm glad to click. If I'm searching for information, I don't even see the ads; the brain automatically filters them out.

[TETENAL]

My girlfriend clicks on the ads because she thinks they are search results. I have often seen here not clicking/finding the best matching result because of the ads.

She also googles the URL of YouTube, Amazon and Yahoo.

[subego]

Originally Posted by TETENAL 

She also googles the URL of YouTube, Amazon and Yahoo.

My ex does this too. I always thought it was a little strange.

[ort888]

I think it's because people on PCs and with bad DNS servers have to type in the URL perfectly or they go to a stupid ad splash page. It's easier to just "google it" than to try and get the url 100% perfect. Habits carry over.

[The Final Dakar]

That's true. It was a giant hassle but I modified my router DNS settings when Verizon suddenly made my typing "youtube" take me to a search page rather than just adding "www" and ".com" for me.

[osiris]

My God, those poor PC people.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by -Q- 

They don't pay until you click, so it's really not impacting them.

It really depends on what I'm looking for, and how well-written their copy is. If it really appears to offer the product I want, I'm glad to click. If I'm searching for information, I don't even see the ads; the brain automatically filters them out.

The way most of these thing work is they pay a base fee and then per click. Plus their stats (and standings) are affected by how many times they get shown but not clicked.

I'm not really "against" "sponsored links," at least they're up front about being ads. But they get in the way of what I'm using the search engine for in the first place, so I just avoid them.

[Jawbone54]

The only time I ever clicked on the ad is when it directed me to Amazon, and that was probably less than ten times.

[MrsLarry]

Originally Posted by TETENAL 

She also googles the URL of YouTube, Amazon and Yahoo.

I also sometimes do this, just because the google search bar is right there in safari. It's mostly just me being lazy.