I had read a few stories about Google services being advertised above search results as a “tip” but I hadn’t realized it was this prevalent. In their position if I was trying to get more users I might do the same, but for some reason this surprised me coming from Google. (It wouldn’ from Microsoft. Hat tip: Mark.
Here’s a pretty good discussion on it.
Let’s look at it in a different way. If people who have never blogged before find a home at Blogspot.com some of them will eventually want something more powerful. They’ll go searching and find WordPress, Typepad and all the other engines out there.
When they go searching for a new place to live, WordPress.com will be ready and waiting to take them in (once someone writes an importer for the new Blogger of course!)
At least they don’t advertise it in searches for WordPress. Now that would be unethical.
i noticed it just recently too, when I search something along the lines of blogs. I didn’t give much regard at that time… But come to think of it, it seems as though Google wants to corner the market… Using such means…
Jealous? They have EVERY right to. Start your own search engine and you can get the same.
Interesting…
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=wordpress+blog&spell=1
Your query: blogger shouldn’t be anti-competitive
Heh. And look at the first phrase from the third result:
“Why shouldn’t they resist it?”
Google has also gone ahead with taking Blogger out of Beta without sorting out issues of migrating users of Blogger classic to the new Blogger. In fact the err msg I got while migrating one of my blogs left me absolutely clueless about the problem and its resolution. That’s another thing I wouldn’t have been surprised with, had it come from Microsoft!
Personally I think its only common sense to punt your own products, especially through your own services.
I have been watching Blogger since it went into Beta stage. I was hoping that they would add the same kind of features that WordPress has. I wanted to move to blogger since you guys didn’t allow any kind of advertisement.
But let me assure you that they did a throughly second hand lousy job. I’ve explored it quite a bit compared to WordPress it doesn’t stand a chance. And I agree they are doing shameless self promotion and I thought Matt Cutts said they are very transparent when it comes to self promotion.
Hey man seriouly. Google was going to do it sooner or later. why the shock? Wouldn’t you plug your crap before someone elses if you could?
I’m nervous too. Have you seen this:
http://www.galileoweb.org/librarianInk/2006/12/24#a443
We’re piloting a google.edu suite of apps at Galileo H.S. in San Francisco, including at this beta moment email accounts for 3500 users (Something the school district has been promising without delivering since 1999), calendars for every member of the community, FTP space up to 2G for each user, and hints of more to come. It’s all free. Throw in Blogger sites that can be limited to a batch filed list of teacher / student users, given that we’re 3 years into paying for a Manila asp deal, and you’re not going to find any argument within the school for NOT doing a Google deal. I’ll have no support for investigating Joomla, Drupal or MUWP.
Just sayin’ – this makes me nervous, like I get nervous when I look at text book publisher contract5s.
Like John, I’ve always thought that this was always going to be a matter of when rather than if. I’ve always been a supporter of Google and believed their ethos, but I’ve felt a change in recent months. Here’s hoping I’m wrong . . .