Here’s an update on Google’s domain parking program.
I usually don’t write about rumors, but Julia Mackenzie of IsItMeOrIsEveryoneElseStupid.com has never floated a rumor without it being true. She’s reporting that a reliable source informed her that Google is going to lay the hammer down on domain parking. Essentially, the company will only serve parking ads to domains it believes have a chance of receiving type-in traffic and conversions:
This new algo will assess all domains calling their parking feed and immediately give domains either a “pass†or a “fail†score. Meaning that if Google decide your domain has little chance of type-in traffic or if it scores low on conversions, it won’t serve you a parking feed. Simple as that. The details on what percentage of parked domains this will negatively affect is sketchy at best, but you can bet your bottom dollar the numbers will be significant.
This jives with what I’ve been talking about for a while. Specifically, Google will decide the long tail isn’t worth the pain. I realize this algorithm won’t necessarily get rid of the long tail, but it certainly favors the higher level keyword domains.
But don’t cry just yet. As Julia points out, this could be good news for people with high quality domains — especially if advertiser’s start to realize value from parked domains and start advertising on them again. It doesn’t make sense for anyone to pay for ads on domains that don’t convert. But what about domains that won’t get type-in traffic but do get traffic from existing backlinks? It may be necessary to move them over to a Yahoo-based program.
Of course, I’ve already had great success advertising on parked domains, and some of the domains that have sent me conversions may not qualify under Google’s new system. Let’s hope their algorithm is fine-tuned to test domains for conversions before shunting them.
Frank says
Several weeks back, I wrote about this in your comments section. Along with goog the stock going lower on decreased earnings visibility. Today it closed roughly 10% lower.
This is good news for advertisers and legitimate domain owners. G**gle still has to figure out what to do with the ads*nse fraudsters hosting all these made-for-adsense sites.
As the industry matures, the next logical progression would be an enterprising group of lawyers shutting down registrars hosting all the high-traffic typo domains. Naturally the registrars will settle out-of-court and transfer the domains to the trademark holders. With the lawyers taking a cut from both ends.
I compare the domain industry to the mining industry. In the history of mining, the individuals/groups who provided services and products to the miners are who made/made the most money. Levis started selling jeans to the miners, unlike the miners, levis is still around.
FX says
Neither Mr Levis nor the Miners are around today. But the gold they dug up is certainly around today and is worth a shit loads more.
Frank says
The book “Where Are the Customers’ Yachts?” would be a good read as relates to domaining. The current domain industry reminds me of what I read about the early american stock markets. Let’s say most of those who made the money back then weren’t exactly boy scouts. Today, when typo domains sell privately for $50K, we can get an idea where the money is being made.
As for the regular crowd, the current mania in the domain market can be well related by reading “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds”.
Robert Haastrup-Timmi says
Gosh! Domainers with thousands and thousands of domains must be having sleepless nights…this is going to hurt! I just wonder how long before Google just pulls the plug!
Scott says
Heres’ a better question. How can Google end this thing without admitting that it was a part of the scam and therefore partly responsible for damages?
According to what I have read they along with Yahoo and ICA were previously a claimant in a lawsuit spearheaded by the head lawyer from the second of two companioes that are curently suing them.
Can we be real honest and admit that by and large second level search was more a nuisance than a help. Really guys and gals, can you honestly admit that paid ads on google landing pages provided more value to searches than organic search and did little else but line pockets of the page holders? How many widget manufactures do you need to compare and or click thru to buy a $1.00 car repair part and honestly did you not find that local lawyer (he of the $25 click) before the internet, and could you not find the same lawyer in a phone book, organic search, word of mouth for petes sake if the landing page network dries up and disappears?
Therin lies the value or lack there of to these landing pages concocted by money grubbers with little or no concern for the inconvenience they cost searchers.
For my money as someone dedicated to the Internet with over 1100 websites myself not one of which I am aware resembled a landing page I say good riddance. I won’t miss the landing pages as much as the current owners will I am sure and IMO the inernet will be a better place without them.
Phil McCracken says
I just heard from a credible source that Google will stop delivering all PPC ads to IPs it deems could be owned by senior citizens. Apparently poor eyesight combined with hand tremors, means more than just retirees spending three and half hours lost on your terms of use page, it’s also cutting into advertisers bottom lines.
Next up, Google declares war on alcohol educed impulse buyers, and requires a breathalyser test before entering their search engine…