5 replies
  • SEO
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I did a search for this but didn't see any existing topic, so correct me if one exists. I just noticed a competitor today double serving ads in Google. He is showing up spot #1 and #2 for a popular keyword, two different ads, two different domains but the landing page copy is exactly the same LOL.

I thought this was something Google would suspend accounts over, but after doing more research I've heard more and more people say that Google doesn't do anything about this any longer? What's your take?
#adwords #double #google #serve
  • Profile picture of the author KirkMcD
    Are you sure it's the same person and not affiliates? Affiliates tend to be lazy and will just copy whatever materials are given to them.
    Have you complained to google?
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    • Profile picture of the author paulgl
      Are you sure that's the complete rule? I think it has to with where
      the ad goes to. The ads cannot go to the same or similar landing
      page.

      This is how the big boys get away with it. The ads may look similar,
      but they go to completely different products. Well, not entirely
      different, but different enough to not break the rules.

      But then if you are big enough, you get many perks.

      Your competitor is probably not big enough, but they could
      have convinced google that they are two distinct products or
      at least different aspects of the same products.

      Since you can have different ad groups for the same keywords,
      it seems possible. For a small company, it seems rather dumb to
      use the same ad copy. The smaller you are, you have to worry about
      quality more.

      It could be 2 affiliates. But then the landing pages would have to
      be radically different for them to show. Of course, strange things
      happen and google cannot get personal all the time.

      Paul
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      If you were disappointed in your results today, lower your standards tomorrow.

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      • Profile picture of the author mypctechs
        Take a look, these are the two pages being served. I don't want to link this guy since he obviously doesn't need me beefing up his backlinks.
        (aacomputerstore. com) and (goodyearcomputerrepair. com)

        Exactly the same content, different domains, both domains owned by the same company (whois). #1 and #2 in Adwords. Slightly different ad text but the landing page is identical.

        I didn't complain to Google, I came straight here first. I've done reading that suggests that people have been doing this for a while in Adwords, and despite having been complained against, Google has done nothing to stop them. I can't believe that's the case? I can easily outbid this guy and take over spots 1-4 using similar tactics, but how crappy does that make the search experience for everyone else?
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        • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
          Originally Posted by mypctechs View Post

          Take a look, these are the two pages being served. I don't want to link this guy since he obviously doesn't need me beefing up his backlinks.
          (aacomputerstore. com) and (goodyearcomputerrepair. com)

          Exactly the same content, different domains, both domains owned by the same company (whois). #1 and #2 in Adwords. Slightly different ad text but the landing page is identical.

          I didn't complain to Google, I came straight here first. I've done reading that suggests that people have been doing this for a while in Adwords, and despite having been complained against, Google has done nothing to stop them. I can't believe that's the case? I can easily outbid this guy and take over spots 1-4 using similar tactics, but how crappy does that make the search experience for everyone else?
          On the surface these people are breaking the rule play /


          Mirror pages: Pages that replicate the look and feel of a parent site; your site should not mirror (be similar or nearly identical in appearance to) your parent company's site or any other advertiser's site. This would include masked domain names.
          In addition to that it possibly suggests they are running ads using multiple duplicate keywords / or they have outsourced the second account / regardless red alarm bells hanging of of that everywhere.

          In many cases in what might seem like people are getting away with things, like this a/ skinny pages/ masked links and all of the tricks, it's probably not if they get caught but when.

          Not for me to say to present the evidence, but all i can say it would be nice to see an even playing field for all, and is why these rules were introduced.
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          | > Choosing to go off the grid for a while to focus on family, work and life in general. Have a great 2020 < |
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  • Profile picture of the author Mary Green
    I wouldn't do the same, you never know when Google will decide to punish these sites, chances are it would be right after you did the same thing. It's not worth it to cheat in the Google game, they always win

    I would contact Google to see exactly what they think about it.
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