Last December, Google was seen increasingly pimping it’s own services as “Tips” in search results to keywords related to the product. Many had noted Google showing “tips” like

- Want to share your life online? Try Blogger.

These tips weren’t classified as Sponsored Ads, and were shown bypassing all search results on the top.

It even suggested Google images to “flickr” and “photo sharing”. Clearly one of the most ridiculous decisions by Google, this “tip thing” seems pulled off and brushed under the carpet.

Though this feature is pulled off, it unveiled a very dirty face of Google. The space used for the tips(Top left above normal search results), was the best position to place an ad taking into consideration the credibility and the accessibility factor.

Recall that the ads were shown distinctively on the top of all the search results while sitting just below the search bar and with the icon/image grabbing users attention almost instantly.

Any advertiser on Google’s sponsored list would feel cheated if the tips are rolled out again, because it only gives their ads a third place no matter how much ever money they pay google.

Moreover, remember that Google has not given this space(where tips were shown) yet for advertising to adwords users but Google itself, when it clearly knows that this is the best spot available. Monopoly? Aggresiveness? Bullying? Whatever you call it. Imagine a Flickr ad on Google - illustrated on image below.

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