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Are iTunes Links Being Downranked by Google?

So what this report really says is that people who cannot use a search engine will apparently be dumb enough to click on whatever is shown on screen.

If I don't find exactly what I want I change my search entry. I don't just randomly click on whatever Google throws out.

Not to mention that the first result is always the creator's Web page. So why should they care? They get hits and contain the link to send users to iTunes.

Search for Appsfire and you get the creator page top ranked. Same for Twitter, Keynote AND Numbers. The last one is particularly amusing considering it's an Apple product that's coming up first and not a description of a mathematical element that's been around almost since the dawn of humanity. :rolleyes:
 
Looks like Apple has been scroogled!

I'm surprised this thread has gotten to the third page and nobody made this joke.

Also, I think it's worse for google if this is unintentional. Their algorithm is seriously borked if searching "_app_name_ iphone" brings up a google play link as the first result. So either they've become really incompetent, or this is just more evidence of their shift from tech innovation paradise to full-throttle advertising-dollars-first autocracy.
 
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This is a difficult thing to quantify. Google doesn't serve one set of results. It serves a set of results with items it thinks you might click on closer to the top. All these simple tests aren't proving much. You'd have to have a ton more data, with a ton more experiments to conclude anything.
 
Shrink said:
Well said...:D

"Evil", "Hate"....seriously devalued words!
Click to expand...

Yup. At the very very very worst it's a little petty. One thing it's definitely not is something worth getting your panties and/or boxers in a bunch over.

(No eye rolling...I'm not allowed to do that on this thread :p)
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Here. Use this one. It's the greatest emote ever.

omg.gif


...it works on so many levels around here.
 
Self test

tried this out my self when i read the article. Typed in google search espn iphone and had to go to the bottom of the first page for the itunes link whats funny though is how Google Play store came in as the third result lol :confused:


:apple:Fr3@k
 
Searching for "whatsapp itunes store" gives the results I would expect.

Pretty sure this is nothing but that old saying .. making a mountain out of a mole hill.

mixinmaster said:
tried this out my self when i read the article. Typed in google search espn iphone and had to go to the bottom of the first page for the itunes link whats funny though is how Google Play store came in as the third result lol :confused:


:apple:Fr3@k
Click to expand...

Know what else is funny? I did the same thing and got the iTunes store on the first page (sixth link), without Google Play in sight. So yeah, again as my statement above....
 
Renzatic said:
Yup. At the very very very worst it's a little petty. One thing it's definitely not is something worth getting your panties and/or boxers in a bunch over.



Here. Use this one. It's the greatest emote ever.

Image

...it works on so many levels around here.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer, but I can't. I'll get yelled at again, and I'm so sensitive...:eek:
 
Apple need to start up their own search engine. :D

It's not likely but it would be great if they did. I actually hate google these days; all their spying, copying and other crap. Not to mention how much they messed up YouTube. :(
 
I know Apple has no want to enter search. But I think Apple should team up with MS in this domain to combat MS. I don't see MS as direct competitors to Apple. I never have. Google/samesung are more competitors to Apple then MS are today.

Enemy of my enemy is my friend. This is so true in this instance. Both MS and Apple have Google as an enemy. So they can team up to combat Google.
 
devman said:
This. Bing is more than good enough. I switched on Safari and on iOS over a year ago.
Click to expand...

Bing is gross. It even gave me a BSOD on a Windows 7 PC. There's junk all over the page.

Also, some people supposedly switched to Bing because Google showed Cesar Chavez instead of something Easter-related on Easter Sunday. It seems weird to me also (and who the heck is Cesar Chavez?), but I don't see why anyone would care.
 
mixinmaster said:
tried this out my self when i read the article. Typed in google search espn iphone and had to go to the bottom of the first page for the itunes link whats funny though is how Google Play store came in as the third result lol :confused:
Click to expand...

Coincidence....I'm sure
 
jarred125 said:
Searching for "whatsapp itunes store" gives the results I would expect.

Pretty sure this is nothing but that old saying .. making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Click to expand...
Yes and no. If your search is very specific you'll get the results you want. But for more generic searches, Google will put itself on top. And this matters as many people do generic searches as they don't know specifically what they want or how to find it.
 
TheRainKing said:
Apple need to start up their own search engine. :D

It's not likely but it would be great if they did. I actually hate google these days; all their spying, copying and other crap. Not to mention how much they messed up YouTube. :(
Click to expand...

I am seeing this recommendation across the board and I think people are ubserestinating what it takes to just build a search engine. Think of maps as a a search engine for just maps. Apple didn't even get that right. The problem with competing with an already mature search engine is, well, it's already mature. And people are used to it. One does not simply make a search engine and receive worldwide acceptance. Microsoft is learning this currently.
 
Hah didn't take them long to fix it. I searched for ESPN iTunes app and the whole first page is links to itunes.apple.com
 
the8thark said:
Yes and no. If your search is very specific you'll get the results you want. But for more generic searches, Google will put itself on top. And this matters as many people do generic searches as they don't know specifically what they want or how to find it.
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Well that's odd considering (as my quote above from another poster) I didn't see the Google Play store ANYWHERE on the page when I searched for "espn iphone" ... which is pretty darn generic.
 
the8thark said:
Relevant Google searches.

Yes this is an extremely small sample size. But if this is any indication I think it's not just against Apple. Google is changing it's search to make all of it's competitors lower in the search results and itself higher in the search results.

Google is at war with it's competition. And this is one way it's doing it. Through search.

Bing yes it's MS. But it's nowhere as skewed towards MS as one would think. It's algorithm is a lot less biased. It seems the MS is letting it's search as a tool and not as a weapon in it's wars like goggle is with it's search.

So what lesson have we learnt here?
Just like internet browsers, we need to have any internet search engines bookmarked. And use them all interchangeably. Cause what one refuses to search for, another might just find easily. This is not cause of can or can not find. This is all towards the bias people but on their respective search algorithms for whatever reasons.
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Apple or not, I don't like the fact that the core function of Google is not neutral. As a consumer, you would hope you're on a fair playing field with your searches. Interesting.
 
ArcaneDevice said:
Search for Appsfire and you get the creator page top ranked. Same for Twitter, Keynote AND Numbers. The last one is particularly amusing considering it's an Apple product that's coming up first and not a description of a mathematical element that's been around almost since the dawn of humanity. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Early humans created the concept but apple took their time so do it right. Make it better. In surprised you didn't know this.
 
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