While getting through my backlog of feeds today, I noticed that the folks at Google AdSense posted an explanation about more ads being served by DoubleClick.com instead of by Google.com. Basically, they say that it is all a background change and that it doesn’t matter, so don’t worry about it.
The explanation comes across as insanely naive, and I can hardly believe that anyone with two brain cells to rub together would not see it. Perhaps the cozy confines of the Googolplex have become too insulating to allow the company to see out into the real world.
Blocking Ads From DoubleClick Versus Blocking Google Ads
DoubleClick is one of the most well known, and biggest Internet advertisers from the days before they were bought out by Google. As such, they were target number one for any and all ad blocking software, plug-ins, or computer configurations designed to eliminate or reduce the number of ads on websites around the Internet. I, myself, can think of no less than a dozen computers that I helped to setup or install that I personally blocked DoubleClick on permanently by adding an entry to the hosts file that directs any DoubleClick domain to 127.0.0.1 (back to the computer itself, or basically, to nowhere). I am not alone.
Blocking DoubleClick was the easiest and most common ad block in the world. Users who haven’t updated their ad blocking software or techniques in a decade are still blocking DoubleClick ads!
Google seems to be making a major fumble here and I can’t understand why. (Well actually, I’m positive it is entirely to prove that the acquisition of Double Click was a good one by showing shareholders a growing chunk of revenue via DC, but we’re not supposed to know that.)
No doubt in the coming weeks or months, the aggregate numbers at Google will show a stunning decline in not just ad clicks, but also in impressions. Then, the AdSense team will reverse its decision, most likely without saying anything or telling anyone, or claiming that it wasn’t really making any sort of change all along, and we just misunderstood them.
I’ve been using AdSense to make money on some of my sites but, I don’t draw big money from Google Ads just yet, but if this is the company’s idea of clever strategy and intelligent integration and expansion of its online ad platform, it’s time to short the stock.
Tags: