The Edward Show Is Google Actively Making Search Results Worse to Get More Ad Clicks?
May 14, 2025
There's a theory that Google might be intentionally lowering search result quality to boost ad clicks. A seasoned Google engineer steps in to refute this idea, stating that poor search results could backfire on user engagement and revenue. The discussion reveals that the search landscape is more nuanced, balancing the need for quality content with the demands of advertising. Excitingly, this situation might actually open up new opportunities for SEO professionals moving forward.
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SEO Opportunities Grow Amid Fears
- Fear of AI taking clicks is causing some SEOs to quit, creating gaps in search result quality.
- This presents new opportunities for those who stay or enter the SEO field.
Google Tests Reveal Search Quality Impact
- Google's own internal tests show that worse search results reduce user task completion and hurt experience.
- The claim that degrading quality boosts ad revenue is a misinterpretation according to a Google engineer.
Revenue Not Highly Sensitive To Quality Changes
- A test degrading Google's search quality by a large margin decreased revenue less than 1% globally.
- Revenue impact remains small for moderate degradations but could be nonlinear with major quality drops.