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Would it Be Evil? 5 Ways Google Could Monetize Organic Search

If roughly 70% (as reported by Google and other sources) of the clicks on Google's SERPs are on organic links, is it crazy to think that the search giant would seek to monetize those listings in some way? Not according to Jonathan Mendez.

Though Google has kept a very strict wall between the two, observers could argue that AdWords technically subsidizes organic search. Mendez suggests that the giant could go farther by operating a paid inclusion model (either for just being indexed, for showing up in the results, or both).

He also notes that Google could make money from big brands by making them pay to include a logo in-line with their organic results. Mendez' last two theories involve using natural search results to drive traffic to display and contextual ads.

In the comments stream, readers post that some of these suggestions would violate Google's "don't be evil" mantra and move the giant further along the monopoly pole -- while others note that the lines between Google's paid search, natural search, contextual and display offerings are already quite blurred.

Read the whole story at Optimize and Prophesize »

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