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Should Google act as self-promoter?

Google's monopolistic-feeling domination of the Web is not the result of Google indeciseveness or wavering.
Written by Donna Bogatin, Contributor

Google is the 29th largest publicly traded company in terms of market cap valuation.  Google’s $150 billion market cap makes it the number two technology company, bested only by Microsoft.

I put forth one week ago in “Google search promos Google Desktop”:

Google's monopolistic-feeling domination of the Web (see "Is Google 'The Internet' and "Google search kingdom: Benevolent or despotic?") is not the result of Google indeciseveness or wavering.

While the blogosphere was hailing Google for “pulling” its Google self-promotional tips from surfacing at the top of Google SERPs,  I published the screen shot below showing that self-promotional product pitches continued within Google search SERPs.

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In a search for "calendar" at Google, no Google “tips” were returned by Google at the top of the SERP, but a Google placed self-promotional call-out blue box pitch for Google's own Desktop product was prominently featured directly below navigation to page two of Google's "natural" search results.

Google is particularly interested in pitching downloads of Google Toolbar.

Below is a screenshot of a very prominent self-promotion for the Toolbar currently surfacing within SERPs and a screenshot of the Google homepage Toolbar self-promo which I pointed out last year and which persists.

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SO WHAT?

Should Google cease self-promoting its own products and services on the Google homepage and within Google SERPs?

In “Is Google a public service?” I underscore that:

Google is a private business and is entitled to do business in any manner it chooses. A Google SERP ranking is not a U.S. government 'entitlement.'

WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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