Google are constantly bringing in new innovations, whether it’s their related to mail, social media, games, phones or search, and they’re always eager to move into new areas of business. Google’s most recent addition is the comparison service, which offers credit card comparisons to consumers.
The new service is being promoted online via new comparison ads, which appear underneath the already present sponsored ad results. This acts to not only put Google above competitors, but pushes organic results further down the results page.
These other comparison sites, such as Money Supermarket, will be particularly troubled by Google’s latest move, as it pushes them down a position on all searches for ‘credit cards’ or ‘credit card comparison’. Although these sites tend to offer comparison services on a range of different services, from travel insurance to temporary car insurance, credit cards will be a large part of their income.
They’ll also be worried about the potential of Google moving into other areas of the price comparison market, leveraging their dominance in search to move above the competition. How long before we see Google offering an instant car insurance quote for day car insurance or a comparison service on let insurance?
Perhaps a more pertinent question, is should Google be allowed to utilise their search dominance so heavily, to instantly appear above other comparison sites for hugely competetive terms without putting in the work? A lot of people will think that this is corporate behaviour at its’ worst; often comparing it to when chain supermarkets crowd out smaller, independent shops.
However, you could argue that it’s sensible business on Google’s behalf, and why shouldn’t they use their dominant search position? Numerous other large, successful companies would have no hesitation in doing something similar.
Either way, it will be interesting to see what Google get up to next; most of us are still eagerly awaiting their social media platform to make an appearance!