Google is pretty infamous for its dead servicesthat promised the world while never truly panning out as intended. But Google has a bigger problem when it comes to ads, more specifically, its lack of discipline or restraint when implementing them. From invasive Search results to obnoxiously long, unskippable videos, Google’s services are often packed to the brim with content designed to sell you stuff. YouTube, Google Search, and Google TV all suffer fromexcessive ad saturation, worse than ever before, and it’s starting to make these services unbearable to use.
Excessive ad use can be a common practice in smaller businesses; companies with more to lose need revenue quickly just to stay in the game. But why on earth does Google, a company that should have its logo printed next to “success” in the Dictionary, need to employ such aggressive tactics? Users of Google’s most popular and successful services are often bombarded with unnecessary ads, especially now thatYouTube flags ad blockersas violations of its terms of service. Even the FBI recommends using ad blockers to stay safe on the internet, which makes sense since Google has been known toserve ads that spread malware. So, you have to wonder if Google truly has its user’s best interests at heart with its recent actions.
Ads in this form aren’t an easy sell. If they were, services wouldn’t have been forged in the name of escaping them. As such, it’s the responsibility of those who need ad revenue to ensure their ads are as painless as possible. Otherwise, blockers will be sought. But Google can’t seem to wrap its head around this idea; instead,it is exploiting its lack of competition with a deluge of ads throughout its services.
While ads don’t make Google’s services completely unusable, it’s getting harder to ignore how intrusive they are across the board. While avaricious attitudes will never tank a company like Google, seeing its new and potentially great services marred by endless ads is saddening. Those of us who remember when YouTube had no commercials can see how ads have poisoned Google’s services, and it’s getting harder and harder to ignore as the ads increase.
