Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links

Posted on February 9th, 2009 by Akky Akimoto

Google Japan seems desperate in chasing the Mighty Yahoo! (see here for example). They are now using a tainted and controversial social media optimization method called pay-per-post, provided by CyberBuzz.

Recently, Google Japan announced a top-page redesign on their official blog, in which they added a “Google Kyuujyoushou Waado (Hot Keywords)” feature. This addition displays the 5 most searched-for keywords in the previous 24 hours. Google Japan planned the new feature to help with their tough search-share fight against nemesis Yahoo! Japan.

google-redesigned-top-20090209

In the screenshot above, just below the search box section, 5 keywords are listed with links to their respective Google searches.

At the same time, there are a number of blog entries on Google’s blog widget (called “blog parts” in Japanese) reviewing this “Hot Keywords” feature, all of them strangely resembling each other.

When you search for “Google Hot Keywords Ranking” + “Blog Widget” + “CyberBuzz” in Japanese on Google Blog Search, you will see over 30 posts by bloggers writing about this new service, saying things like “I’m a part of the CyberBuzz campaign” or “You can earn some money by writing interesting stories provided by CyberBuzz”. (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4)

google-blog-cyberbuzz-results-screenshot

So Google Blog Search, which has been spammed for so long, is now spamming itself in Japan.

I have translated part of a random entry as an example:

The Google Hot Keywords blog widget [link to Google's page] can show you what is in fashion now, and what other people are interested in.

It’s appealing that you can view buzzwords from the previous day or the previous week. I am sometimes surprised to see that such words are so popular! Personally, I like the “fortune-teller” feature from the previous week’s ranking. When I click on a keyword, I am quickly taken to Google’s result page and so I enjoy the feature.

I might not have noticed them by myself, but now I understand that these things are what people care about.

I am participating in CyberBuzz’s campaign.

CyberBuzz is one of the biggest pay-per-post agencies in Japan and are known for their high payouts. (Some blog posts fetch $100 for a single entry.)

So they are now link-building using monetary incentives to try to crook their own search results in a malicious way. I think this is a waste of money and only tarnishes their reputation for fairness.

Google Japan also does business with notorious news-clipping site Gigazine, and has been running a few ad campaigns which include special customized banners. There are many article-like advertisements on the site.

These articles, which look almost the same as regular ones, have “ad” tags (”広告” in Japanese) at bottom, which are very subtle, and will no doubt not be noticed by many readers. You can see for yourself by clicking the screenshot below, and reading the (poor) explanation at the bottom of the article that the entry is in fact an advertisement.

gigazine-google-pay-per-post

[Update 2009.02.10] Google Japan Apologizes For Inappropriate Pay Per Post Use

via Netafull

(Proofread by Sean O’Hagan)

Author Information  Akky Akimoto is a part-time pro-blogger for Cybozu Labs. Rest of time he is writing for Asiajin, and making web services including comparison-chart CGM Narabe.com

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Tags: Japan, News //

25 Responses to “Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links”

  1. mediologic.com/weblog // Feb 9, 2009 at 8:57 am

    links from Technoratiいいサービスであっても、広告主がどういうビジネスをしているかによってはやっていい手法とそうでない手法がある。■Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links | Asiajin

  2. Unusual Fellow // Feb 9, 2009 at 8:35 pm

    links from Technoratirilliantly did in the past, try to establish itself as a homegrown brand by putting a stronger emphasis on localized marketing and product strategies. But whatever Google has up its sleeves, pay-per-post campaigns surely are not enough to take over Japan from Yahoo. ViaAsiajinCrunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

  3. Pay Per Post: Google Uses Every Trick To Beat Yahoo In Japan // Feb 10, 2009 at 4:48 am

    [...] Asiajin CrunchBase Information Google Japan Information provided by CrunchBase [...]

  4. insideWebmaster // Feb 10, 2009 at 8:44 am

    Google Buying Reviews Through Cyberbuzz?…

    It would appear that Google Japan is ready to stoop to new lows in order to beat out their rival Yahoo! In fact, so low that they’re willing to pay internet marketing company Cyberbuzz to post good reviews of their new keyword widget. Seems fitti…

  5. 急上昇ワードのサイバーバスはGoogleじゃなくて、ブログデコの広告では？ - hachimitu blog // Feb 10, 2009 at 8:58 am

    Kramer auto Pingback[...] Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links | Asiajin [...]

  6. Yahooからの市場奪取に向けて手段を選ばぬGoogle、PayPerPostキャンペーンを採用 // Feb 10, 2009 at 9:17 am

    [...] 本記事はAsiajinでの情報を参考に執筆した。 CrunchBase Information Google Japan Information provided by CrunchBase [...]

  7. Beauty Science, Beauty Marketing, and Beauty Communication. -美容・化粧の科学とマーケティングと。 // Feb 10, 2009 at 2:00 pm

    links from Technorati今回のブログパーツのクチコミプロモーションを実施したそうです。 それが、海外向けのメディアでかなり厳しい論調で伝えられましたね。 まずはこれ。 ・「Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links」－Asiajin “Dirty”とまで書かれてます。 この記事を受けて、TechCrunchも報道。 ・「Pay Per Post: Google Uses Every Trick To Beat Yahoo In Japan 」－TechCrunch　（本家）

  8. みたいもん！クリッパー // Feb 10, 2009 at 3:09 pm

    links from Technorati—はてなブックマーク - Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links | Asiajin流れました

  9. Google Japan Apologizes For Inappropriate Pay Per Post Use | Asiajin // Feb 10, 2009 at 3:58 pm

    [...] Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links | Asiajin [...]

  10. Google's Blogs 'n More // Feb 10, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    links from TechnoratiAsiajin blogrecently reported that Google Japan was paying bloggers to review a new Google widget. Using pay-per-post service CyberBuzz, blog posts like the following popped up, strangely resembling each other, as Asiajin reports:

  11. Viciado no Google - Tudo sobre o melhor buscador! // Feb 10, 2009 at 5:38 pm

    links from TechnoratiO blogAsiaJin, junto com o TechCrunch reportaram: Um novo serviço lançado pelo Google Japão (que mostra as 5 keywords mais procuradas nas últimas 24 horas) foi promovido usando POSTS PAGOS! O buscador teria pago cerca de US$100,00 para

  12. グーグルの失策「ペイパーポスト問題」、非難からは何も生まれない | マーケティング、ネット広告、EC情報を日々お届けするRedPen // Feb 10, 2009 at 6:48 pm

    [...] 　騒ぎのきっかけとなった震源記事はこちらの「Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links」のようです。 [...]

  13. Il Bloggatore - Le notizie sull'informatica, direttamente dal mondo dei blog! // Feb 10, 2009 at 11:03 pm

    links from Technoratida un modello occidentale, in paesi con un diverso background storico, linguistico e soprattutto culturale. O forse Google sperava davvero di colmare il divario che lo separa da Yahoo! tramite la diffusione di un semplice widget? Fonte:Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links(ripresa anche da Pay Per Post: Google Uses Every Trick To Beat Yahoo In Japan ). Copyright © TagliaBlog: puoi ripubblicare i contenuti di questo post solo parzialmente e solo inserendo un link al post originale.

  14. Google caught doing paid post in Japan | YugaTech | Philippines, Technology News & Reviews // Feb 10, 2009 at 11:53 pm

    [...] TechCrunch picked up the story initially reported by Asiajin. [...]

  15. 世界を巡るFool on the web | あすなろBLOG // Feb 11, 2009 at 12:20 am

    links from Technoratiグーグルが自社のサービスを告知するためにPay Per Post広告を利用していたことが、Asiajin経由でTechCrunchに紹介され大きな話題になっています。Asiajin: Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post LinksTechCrunch: Yahooからの市場奪取に向けて手段を選ばぬGoogle、PayPerPostキャンペーンを採用

  16. [] Google ֥ˤʧäƹ𵭻񤫤Ƥ¤Ϥ Google Υݥꥷȿ // Feb 11, 2009 at 12:58 am

    Kramer auto Pingback[...] Τ˻Ŧ - Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links (Asiajin) http://asiajin.com/blog/2009/02/09/google-japan-buys-dirty-pay-per-post-links/ ơTechCrunch ˼夲롣 - Pay Per Post: Google Uses Every Trick To Beat Yahoo In [...]

  17. Google Japão é acusado de fazer posts pagos - Google Discovery // Feb 11, 2009 at 1:10 am

    [...] informações do blog Asiajin, o Google teria utilizado os serviços da CyberBuzz, empresa especializada em oferecer serviços de [...]

  18. GIGAZINEεʬ䤹Greasemonkeyץ - inamenai // Feb 11, 2009 at 1:13 am

    Kramer auto Pingback[...] These articles, which look almost the same as regular ones, have ad tags (ɹ in Japanese) at bottom, which are very subtle, and will no doubt not be noticed by many readers. You can see for yourself by clicking the screenshot below, and reading the (poor) explanation at the bottom of the article that the entry is in fact an advertisement. Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links | Asiajin [...]

  19. Google Buys Links in Sponsored Reviews // Feb 11, 2009 at 1:25 am

    [...] tricks in relation with Wikia Search and to my surprise Google was reported to be even dirtier by Akky Akimoto at Asiajin. The search giant that penalizes website owners for buying and selling links bought sponsored [...]

  20. The Following Pay Per Post Was Paid for by Google // Feb 11, 2009 at 2:20 am

    [...] blogscope, we see that Google Japan was buying paid posts: [Google] are now using a tainted and controversial social media optimization method called [...]

  21. Pay Per Post其实不错的 | 葛小飞 // Feb 11, 2009 at 5:27 pm

    [...] Asiajin第一个报道了Google日本的这个dirty行为，techcrunch进一步报道并且在其日本站上继续讨伐。 [...]

  22. グーグル日本法人「急上昇ワード」の汚い宣伝手法で自滅 - スラッシュドット・ジャパン // Feb 11, 2009 at 11:02 pm

    Kramer auto Pingback[...] Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links [...]

  23. UnderForge of Lack » Blog Archive » Google apologize their pay-par-post itself // Feb 11, 2009 at 11:22 pm

    [...] Google Japan Buys Dirty Pay-Per-Post Links 急上昇ランキングのブログパーツを紹介しているサイトが [...]

  24. Google Japan est desespéré et s’en excuse ! // Feb 11, 2009 at 11:55 pm

    [...] Akimoto, responsable du blog asiajin.com, a récemment déclaré que Google payait des blogueurs via l’agence de RP digitale Cyberbuzz [...]

  25. Japonsk Google platil blogrom, aby klamali | Sprvy | pocitace.sme.sk // Feb 12, 2009 at 12:26 am

    Kramer auto Pingback[...] Upozornil na to server Asiajin.com. Firma na sprostredkovanie svojej “pay-per-post” kampene vyuvala server CyberBuzz.co.jp, ktor je poda servera najvou slubou podobnho druhu v Japonsku znmou vysokmi provziami. Niektor do nej zapojen blogy za jeden reklamn prspevok dostvaj v prepote aj sto dolrov. [...]

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