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12.20.05
Microsoft Exposes Google AdSense Scheme
 By
David A. Utter
Mistyping a URL in the address bar of a browser can lead to a ring of traffic-stealing "typo-squatters" that ripoff the AdSense for domains system at the expense of Google and its advertisers.
Sometimes a misspelled domain can be harmful; googkle.com led visitors to a malware site that would upload various Trojans and downloaders to a PC just by going there.
In the case of Google's AdSense for domains, intentional misspellings led to domains held by a Panamanian company called Unasi Inc., apparently for the purpose of gaining AdSense revenue, eWeek's Ryan Naraine reported.
It was Microsoft Research that uncovered the scam, the report said:
With the new Strider Typo-Patrol System, the Microsoft Research Systems Management Research Group was able to track down a ring of typo-squatters registering misspelled domain names and generating traffic to serve advertising from Google.
The report listed Amazon, Expedia, and Mapquest among the brands victimized by the scheme. Google's domain parking server Oingo.com hosted nearly all the misspelled URLs.
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Security researcher Ben Edelman told eWeek of problems with Google's domain parking:
"It's not uncommon to see domains like bankofdamerica.com, which ultimately get all of their revenue from Google, yet which are clearly prohibited under settled trademark law," Edelman said.
"That doesn't seem to bother Google, though; Google takes the odd position that they're not responsible for where their ads end up, even when they're paying domain registrants to show the ads there."
AOL Wants Graphic Content On Google
As part of the $1 billion dollar deal with Google, AOL wants contextual ads appearing on Google's search results to yield some space to graphical advertisements.
Google has been delivering graphic ads on numerous sites throughout its network of publishers, and had planned to do so eventually on its search pages, the New York Times reported.
AOL has made that plan a required feature of its pending deal with Google. AOL and ads from other marketers will be displayed in graphical format, the Times said as it cited two sources close to the talks.
For AOL to get graphical ads on Google, it will have to bid out of a $300 million allowance in advertising Google provides as part of the arrangement. Those ads could appear on the Google search results as well as in places like Froogle or Google's image search.
The One Box appearing at the top of Google search results for certain queries may begin to contain more results from AOL. Placement in the One Box is not influenced by spending on advertising. The article cited one source who claimed a future expansion of One Box with AOL content would focus on celebrities.
Google has not clearly explained how one part of the deal, where they help AOL optimize web pages for better search engine ranking, will take place. A search marketer quoted by the times thinks Google will do what it does for other large sites by having one of their engineers review generally available SEO information.
But that hasn't been confirmed anywhere yet. AOL pages that start appearing high on the first page of search results in Google will be an object lesson in optimizing pages for other marketers.
About the Author:
David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.
Email him here.
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