What's The Difference (Website Query)

[Prudie]

Many well known sites that you put into Google come up first with a yellow Ad box icon next to it and the official website next down in the list (talking google searches). What's the relevance of the yellow Ad site? At work they are blocked but the official one isn't.

I've pasted an example if you search for Vodafone
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=vodafone+uk

[Buenchico]

You seem to have answered your own question with the word 'Ad'!

Companies pay Google (considerable sums of) money for links to their own websites to appear above Google's search results. 'AdWord Ads' (as Google calls them) can appear above search results and/or to the right of them, as here:
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=laptop

https://support.google.com/adwords/answer/1722080?hl=en

[Prudie]

Thanks Chris. My observations would be why pay when you're the top search result anyway! Secondly i wonder why they are blocked sites at work???

[Playbill]

I never click on any of those Google listings marked with an Ad. I like to have a good look at a page or two of results. I never click on any side bar ads - except by mistake - in the forlorn hope it will reduce the amount that appear.

[Buenchico]

>>> My observations would be why pay when you're the top search result anyway

Vodafone's payment won't just put them at (or near) to the top of the page when 'Vodafone' is searched for. Their payment ensures that other search terms (such as 'mobile provider' or just 'mobile phone') will also see their company's name prominently placed.