In a recent blog post over at MediaPost Publications‘ Online Media Daily blog, writer/editor Laurie Sullivan wrote about Google guru and webspam team leader Matt Cutts once again warning brand marketers and agencies about clarifying the “advertorial” nature of the native ad content they serve consumers.
According to Sullivan, Cutts delivered this address via the GoogleWebmasterHelp YouTube page, where he explores the issues surrounding advertorials, editorial content, and native ads in his usual laid-back yet informative fashion.
“Advertorials, native advertising content or paid content hasn’t been disclosed adequately, so people don’t realize what they’re looking at is paid [content],” says Cutts in the video. “We have had longstanding guidance since 2005.”
As loyal readers of the official Amplitude Digital blog know, we’re big fans of Cutts, and often pay close attention to what he says and does, including on his YouTube posts.
And as really loyal readers of this blog now, we’ve all been down this road before. And not too long ago, either.
No, not the discussion about just what constitutes native advertising – or whether there’s really anything “new” about it. Although we have covered that before also.
What we mean is that this little snafu is basically the Interflora “controversy” from three months ago all over again – except this time, Google’s Cutts is slapping the wrist of not just a single UK floral giant, but each and every brand marketer and digital agency that dares to don the dreaded SEO Black Hat.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again.
Good for Cutts. Good for Google.
And, in the end, good for everyone. Especially those of us who believe in doing good. And good work.
Because if you’re doing things the right way as a marketer, advertiser, brand or business, there is simply no need to worry about any of these “controversies.”
If you’re doing your job well as a marketer, advertiser, brand or business, there is no need to concern yourself with those who feel a need to lie, cheat, steal or “bend the rules” a bit too far, too fast, too loosely in order to succeed.
In the end, those who can’t hang by virtue of their own talent, merit and hard work will be lost in the thick, dark recesses of The Google Jungle anyway.
Or busted by Cutts, who might as well add another title to his already impressive resume:
Google’s Top SEO Traffic Cop.
And like we said before…
If you want to stay out of traffic court, maintain a clean driving record, and keep your full driving privileges intact…just obey the rules of the road. And don’t go too fast. Or too far.
What do YOU think? Have you had any experiences with SEO Traffic Cops, native advertising or both that you want to share?
Let us know in the comments section below this blog post. We’d love to hear from YOU.
