Google (GOOG) want to start to charge small websites for having its search function available to go through their content and bring back results from content on their sites. According to The Associated Press: "Web sites that buy the new business edition will be able to block Google’s ads. The search results also will be displayed on the customer’s own Web site"
The news service will have pricing at $100 and $500 levels. The AP adds: "With its latest service, Google is betting that it can attract millions of dollars in additional revenue by giving Web site owners a simple and inexpensive way to help visitors find merchandise or content."
While the program could bring more revenue for Google, it opens the door for Yahoo! (YHOO), Microsoft (MSFT) and Ask (IACI) to offer competing services for free. The move could bring them a level of loyalty from tens of thousands of small websites, and create traffic for their search products which are now well behind Google in market share.
The currents search also-rans have no reason not to counter Google’s service with a free ones of their own.
Douglas A. McIntyre can be reached at [email protected]. He does not own securities in companies that he writes about.
‘s
Top Gaining Stocks
Top Losing Stocks