Reglikedomain industry desk

Is a pay-to-play search term on Google — “Domain Name”

Is a pay-to-play search term on Google — “Domain Name”

Just regarding everything above-the-fold is ads.

For all of Google’s talk regarding how website owners need to provide good content above the fold, not just ads, Google.com has become a bunch of ads. Today I was searching for “domain name” (no quotes) and this is what I saw above the fold:

Google search results for the term domain name

There are four ads on top. The only organic content is from Wikipedia. It’s no wonder that registrars (counting Google itself) are paying to advertise for the term.

As for rankings, here’s what I right now see on the first page of results (I was not logged in to Google when searching):

1. Name.com
2. Domain.com
3. Wikipedia
4. Network Solutions
5. Google Domains
6. BlueHost
7. Verisign
8. Namecheap
9. GoDaddy

Also on the wire

Other reporting from the domain desk.

IDomain RegistrarsIsn’t free, Thursday edition — Domain privacyPDomain RegistrarsPatent app for Flare and social network — GoDaddy filesHalf Domain Name Registrar Scorecard — 2009 FirstDomain RegistrarsHalf Domain Name Registrar Scorecard — 2009 FirstCentralNic notes full results through Q3Domain RegistrarsCentralNic notes full results through Q3Fresh site collates registrar stats and pricingDomain RegistrarsFresh site collates registrar stats and pricingTucows notes earnings, states domain investors are assessing the impact of fresh TLDsDomain RegistrarsTucows notes earnings, states domain investors are assessing the impact of fresh TLDsFDomain RegistrarsFresh Bob Parsons Video SurfacesNamecheap add most .com domains — GoDaddy andDomain RegistrarsNamecheap add most .com domains — GoDaddy andRPolicy & LawReview domain transfer procedures — ICANN may