Google started showing links to brand results for generic queries. Check the results for jeans for an example –  new “Brands” links drive to results for Apple Bottom, Se7en, etc. Arguably this will make shopping easier; it might also encourage more competition on brand keywords — a controversial source of Google revenue.

We asked 100 search marketers whether this development is good or bad for search. A solid majority went with “Good for Search.” After the chart, commentary on the poll from Razorfish’s Ryan Whitehead.

“As a user, I like it. It acknowledges the fact that people do multiple searches, shop around, compare brands: all points we make with our clients on a regular basis, but complications for direct measurement of return. Knowing Google, users must be interacting with these links or they wouldn’t stick around. It demands a lot of questions though:

• This is a benefit for users who don’t click ads in generic-query results. In the past, we could argue that being present on generics was critical for awareness or to stay top-of-mind, but now some clients are going to have presence there regardless. What will that mean?
• How will users respond to these links, behaviorally and psychologically? How many click; how many are motivated to do an additional search? Do the new links seem more or less credible than sponsored results? More like organic results? I’d be interested to see an eye-tracker study.
• Will this leach clicks away from organic? It pushes organic results just a little bit further down the page.
• What’s the impact on brand traffic for our search campaigns? Will searches triggered by clicks lead to similar purchase behavior as a normal query? We don’t see equivalent performance from that type of traffic on MSN.
• If your brand isn’t showing up, how do you “optimize” so it will? Do we know how Google is deciding which brands show up and how they’re ranking them?

I think this is less about likes/dislikes. If it’s good for consumers, we should embrace it, approach it as an opportunity. The online experience will always be fluid. As much as our clients need us to be answer providers, they also need us to be investigators, breaking down new features or partnerships into brand- and consumer-relevant benefits. Now I’ll get off my soapbox!”