For all the bloggers and other web sites that have to deal with Google’s AdSense division here are four very simple and easy to understand rules for dealing with Google and Google AdSense:

Rule #1 - Google is in the business of making money — lots of money and making it however they can.

Rule #2 - Anyone who tries to screw with anything that affects how they make all that money Google will smack you down hard.

Rule #3 - Google doesn’t give a rat’s ass about you and your petty little bitching about how they do business.

Rule #4 - In all other matter always refer to Rule #1 and Rule #3

So why the rules?

Well in the last while there has been a lot of angst and complaining going on because of Google’s recent smackdown of of the Page Ranking for anyone using paid links and most likely paid posting as well. This wasn’t just a little slap on the wrist and be good little bloggers type either. No this was a full frontal beating upside the head as many saw their Page Rank drop to zero. Even big name sites like Engadget weren’t immune from this as they along with more than a few big name blogs got their advertising value severely affected as their Page Rank was dropped.

What has come out of all this whining and changing ad rates?

Nothing - other than increased page views as the blogosphere set about analyzing this latest move by Google to protect its very lucrative ad business. The problem here is the smell of hypocrisy that surrounds Google and its own form of paid links. As pointed out by Tony Hung at Deep Jive Interests:

You may have heard about the ongoing drama that is Google and how it has laid the smacketh down on paid links — and now, possibly paid postings.  Besides the fact that it may be hypocrisy writ large, as Google does a bit of “link trading” on its own with Google Mini (buy one and get a testimonial on Google, which includes a link back to your own page), I wrote yesterday about what its larger purpose was at the BlogHerald.

In the end though it doesn’t matter how much we might complain about how Google treats its AdSense suckers partners (see Rule #1) because on the web no one is even close to threatening their business model so they can do as they see fit and there isn’t a damn thing any bitching about it is going to do to change the situation. As far as Google is concerned everyone will play by their rules whether they like it or not.

The reality is that while Google’s golden boy persona maybe a getting a little tarnished and its do no evil dogma has been tossed to the garbage heap they are; and will be for some time, the king of on-line advertising. As much as we might bitch and complain about how they do business the fact is they don’t give a damn what we feel.

So remember - you want to play in Google’s sandbox you have no choice but to play by their rules. It’s as simple as that.

Listening to: Tiesto - Elements Of Life - Ten Seconds Before Sunrise

Conversation Tags: Google, AdSense, advertising