Hacker News Reader

Comment by erikb | Hacker News Reader

You would never expect to find Mercedes ads on BMW's website. Also everybody knows that u don't need to look for Windows advertisments on apple.com. So I think it is also quite normal, that Facebook doesn't want to advertise G+ on their website.

View on HN

I know quite a few newspapers that have no problem selling ad space to their competitors and have done just that. Your comparison to companies that don’t even sell ad space doesn’t make any sense.

This is an astonishing display of cowardice on Facebook’s part (if it is indeed true).

I think that hits the nail on the head. If Facebook were brazenly advertising Google+ as if they had no fear, I'd think that a proper bit of cheek.

Of course, they're probably looking at actual click-through rates and realizing that's not worth it...

If I google "facebook games" I see a few AdWords listed. If a Google user clicks those ads, it's not like that will drive the user away from Google search. But if someone on Facebook has an ad that reads "Julio Fernandez moved to Google+ ...", then that is driving users away from Facebook. I don't see why a company should facilitate a mass exodus toward a competing service. I don't use Facebook and think they're kind of creepy, but I can't fault them for this.

Google+ is not Facebook. Nor it will ever be. The only hope google has is not to make a better facebook, but to change rules of the game.

There will be no exodus from facebook. Evolution moves at its own pace, regardless of facebook or google. Only those that go in step with evolution will flourish.

As such exodus from facebook will never happen. Though young and bright - most lucrative section of advertising market might just go and do something else.

Restriction seems to always backfire as in this case, it may well play out.

just 2c

Downvotes should be reserved for off-topic or badly-expressed comments. If you disagree, click "reply" and educate me.

There will be no exodus from facebook.

It is likely that this ad ban was instigated by watching Facebook pageviews plummet, and by watching contagious defection spread through their userbase.

I gave u an up for both of ur posts. I really hate these opinion based downvotes. It is really not what it is meant for.

My upvotes are more a delete of false downvotes. They are not meant as a support for ur point, btw.

I saw a facebook ad on gmail though, and facebook does offer an email product too.

Well, you have these:

http://www.facebook.com/Microsoft

http://www.facebook.com/Google

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Apple-Inc/105596369475033

Etc. This is quite common for many companies to have some sort of representation on FaceBook. And they try to advertise themselves there. And people can FB-like them etc.

Indeed. But on the other hand I don't think Google would disallow or block ads for Facebook. Their strategies differ. Google thrives with an open web, Facebook is a walled garden. But yeah, no scandal here.

Considering their primary source of revenue[1] is from advertising, I wouldn't think Google would disallow or block ads from Facebook (or anyone with a competing product, to be honest...)

[1] AdWords - Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdWords

I think Facebook's primary source of revenue is advertising too.

Facebook is taking the stance what Microsoft took a few years ago - getting in the way of it's users and making choices on behalf of them.

On the other hand by being open, Google has made a ton of money from it's competitors like Groupon which spends a big chunk advertising on Google.

I don't know if Facebook has made an official comment on this but from here on I think things might get interesting.

Facebooks primary revenue source also is advertizing. And they generally do not seem opposed to other sites (competing with them for users) linking to them (they've littered half the net with their like buttons), only vice versa.

What exactly is more 'open web' about Google+ than Facebook? It seems to be focussed on keeping you on Google properties - not linking different sites together.

It seems to me that twitter are the ones supporting the open web now.

Microsoft does a lot of advertising on Google sites.

Indeed; was coming here to say that. If you have the strong belief you are the best (and you should) then you don't care; it's income and the competitor is not as good as you anyway.

BMW don't have an advertising network, nor any third-party adverts on their site. Not sure your comparison is a good one...

Those comparisons aren't quite the same. BMW and Apple don't sell generic ad space on their sites.

No, but even sites that do sell generic ad space have ads they don't want shown (Porn, competitors, things that would reduce the brand name).

Things that you don't want and things that you'll allow are separate sets, not guaranteed to have full intersection.

Perhaps not, but after working for an advertising company the two overlap greatly.

Those comparisons aren't quite appropriate because as far as I can tell, these are individuals advertising their G+ profiles on FB, not Google advertising the entire G+ product.

You can advertise on BMW's website using CPC or CPM? Where is the signup form?

Also everybody knows that u don't need to look for Windows advertisments on apple.com.

VMware Fusion: http://store.apple.com/us/product/TX501LL/A

VMware View for iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vmware-view-for-ipad/id417993...

I completely agree. It's crazy to think that Facebook would willingly advertise a major competitor during its launch period! It's minor ad revenue vs users and I think users win here.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com