Wired have an article here which details recent polling to suggest that although many adults consider themselves competent web browsers, they more often then not cannot tell the difference between paid inclusion ads and free content in search engines. Apparently only 38% of people were able to distinguish between paid and free listings. Information worth remembering if you are ever considering trying paid results. It would seem that not that many people notice when a result is a different colour to the rest and has “sponsored site” along the top. Makes you wonder why we bother making catchy looking sites.
