[joelrunyon]

Bidding on competitor terms is nothing new.

Yes, it might be a poor use of their money, but they can decide what to do with their ad money.

As a commenter on the blog noted: Google regulates this somewhat with their quality score algorithm and charges more for people with irrelevant ads & content, but at the ened of the day, if someone wants to bid their way to the top, it's still just an auction system and they can certainly do that if they want.

[diego]

That is true for Google. However, we don't know if this is the case with Facebook. I have no insider knowledge, but I suspect that Romney's campaign must have approached Facebook and worked out a one-off deal. I see Romney as the top sponsored result every time I try the search. Apparently it started several weeks ago. For me it won't stop showing up, even when it's clear that I have no intention of ever clicking on it.

My opinion is that it's a terrible way for Facebook to showcase their entry into the market of paid placement for search results.

[joelrunyon]

>I see Romney as the top sponsored result every time I try the search. Apparently it started several weeks ago. For me it won't stop showing up, even when it's clear that I have no intention of ever clicking on it.

It's most likely designed that way. While it might not work to make YOU click it, most likely neither do paid search ads. Fortunately, 2-3% of searchers do find them useful and those 2-3% of people usually translate into substantial revenue that makes the continued advertisement worthwhile for the advertiser to continue.

[jakeludington]

Facebook is in the process of gradually rolling out sponsored search. I think businesses with big budgets get to cut to the front of the line.

What's curious to me is the difference between the Democrats and Republicans on this. The Romney campaign is clearly on the offensive as well as playing smart defense. If you search for Paul Ryan, you see Romney as the top result. If you search for Bill Clinton, either Ryan or Romney show up. The Obama campaign does not appear to be bidding on any terms.

[justin66]

There's no telling whether it's the campaigns themselves actually spending that money, is there?

[callmeed]

I doubt it. It could just as easily be a pro-Romney PAC or Super-Pac. If you look at this tracker, many of the PACs are spending 6-figures at a time on "Internet/Web" ads:

http://projects.propublica.org/pactrack/#committee=C00490045

The PACs aren't allowed to have direct contact with the candidates.