Google Says Google's Stats Show What Google Want Them to Show.

Last week at a digital advertising conference, Google announced that most searches are now coming from mobile devices.  Or at least they are in 10 regional markets, two of which are the US an Japan, the other 8 Google won't identify.  That rather weak headline was picked up by all the major tech news sites, and a number of non-tech outlets.  But it seems a little weak to me.  Google didn't disclose the figures, sources, methodologies for collection or even the other 8 markets they referred to, which are apparently 'key' markets, but that's very much open to interpretation.

Interestingly, it comes on the back of Google trying to force people to make their websites mobile ready, by changing the relevant search algorithms.

So, what's going on here?  Well, my theory is that in short - Google's abusing it's search monopoly.  Trying to force people to make their sites mobile ready sounds really forward-thinking and just acknowledging the way of the world nowadays, and I don't disagree that more searching is happening on mobile.  But with Google being the only major player here, and them telling us what we have to do with our websites, then telling us they have statistics to back it up, just we can't see them.  Well, we've got no choice but to believe what they say, what are we going to do, ask Bing for a second opinion?  Design our sites for desktop and feel safe in the knowledge they'll still be listed at the top of Duck-Duck-Go searches?  We have no choice.

You're probably still wondering how this is abusing a monopoly?  As far as I'm aware it's illegal in a number of countries to use a monopoly position to influence other markets, and it just so happens that Google have virtually no presence in desktop and laptop PC's.  Chromebooks are a thing, but accounted for 1% of worldwide PC sales last year in Q2 (.95 million).  Meanwhile in the same period Android accounted for 250 million units shipped.
So, it's CLEARLY in Google's interest to ensure they push us toward the thinking that most web activity is on mobile platforms, then we design our websites for mobile, then we put more advertising on mobile, then Google make more money.  Because after all, Google sell advertising, that's what they do, and they need you on the platforms they control to make more money from it.  So in this case, Google are using search as a way to drive us further toward mobile and mobile advertising - two non-search markets.

Can we all say "anti-trust investigation"?  I hope not, that was so very painful last time around.