Microsoft: Setting the Stride for Online Marketing

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer expounded on “Technology –  transforming the Marketing Landscape” before the Association of National Advertisers annual meeting last week. But as Microsoft embarks on a journey to cast itself as an ad giant
(the company hopes that in the next decade advertising will account for as much as 25% of its business), he also spoke about the increasingly blurry lines between software and media and advertising and how Microsoft itself is a huge marketer, spending $3 billion on advertising. Mr. Ballmer offered some thoughts on those subjects to Ad Age Digital Editor Abbey Klaassen.

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Published: October 16, 2007
By: George Seybold

This article is filed under:
Media Buying | Search Marketing

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Google Hits $600; Firm Bigger than Wal-Mart

Shares in Google hit a new benchmark of $600, fueled by investor confidence that the Web search leader’s advertising technology will capitalize on new areas of the media industry.

…. From its place as the leading site for conducting Internet searches, Google has branched into Web video with its purchase of YouTube, trod on Microsoft’s turf with e-mail and other Web-based applications, and taken aim at Yahoo’s stronghold in graphical display advertising.

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Published: October 8, 2007
By: George Seybold

This article is filed under:
Business | Search Engine Optimization | Search Marketing

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Google to Offer Image, Video & More Complex Ads?

Google has indicted its intention to expand on the type of ads it uses for its search results page.

The ads could include image or video ads in a variety of ways, offering more options to advertisers. Google insists that whatever image and video ads are shown, they will match the type of content you?re searching. So you?re more likely to see an image ad if you?re conducting an image search. The same goes for video. Remaining relevant with these types of targeted ads is a self-proclaimed objective for Google.

Another way in which more rich ads have already been in use is the placement of a Google Checkout icon beside an ad, indicating it as an accepted form of payment. Additionally, Google has displayed a map with an option for directions alongside some text ads. In other recent Google news, the company?s book search options have increased, layering in personal and social options for queries.

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Published: September 12, 2007
By: George Seybold

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Media Buying | Search Marketing

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Clickable

My ‘day job’ involves managing multiple search engine marketing campaigns across different search engines. Anyone who has worked in an in-house SEM role would likely agree that keeping track of interface changes, competitors and A/B testing of ad units is no walk in the park.

To complicate matters even more when one is managing a campaigns that use broad terms its likely that the terms wind up not only competing with one’s competitors in the category, but also with one’s self.

In the category ‘automotive’ it’s likely that the key phrase “Sports Utility Vehicle” would be chosen. But let’s say you have several product managers responsible for the promotion of their lines. The tendency is to immediate use the keyword ‘Sports Utility Vehicle’ for all lines regardless of the fact that it competes with others in the business.

Figure 1

	Category [SUV]	Keyword / Key phrase
Ford	Escape	Sports Utility Vehicle
Mercury	Mariner	Sports Utility Vehicle
Mazda	Tribute	Sports Utility Vehicle
Nissan	Murano	Sports Utility Vehicle
Nissan	Rogue	Sports Utility Vehicle
Nissan	XTerra	Sports Utility Vehicle

Each of the automotive lines in Figure 1 (above) are prime targets for ‘Sports Utility Vehicle’ among countless others. If no additional analysis were given then the product manager for the Escape would compete head-to-head with the vehicles in the same category - not an effective use of the promotional budget.

A Different Approach

If a search marketer does the heavy lifting required to manage their campaigns using a complex network of spreadsheets he / she can overcome this challenge. But let’s face it, tools are better at this type of work. The space remains relatively young, but I recently happened across a start-up in NYC that currently offers a Beta product which solves this and many more of the common challenges facing search marketers today - Clickable.com. Clickable ties directly into the Google, Yahoo! and Live Search SEM interfaces. Accessing the data directly it provides a real-time heat map which shows where a marketers attentions needs to be applied first.

The interface is very robust and allows one to drill down into the data using a rich flex(?) interface. They are currently working to allow for the data to be exported in the common file formats, but that feature continues to be on the to-do list.

Earlier in this posting I wrote about the keyword dilemma. Well they haven’t yet solved for that, but the feedback I provided in my discussion was received with great enthusiasm - I look forward to the inclusion of this feature as the product rolls into its Gold Version.

Check out Clickable here >

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Published: August 18, 2007
By: George Seybold

This article is filed under:
Search Marketing

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Measurement and Optimization of Search Engine Marketing

I recently read a great article on SEM and I thought I would share the link with all of you. Gary Angel tackles the topic of Measurement and Optimization of Search Engine Marketing in a two part series. He explores the common mistakes related to competing keywords and the analysis beyond the analytics. I highly recommend you give this a read if you are working in the PPC space.

“… there’s been a vast amount of time and money spent on building Search Marketing programs.

Some of that money has been well spent and, of course, some hasn’t. But as Search becomes ever more competitive, most companies are realizing that optimizing a Search program is a real challenge …”

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Published: August 13, 2007
By: George Seybold

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Search Marketing

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Microsoft Completes Acquisition of aQuantive, Creates Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group

We’re hot off the close of the aQuantive acquisition, and Microsoft is already shuffling pieces across the board. The software giant announced today the formation of a new business division called the Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group. According to Kevin Johnson, Microsoft’s president of Platforms & Services Divisions, the new group is part of the plan to become “one of the top two online advertising platforms in the industry.”

Microsoft spent $6 Billion, the largest purchase in the company’s history, to acquire the advertising company in an effort to take their share of the share that they have been unable to own due to rival search giant, Google.

Read the Press Release >
WebProNews Video Recap >

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About This Post
Published: August 13, 2007
By: George Seybold

This article is filed under:
Search Marketing

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