Other Unique Queries Found

I guess I'm going to have to update my Google profile:

It looks like the other unique queries can now be found:

If you've used the Search Query Performance report before, you may have noticed that some of your traffic was grouped under a line item called "other unique queries." This line encompassed queries with very low volume, often occurring triggering your ad only one or two times. However, some advertisers found that a significant portion of their spend was grouped under this heading, which made it difficult to manage keyword variations.

Note, too, that the other unique queries can be found in the new interface. There's something odd, though, about which queries will still not be found. So, maybe I don't need to change my Google profile, after all. ;-)

Tags: other unique queries, found

AdWords for Small Business Opportunity

Insightful quote about AdWords and small business by Sergey Brin in Google's 2008 Founders' Letter:

Despite the progress in our advertising systems and the growth of our base of advertisers, I believe there are significant improvements still to be made. While our ad system has powerful features, it is also complex, and can confuse many small and local advertisers whose products and services could be very useful to our users.

Google's solution of hiding the complexity of AdWords behind a simple user interface (Starter Edition) is not the answer. Some even wonder if Starter Edition violates Google's "Don't be evil" motto. I think there's an opportunity, here, either for Google or advertising professionals to bridge the gap. How can Google's complicated AdWords system be made simple for small business?

One option is to *be* the interface. One of my fellow AdWords Help Top Contributors has put together a new service: AdWords PI. For a modest fee, she will investigate problems with AdWords accounts. I suspect that many small business owners have waded into AdWords and found themselves overwhelmed. This kind of a service might be a good way to bridge the gap. I wish Kim Clink (aka MrsC) well with this new service and am sure she will help many advertisers. Read more about AdWords PI.

I think Google's solution will be to drop AdWords Starter Edition and push the Google AdWords Authorized Reseller Program. I think Google wants to cater to small business but doesn't want to deal with customer support issues. IOW, they want to have their cake and eat it, too. ;-)

Notes to self: Create a service like the SEM Starter Kit but tailored specifically for small business owners and AdWords. Develop the PPCrepair.com domain. Keep asking: How can Google's complicated AdWords system be made simple for small business?

Tags: adwords, small business

What is Corpse Traffic?

Fascinating to see a domainer refer to untargeted traffic from parked domains as corpse traffic. Read this post:

• Here is WHY Domainers are getting SCREWED…Google and Yahoo pay for CORPSES!

Here's a brief excerpt:

No wonder some opt out of the domain channel. It isn't about the domain traffic, it is about the corpse traffic that makes targeted traffic have much less value. It is just one small diamond mixed in with a ton of sand.

Most domainers don't want to hear that some (not all) of them are sending complete garbage via the Google AdWords and Yahoo Search Marketing ad distribution networks. Google and Yahoo don't want to hear it. I started blogging about corpse traffic in early 2007 (calling it search engine spam or distribution fraud). The term "corpse traffic" is a bit strident, but it does get the point across rather effectively.

Until Yahoo and Google clean up their ad distribution networks (or build separate domain networks with better domain exclusion or inclusion options), it's up to advertisers to block this traffic on their own. Here's what to do:

• Yahoo: Use the Blocked Domains Feature
• Google: Use Site Exclusion for Search Campaigns

Tags: corpse traffic

Twitter Game

I'm still pondering the "Why Twitter?" question. I often find it's easier to learn if I make a game of learning. So, I wrote a Twitter game. It's a hangman game where the answers are tags. You guess one letter (or number) at a time. Play a game:



Tags: twitter, game

AdSense for Domains on the AdWords Search Network

I recently wrote a post about the intersection of parked domains and search advertising (on AdWords Help Experts). I argue that the way Google has implemented the AdSense for Domains program blends contextual advertising with search advertising. This, not the potential quality of parked domain traffic, is why I choose to block AdSense for Domains traffic for any AdWords search advertising campaigns. Apparently, someone at Google understands this and included some honest text in the Ad Traffic Quality Resource Center Glossary entry for AdSense for Domains:



That section I've outlined in red needs to be understood by all AdWords advertisers (emphasis mine):

Note that certain domain park sites may include a search box to help users refine their search. Alternatively, the domain park may include certain highlighted words that act as search queries once users click on the highlighted word. At times, this may result in a sudden surge in clicks for keywords that do not generally accrue any clicks.

When you are attempting to buy pure search advertising, not blended with contextual advertising, you don't want your ads to be displayed for sites that mimic search queries. You want genuine search queries, where the potential customer is actively typing keywords searches, not clicking on links. That's contextual advertising.

So, to the person at Google who wrote that honest documentation, thank you! Likewise, thank you to Shuman and whoever else at Google was involved in implementing the AdSense for Domains opt out feature. Use it when you are not running contextual ad campaigns.

Tags: adsense, domains, adwords, search, network

Yahoo Advertising Meatball Sundae

The Yahoo PPC advertising product is now a meatball sundae (full of sausage). Instead of changing the core ingredients (like better control over ad syndication), they've added these toppings:

Starting now, you’ll be able to target the audiences you want, when and where you want them, with a lot more control. We are rolling out demographic targeting, ad scheduling (which you might know as dayparting), and enhanced ZIP-level geo-targeting at the ad group and campaign level.

I don't get it. Bells and whistles aren't going to help if the underlying product is flawed. They have to solve the click fraud problem, first.

Tags: yahoo, advertising, meatball, sundae

Why Twitter?

Why Twitter? To be honest, I'm not quite sure. I'm noticing, though, that many of the bloggers I read are shifting to Twitter. I figure the best way, then, to answer the "Why Twitter?" question is to try it. So, follow me on Twitter, if you like.

I'm curious as to whether or not Apogee Weblog subscribers are on Twitter. If you are and want to share, leave your Twitter link in the comments. Also, if you can explain to me why you Twitter, I bet I could learn quite a bit. Thanks.

Tags: why, twitter

Google AdWords vs Yahoo! Search Marketing

At the new AdWords Help forum, there's an interesting discussion about Google AdWords vs Yahoo! Search Marketing. Here's the original question:

Any ideas why my google traffic ( search only ) is not converting into sales as well as Yahoo? I run the same campaigns on both. Yahoo converts much better? I thought google would be higher in conversions?

This was my response:

A variety of factors could be at play here. Some possibilities:

1) Google's expanded broad matching is showing your ads for less relevant keywords
2) There is less advertiser competition on Yahoo
3) Your product/service is more suitable for the Yahoo demographic

Keep in mind that, to some degree, you are comparing apples and oranges. The keyword matching algorithms are different for Google and Yahoo. Your ad distribution choices are different. The syndicated partner networks differ. These days, the competition is more fierce on Google due to its larger market share. You will find that some ads perform better on Yahoo. In other cases, some ads will perform better on Google. Accordingly, you might need different bids across the 2 PPC systems.

Regarding keyword matching. On Google, you have: exact, phrase, broad (expanded), negative, embedded. On Yahoo, you have: standard, advanced, negative. These are quite different. Make sure you understand the actual keywords that result in your ads being triggered. On Google, use the search query performance report. On Yahoo, be sure to enable the tracking URLs. That will give you the data you need. I like to watch that data carefully:

http://www.apogee-web-consulting.com/tools/track_yahoo_search_ads.html

A few words of caution about Yahoo:
1) Be sure to set an account daily spending limit. This is off by default which puts you at risk for unlimited click charges. See:
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/ysm/sps/screenref/16520.html
2) Make sure you watch your account on a daily basis. Yahoo reserves the right to edit your account. See the comments on this post:
http://www.ysmblog.com/blog/2009/01/27/account-optimizations/
3) Many of the Yahoo search partners are low quality. You cannot opt out. Watch your traffic and block poorly performing domains. You can block up to 500.
http://www.ysmblog.com/blog/2008/11/14/the-blocked-domains-500/

You have much better control on Google. For instance, you can block parked domain traffic for your search campaigns. You can also opt out of all search distribution partners, if you want. You don't have those options on Yahoo. If you have the budget, I'd keep the search network on, but consider blocking parked domains. You can use the site and category exclusion tool to see your conversion stats and then block via that tool, if the results are poor:

http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=86695

HTH

Take a look at the other responses. If you use both Google AdWords and Yahoo! Search Marketing, join in the discussion...



Tags: google, adwords, yahoo, search, marketing

Need AdWords Help?

Some fellow Top Contributors from the AdWords Help Forum recently launched a new site, AdWordsHelpExperts.com. I've decided to join their AdWords blog.

This should be interesting. I've learned quite a bit from these guys - and gal. I'll continue to post here at Apogee Weblog about a variety of subjects. Obviously, the posts on AdWords Help Experts will be about Google AdWords. ;-)

Subscribe to AdWords Help Experts!

If you want to know more about the AWHE bloggers, here are their profiles from the AdWords Help forum:

• JezC
• MrsC
• Lakatos
• RBall (me)

Tags: adwords help

YSM FAIL

Somebody had to call FAIL on YSM (Yahoo! Search Marketing):



The problem is in the OPTIMIZATION section of the YSM Terms and Conditions, and in their explanation in response to complaints. See if you can spot the problem (emphasis mine):

OPTIMIZATION. In the U.S. only, for those advertisers not bound by an Insertion Order, we may help you optimize your account(s). Accordingly, you expressly agree that we may also: (i) create ads, (ii) add and/or remove keywords, and/or (iii) optimize your account(s). We will notify you via email of such changes made to your account(s), and can also include a spreadsheet of such changes upon your written request. If you would like any of such changes reversed, please reply to such email within 14 days of the change(s), and we will make commercially reasonable efforts to reverse the change(s) you specifically identify. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you remain responsible for all changes made to your account(s), including all click charges incurred prior to any reversions being made. It is your responsibility to monitor your account(s) and to ensure that your account settings are consistent with your business objectives.

Read that again. Does that make you want to shift ad spend from the search advertising market leader Google AdWords over to YSM? Aaron Wall sums up this Yahoo! Search Marketing FAIL rather well (via Bronte Media):

Imagine selling web traffic as a commodity in a blind auction, while touting its value based on the traffic being targeted, relevant, precise, and trackable. Then imagine taking away the default keyword tool on the internet that has been written about in thousands of marketing books, ebooks, and web pages - and replacing it with nothing. Then imagine signing up some seedy publishing partners that run clickbots against your highest value keywords, and giving them the lion's share of the click "value" on those keywords. Then imagine not making it easy for advertisers to opt out of that "traffic." Then imagine editing your advertisers accounts without their permission to alter ad text and keywords, and only informing some of them about the changes sometime after they take place...with 1 in 5 rejecting the changes!

It really is unbelievable how many poor strategic decisions Yahoo! has made with its search advertising product. They've virtually forfeited the game to Google.

IMPORTANT TIP: If you still have a YSM account, be certain you have set an account daily spending limit! It is NOT set by default:

The account daily spending limit is the maximum amount that you want to spend each day. By default, your account daily spending limit is off, enabling you to receive the maximum number of clicks.

If some yahoo might go in and make changes to your account, you don't want to risk unlimited clicks. Yikes!

Tags: ysm, fail, yahoo, search marketing