July 14, 2010
Adwords Game Has Changed
Pay-per-click continues to change – maybe not drastically, but Google especially is always on the lookout for any advances and improvements to this multi-billion dollar enterprise. Well, a global Adwords change is in effect (after a beta test in the UK and Canada), and it's a biggie: broad match modifier.
What is Broad Match Modifier?
According to Google's Agency Ad Solutions Blog,
"The broad match modifier lets you create keywords which have greater reach than phrase match and more controlled than broad match. To implement, put a plus symbol (+) directly in front of one or more words (no spaces between + symbol and word). Each word preceded by a + must appear in the search exactly or as a close variant."
To recap the different match types and define the newest member:
What is Broad Match Modifier?
According to Google's Agency Ad Solutions Blog,
"The broad match modifier lets you create keywords which have greater reach than phrase match and more controlled than broad match. To implement, put a plus symbol (+) directly in front of one or more words (no spaces between + symbol and word). Each word preceded by a + must appear in the search exactly or as a close variant."
To recap the different match types and define the newest member:
- Broad match = ads show for matches on any variation of a keyword, plus similar keywords. E.g., the keyword western saddle could receive matches for western saddle pads, horse tack, roping saddle, western stirrups, etc.
- Phrase match = ads show for matches on keyword phrases which match/contain phrase. E.g., "western saddle" could receive matches for western saddle pads, western saddle tack shops, fitting a western saddle, etc.
- Exact match = ads show for matches on exact keyword/phrase only. E.g., [western saddle] would match only western saddle.
- Negative match = ads do not show for any matches on keyword. E.g., –western saddle.
- Broad match modifier = ads show for matches on exact or "close variants" (misspellings, plural/singular, acronyms, etc.) . E.g., western +saddle could receive matches for english saddle, roping saddle, barrel saddle, etc. +western +saddle could receive matches for wstern saddle, custom western saddles, etc.
With the new broad match modification option, Google's now allowing PPC marketers to refine their broad match keywords without having to add a myriad of negative keywords. For those whose pay-per-click marketing campaigns rely heavily on broad and phrase match keywords, this new modification match type can eliminate a lot of work.
It's important to note that while the broad match modifier option can show ads for close variants, that doesn't include synonyms or related searches. Also, if you're about to switch all your PPC broad match keywords to use the new modifier, be prepared for a negative shift in click volume.
It's important to note that while the broad match modifier option can show ads for close variants, that doesn't include synonyms or related searches. Also, if you're about to switch all your PPC broad match keywords to use the new modifier, be prepared for a negative shift in click volume.
April 30, 2010
Why Is Google Pushing Brands?
Last year, Google rolled out a big change – named the Vince Update – in the way their algorithm ranked brand-name sites. Sorry, in the way they "trusted" brand-name sites. While this of course had little to no effect on me personally (I don't own a brand-name website nor do I think I have to click on one when it's presented in a SERP) it did create quite a stir in the online community, and had many asking, "Why is Google all of a sudden focusing on big names?"
Well, the plot...she thickens, my friend. It seems Google's now shoe-horning other additions into their SERPs – still focused on driving eyeballs to brand-name sites.
To explain the first SERP change, I have to back up a bit and talk about Chrome – for those of you living under a rock, that's Google's browser – and one of its functions. While Chrome doesn't tell you PageRank (which seems odd, since that's pretty much Google's "cool-o-meter" for web pages), it does some pretty cool things, such as allows you to personalize your browser look and feel (mine's of course leopard print). Anyway. Other than aesthetics, Chrome also offers a Similar Pages button (in beta) to viewers; if you like the web page you're looking at and would like to quickly view, you got it, similar pages, you just click that button and voilà.
It seems Google wants to bring this function into their SERPs, as well. For name-brand searches they're offering up a "Pages Similar To" section:
These results do occur at the bottom of the SERP, but exist nonetheless. And, how does Google choose WHICH brands get represented here? Probably based on the 'trust' they perceive coming from Vince.
According to yesterday's post at Search Engine Land, Google's other addition is a test: pushing brands at the top of the SERP for product searches. However, in performing multiple searches this morning to determine the reach, it seems they've rolled this one out on a vast – if not complete – scale:
I can see where Google would test with extremely high-profile searches such as "point and shoot cameras," "HD TVs," even "laptop bags." However, I find it hard to believe they're merely testing with searches such as "dog leashes," since I myself am a dog owner and I didn't even know about the majority of those brand names. The point? I don't think Google's simply testing this anymore. It would seem to be standard procedure now...and not only is it (more than likely) here to stay; this brand-name pushing is taking up valuable real estate on the SERPs, pushing organic results even farther down.
The big question here is, why is Google pushing name brands at us?
Well, the plot...she thickens, my friend. It seems Google's now shoe-horning other additions into their SERPs – still focused on driving eyeballs to brand-name sites.
To explain the first SERP change, I have to back up a bit and talk about Chrome – for those of you living under a rock, that's Google's browser – and one of its functions. While Chrome doesn't tell you PageRank (which seems odd, since that's pretty much Google's "cool-o-meter" for web pages), it does some pretty cool things, such as allows you to personalize your browser look and feel (mine's of course leopard print). Anyway. Other than aesthetics, Chrome also offers a Similar Pages button (in beta) to viewers; if you like the web page you're looking at and would like to quickly view, you got it, similar pages, you just click that button and voilà.
It seems Google wants to bring this function into their SERPs, as well. For name-brand searches they're offering up a "Pages Similar To" section:
These results do occur at the bottom of the SERP, but exist nonetheless. And, how does Google choose WHICH brands get represented here? Probably based on the 'trust' they perceive coming from Vince.
According to yesterday's post at Search Engine Land, Google's other addition is a test: pushing brands at the top of the SERP for product searches. However, in performing multiple searches this morning to determine the reach, it seems they've rolled this one out on a vast – if not complete – scale:
I can see where Google would test with extremely high-profile searches such as "point and shoot cameras," "HD TVs," even "laptop bags." However, I find it hard to believe they're merely testing with searches such as "dog leashes," since I myself am a dog owner and I didn't even know about the majority of those brand names. The point? I don't think Google's simply testing this anymore. It would seem to be standard procedure now...and not only is it (more than likely) here to stay; this brand-name pushing is taking up valuable real estate on the SERPs, pushing organic results even farther down.
The big question here is, why is Google pushing name brands at us?
January 27, 2010
Remarketing on the Google Content Network
It would seem Google has been dabbling in remarketing for a while. We first noticed it in the SERPs a few years ago. Historically, session-based broad match has been active within the search side of PPC; rumors run rampant that a new version of remarketing, on the content network, is in BETA and will be available to Adwords advertisers who qualify.
Then this visitor heads to another site – a site on the content network. There s/he is then served up with an ad hauntingly reminiscent of the hotel site recently visited.
As with anything in BETA, only time will tell how it'll impact advertisers – or users, for that matter – but we're pretty optimistic about Google's venture into content network remarketing.
What is Remarketing?
Remarketing (online) is serving ads to users who've seen some aspect of your site, but didn't take a desired action. For an example, let's say a visitor is browsing your site and ends up on a key page. From this page, said visitor could convert, but instead backs out.Then this visitor heads to another site – a site on the content network. There s/he is then served up with an ad hauntingly reminiscent of the hotel site recently visited.
Why Remarket?
What's the point of remarketing to someone who's left your site, anyway? Well, for starters, if a visitor has already been to your site – i.e., shown an interest in what you're offering – they're a pre-qualified lead. Just because they didn't take 'action' the first time doesn't mean they won't if given the opportunity again. It's much easier to 'close' an interested party than a new visitor.As with anything in BETA, only time will tell how it'll impact advertisers – or users, for that matter – but we're pretty optimistic about Google's venture into content network remarketing.
January 20, 2010
Yahoo Search Marketing Enhancements
For those PPC advertisers looking to make their lives easier, Yahoo! Search Marketing has added a couple new enhancements to their dashboard: a campaign import tool and the network distribution feature (and accompanying tools).
Campaign Import Tool
Now you can easily migrate campaigns from Google Adwords into Yahoo! Search Marketing. All you have to do is download your data into a .CSV file and save it to your computer, then import the file into the Yahoo! Sponsored Search program. You can import everything from campaigns on down to keywords. However, you cannot import geo-targeting; this has to be manually added after the upload is complete.Network Distribution
Target Yahoo! Partners, Yahoo! Search or both with this new feature. Continue to use PPC best practices by separating Search and Content Partners campaigns. This will allow you to manage the campaigns with more control. Here are some tools available to help with the feature:- Conversion-Only Analytics – a conversion is, of course, when a web user completes a desired action, whether it's filling out a form, purchasing a product or downloading a PDF. Add programming code to your 'confirmation' pages (i.e., a "thank you" page or the order confirmation) in order to track conversions. In order to enable this, you must first activate conversion-only analytics:
- Click the Administration tab, and then click the Analytics subtab. The Analytics Settings page will open. (If the analytics feature is disabled, click Enable Analytics.)
- Select the Conversion Only Analytics option.
- Click 'Activate.'
- Network Distribution Performance Report* – this reporting tool gives advertisers data on the best-performing keywords and ad groups within campaigns in regards to conversions, revenue and lead generation. Being able to identify the strongest elements of campaigns – in both Yahoo! Partners and Yahoo! Search – means the ability to easily hone ads and keywords for even greater conversion.
- Filter reports by hierarchy level, name, event type, distribution channel and account.
- Track clicks, CTR, average CPC, cost, conversion and revenue.
- *Get the most out of this by installing conversion-only analytics.
- Blocked Domains – this feature allows advertisers to block their ads from showing on websites (up to 500 domains) within the partner network. If there are sites on which Sponsored Search or Content Match ads aren't performing well, it makes sense to block those and focus on the websites with the best return on ad spend (ROAS).
- Ad Delivery Report – advertisers can view reports detailing the information about the URLs on which their ads are displaying. See:
- All domains/URLs where ads appear.
- Metrics by URL for impressions, cost, conversions, etc.
- Information about how individual URLs are performing, allowing better usage of Blocked Domains feature.
Contact Form Extensions: Lead Capture
It's no news Google was offering a new service for Adwords advertisers: contact form extensions. It might be news to hear if you didn't already sign up for it, it's too late – at least for now. The cut-off was January 18th, 2010; technically, since that was Martin Luther King day, the cut-off was more than likely the Sunday before or even Friday the 15th, since we're not sure Google works on weekends.
This new lead capture function – currently in beta – is yet another extension opportunity added to Google's ever-burgeoning list (including local extensions and sitelinks extensions). While other ad enhancements – such as listing a city, address or even a map within an Adwords ad – might seem intuitive information to provide a search engine user, what are the ramifications of listing out a contact form right from the SERP?
Since this is a brand-new feature and most likely isn't very easy to find, this'll be all conjecture but here are some of the pros and cons:
Pros:
This new lead capture function – currently in beta – is yet another extension opportunity added to Google's ever-burgeoning list (including local extensions and sitelinks extensions). While other ad enhancements – such as listing a city, address or even a map within an Adwords ad – might seem intuitive information to provide a search engine user, what are the ramifications of listing out a contact form right from the SERP?
Since this is a brand-new feature and most likely isn't very easy to find, this'll be all conjecture but here are some of the pros and cons:
Pros:
- CPA at point of CPC: Normally cost-per-action (CPA) marketing is more 'involved' than cost-per-click (CPC) advertising. Why? Because in a CPA model, the advertiser only pays after the visitor has clicked on an ad, gone through a funnel/process and THEN filled out a form. With Google's contact form extensions, advertisers get to acquire the lead for the cost of a click.
- Information capture: Google takes care of acquiring the information and providing the lead ID or PIN to the advertiser in an email. Once the advertiser receives this information, they can call the designated phone number to retrieve the lead information. Pretty slick.
- #1 spot only: Only those ads showing up in the number 1 sponsored position can display the contact form extension. This means the ad had better already be at its best before entering into the program.
- Max CPC: If your ad does show up in the #1 spot, and a visitor does fill out the form, you'll end up paying your maximum cost-per-click for that lead. Might not be a big deal for everyone, but some markets out there are pretty competitive.
- Sales cycle: When you offer a user a contact form right from a CPC ad, can you be sure where you're hitting them in the buying cycle? What if they're merely looking to gather as much information as possible?
- Harder sales pitch: Piggybacking off the sales cycle concern, these types of leads (i.e., those leads who've come in via 'spray-and-pray' for information) are much more likely to need a lot more information, convincing and sales talent in order to close.
- Web users: Because we've worked with all types of web users, the question must be asked...will the average Joe surfing the Internet looking for information know to click on that plus sign to even find the form?
December 23, 2009
Google Jump To Links in Snippets
It seems that along with consistently displaying sites' breadcrumbs in place of URLs within SERP snippets, Google's decided to give users another advancement in their "rich snippets." The ultimate ease in search engine use: they're also now increasingly showing 'jump to' links within the snippet, allowing visitors to 'jump' from the search results page right to the most relevant information (for them) on the listed web page.
For those not quite up-to-speed, a 'jump to' link is a link on a page which allows a web visitor to literally jump - normally down the page - to a different section within the content. Learn more about the HTML coding for 'jump to' links at the bottom of this post. Hop to it*.
I first noticed this while performing a search for "product liability law firm." It was a confusing finding at first, since this FindLaw Firmsite isn't functioning and I couldn't tell what I was looking at:
I started searching other topics and was able to find other examples across the web:
In looking for further examples, I ran across an interesting discrepancy...this screen shot (below) is interesting in that both these results look like one-line sitelinks. In the first result, the sitelinks are actually jump links within Wikipedia. So, it seems 'jump to' links can actually be presented as one-line sitelinks:
The point here is to show the difference between the relatively new (late September 2009) jump links included within snippets as compared to the older (~April '09) sitelinks addition.
Yet another way Google's working to improve their users' SERP experience via rich snippets.
Jump Link Coding
The HTML coding for 'jump to' links is two-part: one part coding for the actual content to which a jump link is pointing (a 'named anchor') and one part coding for the link itself.
So to name an anchor, you'd code it as: <a name="label">Anchor Text</a>
Then to name the link to the anchor: <a href="#label">Anchor Text</a>
* In a post about jump links, you'd think I'd have actually given a live example within this post. Well, I would've, except Blogger - according to the help forum - can't handle that type of link right now. See, they're undergoing their own enhancements, but evidently not as successfully as Google proper. Once the bug is fixed, I'll update this post to contain a working jump link...sigh.
For those not quite up-to-speed, a 'jump to' link is a link on a page which allows a web visitor to literally jump - normally down the page - to a different section within the content. Learn more about the HTML coding for 'jump to' links at the bottom of this post. Hop to it*.
I first noticed this while performing a search for "product liability law firm." It was a confusing finding at first, since this FindLaw Firmsite isn't functioning and I couldn't tell what I was looking at:
The point here is to show the difference between the relatively new (late September 2009) jump links included within snippets as compared to the older (~April '09) sitelinks addition.
Yet another way Google's working to improve their users' SERP experience via rich snippets.
Jump Link Coding
The HTML coding for 'jump to' links is two-part: one part coding for the actual content to which a jump link is pointing (a 'named anchor') and one part coding for the link itself.
So to name an anchor, you'd code it as: <a name="label">Anchor Text</a>
Then to name the link to the anchor: <a href="#label">Anchor Text</a>
* In a post about jump links, you'd think I'd have actually given a live example within this post. Well, I would've, except Blogger - according to the help forum - can't handle that type of link right now. See, they're undergoing their own enhancements, but evidently not as successfully as Google proper. Once the bug is fixed, I'll update this post to contain a working jump link...sigh.
December 15, 2009
Google Local Packs Not Showing for 'Marketing' Industry
About a month ago, we were putting together a training presentation for a client and needed some industry-specific slides to show local results in SERPs. The company does mainly web design, so we thought we'd show a slide of "Minneapolis web design" results to point out the traffic they were missing from local listings. (They didn't have a Google Local Business Center account.)
Imagine our surprise when we couldn't find any 7-pack results for our queries. Whether using a geographic modifier or not, the Google local results were eerily absent for web design/development keywords. What was going on? Mike Blumenthal called out this issue on November 24th with his article about the apparent web design 7-pack 'bug' which seemed to be affecting only web design and development searches, so it seemed we weren't the only ones to notice.
Google has known about this issue since then, and possibly even before. This whole avalanche was evidently started by the "one web box result bug"- wherein only 1 local listing would show where the pack of 7 was supposed to - but it seems in fixing that bug, they created this new one. Not only has the 'web design bug' not been fixed (it has a LOT of people asking "When Will Google Fix the Web Design Local Pack Bug?"); the 7-pack is now not showing up for virtually any marketing/advertising type queries:
However, it seems just about any other profession - outside of marketing - is still getting local love (with or without geography; we've added it here to show the results higher up on the SERP):
But, is the 'bug' - for those industries not currently showing up in the Google 7-pack - partially fixed? We noticed for some searches local listings can appear:
It appears with this formula: "industry/service + in + city" at least a 3-pack will show, if not the entire 7-pack. But, is this the way people are searching? Also...is this a 'bug' at all?
The reason we're beating the dead horse here is simply because of the loss of traffic. While we've noticed an overall decline (due to the holiday season), we've noticed the traffic from Google Local has taken a nose-dive. This only makes sense, since those listings are no longer showing (or, if they are, it's severely less frequently than previously). This raises a good question: if so much traffic was coming in via local listings, obviously searchers like and use them. So, do searchers miss their local query map results?
A final question - let's pose it as 'open' - to Google: when will this 7-pack 'bug' be fixed, if at all?
***Addendum***
Alas, it seems this was/is not a case of Google fixing a 'bug,' rather, it was the instigation of a new method. Said method being, simply, Google no longer shows any marketing/advertising/web design/SEO type results within the 7-pack of local listings (previously referred to as the 10-pack). According to "Joel H." of Google,
Today, we're intentionally showing less local results for web design / SEO queries. For example, [web design sacramento] doesn't display local listings today. We believe this is an accurate representation of user intent. In some cases, we do show local listings...[web design in bellingham]. I'm sure some of you feel we should be displaying local results for queries like [Web Design Vancouver]. I understand that concern, but based on our understanding of our users, we feel this is the right decision for now.
I'll give the usual disclaimer that we're constantly working on improving the user experience and results will vary over time. So, this could change in the future, but I wanted to be explicit about what we're doing today.
So that's that!
Imagine our surprise when we couldn't find any 7-pack results for our queries. Whether using a geographic modifier or not, the Google local results were eerily absent for web design/development keywords. What was going on? Mike Blumenthal called out this issue on November 24th with his article about the apparent web design 7-pack 'bug' which seemed to be affecting only web design and development searches, so it seemed we weren't the only ones to notice.
Google has known about this issue since then, and possibly even before. This whole avalanche was evidently started by the "one web box result bug"- wherein only 1 local listing would show where the pack of 7 was supposed to - but it seems in fixing that bug, they created this new one. Not only has the 'web design bug' not been fixed (it has a LOT of people asking "When Will Google Fix the Web Design Local Pack Bug?"); the 7-pack is now not showing up for virtually any marketing/advertising type queries:
However, it seems just about any other profession - outside of marketing - is still getting local love (with or without geography; we've added it here to show the results higher up on the SERP):
But, is the 'bug' - for those industries not currently showing up in the Google 7-pack - partially fixed? We noticed for some searches local listings can appear:
It appears with this formula: "industry/service + in + city" at least a 3-pack will show, if not the entire 7-pack. But, is this the way people are searching? Also...is this a 'bug' at all?The reason we're beating the dead horse here is simply because of the loss of traffic. While we've noticed an overall decline (due to the holiday season), we've noticed the traffic from Google Local has taken a nose-dive. This only makes sense, since those listings are no longer showing (or, if they are, it's severely less frequently than previously). This raises a good question: if so much traffic was coming in via local listings, obviously searchers like and use them. So, do searchers miss their local query map results?
A final question - let's pose it as 'open' - to Google: when will this 7-pack 'bug' be fixed, if at all?
***Addendum***
Alas, it seems this was/is not a case of Google fixing a 'bug,' rather, it was the instigation of a new method. Said method being, simply, Google no longer shows any marketing/advertising/web design/SEO type results within the 7-pack of local listings (previously referred to as the 10-pack). According to "Joel H." of Google,
Today, we're intentionally showing less local results for web design / SEO queries. For example, [web design sacramento] doesn't display local listings today. We believe this is an accurate representation of user intent. In some cases, we do show local listings...[web design in bellingham]. I'm sure some of you feel we should be displaying local results for queries like [Web Design Vancouver]. I understand that concern, but based on our understanding of our users, we feel this is the right decision for now.
I'll give the usual disclaimer that we're constantly working on improving the user experience and results will vary over time. So, this could change in the future, but I wanted to be explicit about what we're doing today.
So that's that!
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