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Animated ads for the non-Designer

Categories: AdWords In the news
January 20th, 2009 by Pete

Google AdWords new Display Ad Builder represents yet another milestone in Google’s evolution of AdWords. 

This tool provides a wizard that even a non-designer like me can easily follow to produce acceptable (well maybe not acceptbale to all but still adequate) and even some itneresting interactive Display Ads suitable for use in AdWords Content Network.

The value of using these is:

  • Often you can get away with (slightly) lower click prices in the Content Network
  • Animated or display ads are more prominent in some of the busy Content Network sites 
Im sure the ‘roll your own’ aspect will attract a number of users to these.  
Update 20 Jan 09: Display Ad Builder gets additional custom templates
Google has extended Dispay Ad Builder’s template library to include seasonal ads
As an Aussie I’d say there is little chance of the Presnetidential day te[lpate being used here, although I can see advertisers using the Valentine’s Day template.
Im sure this is the beginning of more to come.  
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Paid search tips and traps

Categories: AdWords Analytics Keywords Online Sales Organic search Website Analysis
October 28th, 2008 by Pete

So you’ve been telemarketed by yet another paid search provider and it sounds like an excellent marketing investment (and it is!).

But how do you decide which paid search services your business needs, and importantly how do you decide which service provider to use ?  Could you DIY paid search ? Not sure? Read on.

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AdWords' Quality Score goes real time

Categories: AdWords In the news
August 22nd, 2008 by Pete

Google announced  further refinements in Quality Score today, including real time calculation.

AdWords help is very clear about Quality Score : To achieve the lowest possible minimum CPC (cost per click) , make sure your keywords, ads, and landing pages provide an excellent user experience for those who search for those keywords, click on your ads, and visit your site.

We forecast further refinements with Adwords Quality Score in May this year but you really didnt need to be a Rhodes Scholar to see this :)

These factors include Landing page quality such as

  • Targeted keywords appearing in your landing page:
  • Landing page load time

Providers targeting simple externalised AdWords campaigns on a large scale will find they are increaingly not able to deliver the same campaign cost-effectiveness as a more holistic internet marketing approach that balances organic and paid search.

Quality Score is the hidden paid search metric. It is not displayed by default, so novices may not even be aware of its existence, but its impact in AdWords has an increasing relevance.

Monitor your paid search campaigns carefully to ensure you are not paying a premium because of a poor quality score. 

Ask your AdWords campaign manager to provide quality score information in your reports.

More info on Quality Score can be found in the Google AdWords Help here:

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*Warning* AdWords ‘phishing’ continues

Categories: AdWords Alerts Tales from the trenches phishing
June 18th, 2008 by Pete

Please be aware that I’m still regularly hearing reports of people who have received AdWords ‘phishing’ emails.

These appear to be genuine communications from Google asking you to renew your AdWords account or update your AdWords payment details, but are in fact scams cleverly designed to steal your credit card details.

You can identify the bogus emails by carefully rolling your mouse over the link in the email to view the popup tooltip; then carefully examine the domain details.

The phishing emails typically link to a Chinese domain which is dot cn (i.e. .cn) rather than the domain it appears to be.

Please be vigilant and under no circumstances enter your credit card details. If you do, then contact your bank immediately to freeze your credit card.

If you receive a phishing email, forward it to phishing@google.com so the folks at Google can do something about stopping these thieves.

If you are in doubt about your AdWords account’s status you can check it online. Once your AdWords account is established, the only time you should have to re-enter payment details is when your credit card expires.

If in doubt, don’t click.

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'Quality Score' now monitors load time

Categories: AdWords
May 9th, 2008 by Pete

I note with interest that Google is now assessing a landing page’s page load time as a contributing factor to its quality score.

Your AdWords campaign’s landing page’s quality score can influence your ad position and even your minimum bid.

In recent times other quality score influencing factors have emerged to become a quite sophisticated indicator of Google’s interpretation of the quality of your paid search campaign.

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*Warning* AdWords payment details phishing

Categories: AdWords Alerts phishing
March 31st, 2008 by Pete

A client fortunately queried this email with me and my trusty McAfee virus protection software flagged it as ‘phishing’.  It is a scam email cloaked as a Google AdWords payment alert trying to steal your credit card details.

The email link to update your payment details actually goes to a Chinese site and not Google: http://adwords.google.com.r4oik.cn/select/Login/

There has been some other recent reports of similar phishing scams on the Search Engine Round Table blog.

The email certainly looks legitimate and so anyone could be easily decieved. 

I strongly recommend that you ensure your internet security software is up to date and capable of detecting ‘phishing’ emails.

 After contacting Google AdWords support they asked that phishing emails be forwarded to phishing@google.com

5 April Update More phishing emails relating  to Adwords
Ive recieved a couple of these today:

Dear AdWords Customer,

As part of our ongoing efforts to improve the Google AdWords programme for advertisers and users,
we have updated our Terms and Conditions.

Please review the new Terms and Conditions below, then indicate your acceptance.

Yes, I accept the Terms and Conditions. <– this link leads to a Chinese site not to Google Adwords

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Buying keywords

Categories: AdWords Keywords Organic search
January 25th, 2008 by Pete

Which keywords should you buy ?
‘Paying for keywords’ as part of a website search optimisation strategy is common practice as internet sales competition heats up in Australia. 

Frequently, and sadly we find Customers making poor keyword investments.

The Overture keyword database, the traditional free source for identifying keywords has been frozen, and although it may still produce output, the data is signfnicantly aged and irrelevant. 

Alternatives are expensive and until recently didn’t provide keywords filtered to the Australian marketplace.

Risk mitigation strategy:

  • Ensure your keyword strategy is based on contemporary and relevant keyword information.
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