march 2008

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here and just add Intro30 at checkout!

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I started using Twitter all the time about a month ago and have found it to be a really useful tool. I can check out the latest posts by some of the top SEM bloggers, find out news as it happens, and even see what my own friends/colleagues are doing. There are a few things that I wish some of the users would do to keep me from stop following them.Follow Random PeopleLook through who people are following. I try to pick 2 random people to follow each week. I have found out a few things that I never would have otherwise.

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document.write(''); NCAA FINALS PREDICTED var scribd_doc = new scribd.Document(2351118, 'key-xevguxfrj0m4ko2nuy0'); scribd_doc.addParam('height', 500); scribd_doc.addParam('width', 450); scribd_doc.addParam('page', 1); scribd_doc.write('embedded_flash_2351118_1emlcg');

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I just took over the paid search account of a boomCLICKS.com client and have been looking at the data over the last few days and I realized one Google feature I look at often might not be well-known. The site and category exclusion tool in your Google AdWords account allows you to have your ads NOT appear on sites/topics/page types for campaigns using content match. I found it very interesting. I would have expected the parked domains and and error pages to NOT convert and forums, video sharing sites, etc to convert. The data below shows (what i have not erased) that the error/domain parking pages sites convert....BETTER. The other forum, video, etc. sites had cost per conversions way higher than the client's targeted goalsVery interesting to see that the error pages and domain parking pages are actually driving more sales than the other types of sites. Very interesting and just goes to show that search marketers can't rule out almost any site on the web without seeing data.

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document.write(''); Presidental Google Battle var scribd_doc = new scribd.Document(2322860, 'key-1v27dkbnodjtaqoi5kwj'); scribd_doc.write('embedded_flash_2322860_18hznm');

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document.write(''); Paid Search Tips var scribd_doc = new scribd.Document(2322428, 'key-3bk1ehjwr8b5j4gc3ou'); scribd_doc.addParam('height', 500); scribd_doc.addParam('width', 450); scribd_doc.addParam('page', 1); scribd_doc.addParam('mode', 'list'); scribd_doc.write('embedded_flash_2322428_fi8ww');

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As one of the leading search engine marketers, I spend quite a bit of time experimenting with different tactics to get my campaigns running optimally. Here are a few great ways to get your campaigns running even better…and bringing in more money.1. Make Sure Your Ad Directs Users to the Right PageNothing annoys me more than when I click on a paid search ad for a specific product and I am taken to a home page. This makes me do ANOTHER search on the website to find what I am looking for. Many Internet users will just hit the back button and click another ad. Make sure that your ad for Nike Sumo drivers direct users to the Nike Sumo drivers page on your website. The fewer clicks a customer needs to make on your site the better chance of conversion.2. Make Sure Your Ad Tells Searchers EXACTLY What You Are OfferingEach click costs you money. Make sure that your ad gives as much information as possible so that an Internet searcher will not click on your ad and then realize that your site does not offer what they are looking for. If your site offers software downloads starting at $9.99, put that in your ad text. This will weed out the people looking for free downloads or who think $9.99 is too much to pay. 3. Think Outside the BoxHave a golf course as a client? Think about bidding on terms outside of the standard “golf course” terms. Try bidding on “golf club” and “golf shoe” keyword themes as well. This strategy allows you to reach a wider, yet relevant audience.4. GeoTargetGeoTargeting allows you to have your ads seen within a specific area. A local company doing landscaping should not have their ads seen by anyone outside of an area they are willing to service. The GeoTargeting feature allows for reduced ad cost and a higher conversion rate.5. Time Your AdsIf you only do business online during certain days and hours, have your ads automatically turn on and off. Many companies that have phone centers that are staffed between certain hours really benefit from having ads seen during ONLY those hours. A user going to a website and seeing that the staff is unavailable, will just leave and go to another site. Don’t waste your ad spend during these times.

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I did a search on Google for "president 2008" and got the following results:I was curious to see:1. who ranked the highest2. who was running paid searchThe top site (www.presidentpolls2008.com) is a site showing results of the primaries and is covered with Google AdSense Ads. It is followed by Wikipedia, a site that shows you who you should vote for based on questions (and is filled with Google AdSense ads) and then Ron Paul's site. Mitt Romney is the next candidate to rank followed by Hilary and then Christopher Walken. I agree we need more cowbell, but I don't think Walken is a viable candidate.McCain is the only candidate running any paid search.Where is Obama? For a candidate who (or has a staff that) uses LinkedIn, Twitter, FaceBook, etc to communicate and gain new voters, I am surprised they are not doing a proper paid search campaign (they are running ads for his name and variations) and are not doing SEO.

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Here

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Some accounts have been getting invites to take advantage of the new TV advertising program...What kind of help will advertisers receive in creating a television ad? There are major quality requirements as I doubt the networks want to see a return to 1970's style ads.

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READ IT HEREDART tags will be introduced into the Google Content Network. After close, Google will begin testing DoubleClick's ad serving products to pave the way for the acceptance of DART tags in our content network. The testing will begin on a small scale and expand over the course of the next year. We look forward to sharing more and to working with you to maximize the potential of our network.Ad serving encompasses a set of critical technologies that will get more support and resources after close. Our goal is to build on DoubleClick’s products and services so that they scale for the future. We are committed to building a true end-to-end solution that gives marketers more efficiency, scalability and profitability. DoubleClick and Google’s product teams will work closely over the next few months to build a plan for delivering next generation ad serving.Together we will work to connect search and display campaigns, realizing the promise of truly integrated campaigns. By bringing together best-in-class monetization and serving technologies, the combined groups will work to create new opportunities for marketers in measurement, in planning, in coordination, and in ways we have not yet discovered.

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Website Optimizer website.The Google Webinars are usually excellent! Sign-up and tune in!

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AdWords is going down this weekend for a few hours on Sat (1pm to 5pm EST)....upgrades coming?

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Been hearing more and more about this...As part of our continuing efforts to improve the user experience, we will soon incorporate an additional factor into Quality Score: landing page load time. Load time is the amount of time it takes for a user to see the landing page after clicking an ad.Why are we doing this?Two reasons: first, users have the best experience when they don't have to wait a long time for landing pages to load. Interstitial pages, multiple redirects, excessively slow servers, and other things that can increase load times only keep users from getting what they want: information about your business. Second, users are more likely to abandon landing pages that load slowly, which can hurt your conversion rate.When are we making this change?In the next few weeks, we will add load time evaluations to the Keyword Analysis page (we'll notify you when they are available). You will then have one month to review your site and make necessary adjustments.After the one month review period, this load time factor will be incorporated into your keywords' Quality Scores. Keywords with landing pages that load very slowly may get lower Quality Scores (and thus higher minimum bids). Conversely, keywords with landing pages that load very quickly may get higher Quality Scores and lower minimum bids.To learn more about the upcoming change, please see this article in the AdWords Help Center.

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Google has a great click to call system set up...and it is FREE.HEREGreat feature and needed for lead gen sites. So far it is just for Audio and Print...but I see it rolling out for all accounts soon.

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I used the system, and aside from some failures at pulling in Google data, I liked it.

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Make sure that you check the box to NOT download the deleted campaigns if you don't need them. Simply go into the preferences and uncheck the box. This can save you download/upload time.