One of the classic "well they would say that wouldn't they" is Google's argument that it is important to be top of both natural and paid search.
Here's the standard bit of Google research on the subject, which suggests that you can treble the amount of traffic to your site by being prominent in both natural and search.
But is that still true if there is no competitive activity on PPC? According to our recent research - which is covered today in iMedia Connection- many prominent UK brands simply don't bother to bid on their own brand terms.
Last year's spat between Google and eBay led to eBay pulling their ppc spend from Google. Hitwise looked at the data and found that there was little or no impact on overall traffic through to eBay over this period.
The story would be very different for non-navigational terms, but for navigational / brand terms it seems that big brands are happy to ignore Google's advice.
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TechCrunch reports that Live Search volumes have grown by 15% since the launch of the much derided Cashback offer a month ago. Fifteen percent may not be that significant in the grand scheme of things - the increase in search volumes takes Microsoft up to 9.2% in share of the search market. But if users are shifting to Live for searches associated with purchases then this might well be taking significant revenue away from Google and Yahoo.
Live Search Cashback has only been introduced in the United States, but a successful launch presumably means that we can expect to see it in the UK before too long.
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A few weeks ago I blogged excitedly about what seemed to be an exciting new trend at Google towards more openness in terms of how search results are ranked.
There hasn't exactly been a flood of information since then, but now we have another useful post on Google's official blog - an introduction to Google Ranking from Amit Singhal who runs the ranking team within Google's Search Quality Group.
Of course, we don't get an insight into the secret sauce within Google, and I guess we probably wouldn't be able to make much sense of the algorithms even if they were revealled. However, the basic principles behind the ranking process are interesting:
The last point will raise some eyebrows - there are endless rumours in SEO circles about particular sites being singled out for ranking penalties. But according to Amit, these changes are simply the result of tweaks to the algorithm. Hmmmm.
Anyway, more information is promised and I can't wait. Google is doing a fantastic job of demystifying the business of getting a high search ranking - which can't be entirely welcome news in those areas of search marketing agencies whose business depends on making the process seem as complex and difficult as possible.
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There hasn't exactly been a flood of information since then, but now we have another useful post on Google's official blog - an introduction to Google Ranking from Amit Singhal who runs the ranking team within Google's Search Quality Group.
Of course, we don't get an insight into the secret sauce within Google, and I guess we probably wouldn't be able to make much sense of the algorithms even if they were revealled. However, the basic principles behind the ranking process are interesting:
1) Best locally relevant results served globally.
2) Keep it simple.
3) No manual intervention.
The last point will raise some eyebrows - there are endless rumours in SEO circles about particular sites being singled out for ranking penalties. But according to Amit, these changes are simply the result of tweaks to the algorithm. Hmmmm.
Anyway, more information is promised and I can't wait. Google is doing a fantastic job of demystifying the business of getting a high search ranking - which can't be entirely welcome news in those areas of search marketing agencies whose business depends on making the process seem as complex and difficult as possible.
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Now that the dust has settled on Google's controversial changes to trademark protection in the UK, we've completed a piece of research to see how the search landscape has changed.
We took a list of 100 top brands across different sectors and looked at the search results page for searches on the brand name itself. I was expecting a scene of carnage as brands bid against each other in a scramble for valuable traffic. The reality was very different - in fact the remarkable thing really was how little paid search is happening around key brand terms.
The full white paper on Trademark Bidding on Google is now online.
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We took a list of 100 top brands across different sectors and looked at the search results page for searches on the brand name itself. I was expecting a scene of carnage as brands bid against each other in a scramble for valuable traffic. The reality was very different - in fact the remarkable thing really was how little paid search is happening around key brand terms.
- Almost half of all brands - including companies like HSBC, Tesco and Marks and Spencer - are not bidding on their own brand terms.
- 14% of our surveyed brands showed no paid search activity.
- Bidding by direct competitors on brand terms is largely restricted to just two sectors: finance and travel.
The full white paper on Trademark Bidding on Google is now online.
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The IAB has today launched a new set of resources for search marketers in the UK.
I sit on the IAB's Search Council which has put these resources together, so I've had the inside track on the hours of discussion (and even argument) that lies behind these documents.
The Search Council is kind of unique in the UK as it is (I think) the one forum where representatives of the key search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN) and many of the big digital media agencies sit around the same table.
I'm glad to see that the resources are actually tackling some thorny subjects (which it would have been easy and tempting to disregard). So you'll find information on trademarks, copyright, privacy for search, invalid clicks and
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I sit on the IAB's Search Council which has put these resources together, so I've had the inside track on the hours of discussion (and even argument) that lies behind these documents.
The Search Council is kind of unique in the UK as it is (I think) the one forum where representatives of the key search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN) and many of the big digital media agencies sit around the same table.
I'm glad to see that the resources are actually tackling some thorny subjects (which it would have been easy and tempting to disregard). So you'll find information on trademarks, copyright, privacy for search, invalid clicks and
intellectual property issues as they impact on search.
I think it's a really useful piece of work - but then again, I am biassed!
I think it's a really useful piece of work - but then again, I am biassed!
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A new study by a marketing professor at Harvard Business School casts doubt on one of the sacred texts of new media - Chris Anderson's book 'The Long Tail'.
Anita Elberse looked at data for online purchases of music and video rentals and then compared the data with offline purchase data. In spite of the vast back catalogue of options available online, it seems that online consumers are pretty much like their offline equivalent. Purchases hugely favour a few 'hit' titles - and if anything people online are more likely to focus their spending on popular choices than offline shoppers.
It seems that what we really value is not choice, but the social aspects of consuming the same media as everyone else.
Can't say I'm sorry to see the back of this particular theory - it seemed to me that the same two businesses were always trotted out in support of it (eBay and Amazon) which didn't seem to me to be a conclusive sample.
On the other hand, if the Long Tail is a lie, the online world is a somewhat bleaker place where almost all the micro-publishers, bloggers, video artists and musicians are doomed to a life of obscurity - including me!!!
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Anita Elberse looked at data for online purchases of music and video rentals and then compared the data with offline purchase data. In spite of the vast back catalogue of options available online, it seems that online consumers are pretty much like their offline equivalent. Purchases hugely favour a few 'hit' titles - and if anything people online are more likely to focus their spending on popular choices than offline shoppers.
It seems that what we really value is not choice, but the social aspects of consuming the same media as everyone else.
Can't say I'm sorry to see the back of this particular theory - it seemed to me that the same two businesses were always trotted out in support of it (eBay and Amazon) which didn't seem to me to be a conclusive sample.
On the other hand, if the Long Tail is a lie, the online world is a somewhat bleaker place where almost all the micro-publishers, bloggers, video artists and musicians are doomed to a life of obscurity - including me!!!
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We're continuing to monitor the situation on Google after the rules on bidding against registered trademarks were lifted last month.
The new rules allow anyone to bid against a trademarked term - but not to use that trademark in their ad copy.
I expected to see competitors and aggregators taking advantage of this - but I have to say I'm surprised to see the way Sky News are enjoying their new freedom. Here's the search results page for EasyJet - where Sky News has placed an ad reading: Sky Breaking News. Budget airline plane with 170 people on board went off the runway.
Not too helpful for EasyJet I would guess!
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The new rules allow anyone to bid against a trademarked term - but not to use that trademark in their ad copy.
I expected to see competitors and aggregators taking advantage of this - but I have to say I'm surprised to see the way Sky News are enjoying their new freedom. Here's the search results page for EasyJet - where Sky News has placed an ad reading: Sky Breaking News. Budget airline plane with 170 people on board went off the runway.
Not too helpful for EasyJet I would guess!
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Today is the launch day of Firefox 3 - which, confusingly for the UK, started at 6pm this evening to give the West Coast of the United States a chance to wake up.
To mark the day, Firefox is aiming to go into the Guinness Book of Records for the most software downloads in a day. In fact, since the record doesn't currently exist, they shouldn't have too much problem in getting into the record books.
The Spread Firefox website - billed as the home of Firefox Community Marketing - is actually a fantastic example of social media in action. The overall campaign is backed by links to blogs, events, an affiliate scheme, a photo stream, projects and discussion groups.
A poll by the Marketing Society of leading UK marketers came out today, looking at attitudes to social media. It's clear that most marketers in the survey have a pretty cautious, wait-and-see attitude to social media. But it's also clear that most marketers associate social media mostly with blogging, either at an individual level or around corporate blogs aimed at journalists.
As Firefox shows, social media is much much more than that. In fact social media is one powerful ingredient in a larger picture - social, or community marketing.
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To mark the day, Firefox is aiming to go into the Guinness Book of Records for the most software downloads in a day. In fact, since the record doesn't currently exist, they shouldn't have too much problem in getting into the record books.
A poll by the Marketing Society of leading UK marketers came out today, looking at attitudes to social media. It's clear that most marketers in the survey have a pretty cautious, wait-and-see attitude to social media. But it's also clear that most marketers associate social media mostly with blogging, either at an individual level or around corporate blogs aimed at journalists.
As Firefox shows, social media is much much more than that. In fact social media is one powerful ingredient in a larger picture - social, or community marketing.
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There's an interesting post on David Hughes' blog about poor website error messages (The Million Pound Error Message?) which made me think of the opposite extreme - companies which have taken the trouble to produce beautifully-crafted error messages.
For instance, look for a page that doesn't exist on moo.com and you get this sweet little page. It might not make them a million pounds, but the warm feeling it gives has to be worth something.
Dropsend has a good page, particularly the email address for customer problems quoted here: "happytohelp@dropsend.com".
Innocent is another company which puts a lot of effort into the small, often unnoticed details - like the text on the bottom of their drinks bottles. So it's quite a surprise to see their bog-standard, uncrafted 404 page not found page - shows that not everyone is perfect!
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For instance, look for a page that doesn't exist on moo.com and you get this sweet little page. It might not make them a million pounds, but the warm feeling it gives has to be worth something.
Dropsend has a good page, particularly the email address for customer problems quoted here: "happytohelp@dropsend.com".
Innocent is another company which puts a lot of effort into the small, often unnoticed details - like the text on the bottom of their drinks bottles. So it's quite a surprise to see their bog-standard, uncrafted 404 page not found page - shows that not everyone is perfect!
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Ah, it's the Cannes Lions this week, so to celebrate I've spent my lunchtime flicking through the ad slots mentioned as contenders for the Grand Prix in Ad Age's preview.
No doubt the Cadbury's Gorilla will do pretty well in the awards, although I'm pretty bored with this now.
But I did like two commercials that I haven't seen before...
Ogilvy (Toronto)'s work for Shreddies has a great idea brilliantly executed - it's well worth taking the time to look at the other work in this campaign - all equally funny!
And I totally agree with AdAge that BBDO New York's work on Monster is just breathtaking - a really gorgeous piece of work that I'm sure worked brilliantly. To be fair, Monster has been doing nice work for quite some time (back in 1999 they were running a commercial featuring a bunch of kids talking about their ambitions: "When I grow up, I want to file all day. When I grow up, I want to climb all the way up into middle management. I want to be replaced on a whim."
But this latest campaign really is the boss! (Don't bet against the bloody gorilla though!)
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No doubt the Cadbury's Gorilla will do pretty well in the awards, although I'm pretty bored with this now.
But I did like two commercials that I haven't seen before...
Ogilvy (Toronto)'s work for Shreddies has a great idea brilliantly executed - it's well worth taking the time to look at the other work in this campaign - all equally funny!
And I totally agree with AdAge that BBDO New York's work on Monster is just breathtaking - a really gorgeous piece of work that I'm sure worked brilliantly. To be fair, Monster has been doing nice work for quite some time (back in 1999 they were running a commercial featuring a bunch of kids talking about their ambitions: "When I grow up, I want to file all day. When I grow up, I want to climb all the way up into middle management. I want to be replaced on a whim."
But this latest campaign really is the boss! (Don't bet against the bloody gorilla though!)
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About This Blog
This blog is written by Mike Teasdale, Planning Director at Harvest Digital, a London-based digital advertising agency.
