PPC Blog | Paid Search Marketing | Sem Geek - Making Sense of Paid Search Marketing

Should Google Be Worried About The Plethora Of New PPC Management Software Companies?

2009-07-17T15:45:49-04:00

I have to ask the question, because all of us PPC Geeks are the #1 target for many of these new software companies who are rolling out software that will "allegedly" make it easier for the typical user or Search Agency. So, with this rush of new services hitting the market, what does Google, think about this SURGE of interest in trying to change the Search Marketing Industry?

Here are just a few questions that this SemGeek has been thinking about:

Will the Adwords Interface be a secondary means to manage advertising dollars?
Would all of this advanced technology, such as intelligent bid management, business rules, etc... put a hurting on their overall Ad revenue? (you know so the cafeteria can keep serving Filet Mignon with Italian Gelato)
Since most of the companies rely on API's, would Google be forced to constantly enhance and provide additional support to maintain them?
Would the ease of "cross-management" amongst the other search engine (Yahoo, MSN) put a little dent into the Google market share?

So, with the questions listed above, does Google have a plan in place to deal with this, or are they just going to go with the flow and begin to work more closely with these companies to continue to get as much Ad dollars as possible. Who knows. However, Google should be a little concerned that they might lose existing users of their Analytics, Optimizer and Editor products/services because many of these software companies offer much more advanced keyword research tools, ad testing software, custom analytics and intelligent business rules. (I am sure there are other features not mentioned in this post)

The BIG Concern: AD DOLLARS
I think that the biggest concern Google might have would be the Ad Budgets. Currently, and for the past year or so, PPC Advertising budgets have been declining. Even though Google still controls the majority of the search traffic, it's been tailing off. Now, with all of these new "money-saving" tools that these software companies are providing, will this just increase the decrease (huh????) in overall ad spend. Hey, no one knows if this will fluctuate between the different search engines, but it could be a big enough issue to become a "real" concern for Google.

What are the Risks for these Software Companies?
Well, the obvious concern is how much will the typical advertiser be willing to spend on the service and will the "benefits outweigh the investment." The second concern is competition. Google has the FREE Adwords Editor, Analytics, Optimizer, etc... Perhaps, it will be the traditional search marketing agencies who will be the best target market for them. Handling multiple client accounts more efficiently and saving valuable overhead by managing different SE accounts within the same interface.

In Conclusion: What Does the Future Hold for PPC?
Hey, lets face it. This multi-billion dollar industry keeps getting smarter everyday. We went from (1) pay your way to the top, (2) $70 CPCs, (3) quality score and (4) now sophisticated 3rd party software companies trying to get a piece of the Google Pie. These companies have broken through that technological barrier to allow Advertisers to bypass Google's interface and force customers to use their own software to control the what, where and how their Ad dollars are being spent. If I had to make a prediction, on how this will affect the Industry, I would say that the 1st Place winner in all of this, goes to the Software Company because they have the technology to make to work. The 2nd place goes to the Advertiser (if they can afford it). And at a "tentative" 3rd place goes to the Search Engines because everyone will have to wait and see the results before questioning if this shift in PPC Management will benefit or hurt them financially.

PPC Ads in Movie Theatres? It Might Actually Happen Pretty Soon!

2009-07-09T12:21:39-04:00

Has anyone been to the movie theater recently? Noticed that the movie is starting later and later, while more and more Advertising is filling the screen as we devour our popcorn and milk duds for the movie? Now, we are seeing TV shows and Cable channels being advertised on the movie screen and that got me thinking about WHAT IF?....

Geo-Targeting and Demographic targeting based on the location and movie genre that was playing could actually become a media outlet for Google, or anyone else for that matter, to start selling Ad space on the big screen. Plus to reinforce this idea, I always go back to my marketing roots with the "old but true" marketing phrase of "Fish where the fish are". Let's discuss......

Let's face it, when you are in a movie theater, your eyes are glued to the screen. We are used to seeing advertisements for the local restaurant as well as the previews of upcoming movies. However, over the past years, we have seen more and more previews and now even advertisements for television shows. Why? Because the networks are trying to "fish where the fish are".

Movie Genre + Geo + Time Targeting = Extreme Targeting
The demographic of someone seeing a cartoon or Disney film is pretty well targeted. The theater will have a wide audience, but you will have parents and/or grandparents with their kids and/or grand kids, and everyday people who enjoy Disney movies or animation. Furthermore, if we were to also add in movie time, an advertiser could run DAY-PARTING to advertise their restaurant if the movie ended around dinner time.

How would we calculate Volume?
Now lets consider the volume potential. Many movie theaters have multiple screens available playing different movies at the same time. For example, a movie theater near me has over 10 individual theaters in the complex. So basically the more movies that are being played at any given time in a given location, the better the scenario for the advertiser, as well as the Search Engine company.

How would we monetize this?
Obviously there cannot be a CPC (Cost per click), unless you throw a beer can at the screen which has touch screen capabilities. This would obviously have to be a flat CPM model based or other flat rate based on movie screen impressions. CPM rates could vary depending new premiers, summer blockbusters, types of audiences, etc...

How would we track conversions?
Well, that's a difficult one to predict. I cannot think of any mechanisms while watching a movie screen that a search engine service would provide. For now, it would have to be left to the advertiser to figure that out. However, if I were an advertiser, I would at the very least create the following tactics in my Ad (based on movie genre, location or time.)

Virtual Directory: www.restaurant.com/AMC
SMS TEXT your Reservation while the previews are showing
Telephone Vanity Number in Ad (for easy retention) 1-800-APPLEBEES

How would the Targeting work?
Well, the best thing to do is to look at what is currently available online now. We could take attributes from both Google Site Placement Targeting and Facebook's Demographic Targeting and just tailor them to the movie theaters' variables. For example, it could provide the following targeting information:

Geo-Targeting: Zip code, Region, State, Mile Radius, etc...
Movie Theater Type: Multi-screen, General, Imax, Drive-in, etc...
Movie Theater Brand: Regal Cinemas, AMC, United Artists, Imax, etc....
Movie Genres: Horror, kids, action, romance, sci-fi, etc....
Movie Times: Matinee, midnight, dinner time, etc....

Movie Theaters Are Becoming A Marketers Dream;
In a recent article published by the New York Times, entitled "Lights, Camera, Action for Concession Coupons - Sprint Says Take Your Cellphone to the Movies, author Stephanie Clifford states "FILM producers spend millions every year to draw audiences to their movies. Now, advertisers are beginning to benefit from that, using not only movie screens for their commercials, but the lobbies of cinemas as well."

To reinforce the topic seeing PPC Ads at the movies, the article goes on to say that "Companies have been expanding their cinema advertising recently, realizing that theaters are good places to reach audiences that don’t have too many distractions." This SemGeek thinks that this is a significant trend that will eventually make it's way to Google.

In conclusion:
In a world of instant news, Crack-berries, iPhones and iPods, our attention span is all over the place and Advertising surrounds our eyes, ears and nose ($20 for a bucket of Popcorn). The tradition of going out to the movies will never go away, even in this sluggish economy. However, the big difference between TV, Radio and Print, is that when you are in a movie theater, you are looking at (1) one screen, waiting through all the ads, previews, etc... to get to the movie.

Eventually, as in all media, testing different market segments to see what works, what doesn't or to even see what the potential is, is not a bad thing. The only bad things that could happen are: (1) Popcorn is stale. (2) Soda is flat. (3) Milk Duds are melted (4) The person next to you have a flatulation problem.

Search Marketing Becoming Ultimate Bartering Goldmine During Tough Economy

2009-06-25T12:04:27-04:00

Hey, we all know things are tough out there and everyone is looking for work to make ends meet. However, the once crazy idea (of course back in the day) where people were paid with Livestock instead of cold-hard cash is not so crazy these days. Now, let's be clear. I have not been asked nor received a "Fainting Goat" or a "Martha Stewart Type Chicken" as payment for a PPC Strategy. However, I have seen more and more prospects and clients feeling more comfortable paying for Search Marketing services with their own products or services instead of a check because it's easier for them to started.

In this article, I will discuss some of the reasons why this payment option can make sense for some clients as well as the PPC Guru. I am not saying all clients should be bartered, however choosing one or two them is not a bad idea. Let's discuss.....

Not all Clients are the same:
As on obvious statement to make, many clients and prospects have had a bad experience with Search Marketing. Depending on the client's industry and their different profit margins levels, PPC can be a very sensitive advertising vehicle to meet and exceed their goals/objectives. With that said, here are some possibilities of why they are nervous to commit:

Already been burned by someone or some agency who promised them #1 position and inflated CPC Costs with no Quality Score elements.
They tried to do it themselves and just pissed about their money
Trusted Google to optimize the campaign for them and it literally cleaned them out (Ouch! Sorry Google, but have seen this happen to frequently)
Have poor "Usability" issues on their website and cannot convert properly no matter what they do to drive qualified traffic.
I can think of many more, but you get the picture

What Services Could Be Bartered?
Well first of all, many of the smaller clients probably do not have a marketing plan that consists of both online and offline, and especially not one which has them both working together. A good strategy would be to provide a free analysis of the client's website, review their products/service offerings, and have a simple discussion about past failures and/or successes.

Moreover, one of the most important questions you could ask a client is "What makes you different than all of your competitors? Is there anything that you provide that no one else does?" Asking these questions enable the PPC Marketer to identify the QUICK WINS first, because you will want to establish credibility and a sense of comfort with the client. A client may just need some on-going advice to help them do-it-themselves, or full implementation and monitoring. It's really up to the client and the PPC Guru to negotiate what is best.

Is It Bad Business To Barter?
In my opinion, absolutely not. If you are starting your own company or consulting firm, you need clients to be happy and provide testimonials, so you can build credibility and create "word of mouth" which is much better than any PPC Campaign and/or fancy, dynamic website. A good Search Marketer needs to fully understand the client's products or services to effectively market them to the masses. Of course, not every client you would want to barter with. For me, I'd rather barter with an Wine Dealer or Aviation Art Dealer, than say a Toilet Manufacturer. But in the end, the client is happy, you have another great reference and you were able to get that very rare bottle of wine "Dom. Romane Conti 1997" or for the Geek side of SemGeek, a Limited Edition Star Wars Photo autographed by the Star Wars Cast. Either way, it's not a bad option. Plus, depending on what is being bartered, you may actually make out better with a barter than actual cash payment.

In Conclusion:

Bartering for services can sometimes be looked at as poor business decision because it's not affecting the bottomline. However, when you are starting a new business, trying to make a name for yourself, or to put food on the table, there are other ways to achieve success. I tend to look at bartering as more of an investment for continued growth as well as put a little fun into the work that you do.

Here's a little suggestion: Find a company/business where you like their products and/or services. Reach out to them and tell them you are a search marketing professional and would like to help them improve their online sales and all they have to do is barter some of their products/services for your expertise. You never know, it may just get you your first client and lead to many more "paying" clients.