The Website Optimizer that Google made available to all of its AdWords clients shows how well (or poorly) links convert; Google’s Analytics team thinks people can benefit by seeing how users of both Optimizer and Analytics can use them together.
7 Reasons Google’s Paid Link Snitch Plan Sucks
Matt Cutts blogged that Google would like you, the average search engine user, to report on sites you feel are displaying links for cash. This created a firestorm of negative responses from the SEO, webmaster, and free speech crowd. Below, I put together what I feel are the top 7 reasons Google’s paid link snitch plan sucks. I linked to my inspirations (No payment requested!).
Dodgeball Founders Stop Playing Google’s Game
I used to enjoy playing dodgeball, but it was one of those games in which someone’s feelings (and/or body) often got hurt. Now the Internet service named Dodgeball has had a similar effect – its founders, Dennis Crowley and Alex Rainert, have left Google, and the pair didn’t leave in the best of moods.
Marketers Should Care About Google’s DoubleClick Deal
For those of you who turn off your computers on the weekend, you should know that Google announced Friday that it spent over $3 billion to acquire DoubleClick, of banner ad network fame. You can read from other people what this means from Google’s point of view—I don’t think that is very important to marketers. So what is important about this to marketers?
Google AdWords Broad Keyword Matching
Google AdWords provides four keyword matching choices, “broad”, “phrase”, “exact” and “negative”.
Google Signs Deal with Clear Channel
Since the end of last year, we’ve suspected that Google has been hard at work, trying to negotiate a big deal for its Google Audio Ads. Back in November reports surfaced that Google was looking to buy $1 billion in radio advertising from Clear Channel Communications.
Dodgeball Guys the Latest to Quit Google
Be warned, if you decided to sell your company to Google, don’t expect to actually enjoy working for the world’s largest search engine. While the money would be nice, judging by the number of resignations Google gets from its acquired companies, the money may be all you get out of the deal.
Mountain or Molehill: Reporting Paid Links to Google
Google has announced increased counter-measures will be put in place to neutralise the practice of buying links which game the ranking algorithms.
For many years webmasters and SEOs have indulged in buying links to boost the rankings of their sites in Google’s SERPs. This practice became especially prevalent as Google increased the link relevance in their ranking algorithm.
Has Google Crossed the Line?
As I just posted on the InsideMicrosoft blog, Microsoft has issued a statement suggesting the government get involved regarding Google’s purchase off DoubleClick, and be concerned that Google is building a competition-averse monopoly. As reported at Paid Content, Yahoo and AT&T are also raising concerns (all tried to buy DoubleClick and were vastly outbid by Google), especially about the fact that combined, Google and DoubleClick will own 80% of publisher advertising services.
Google Finds Clear Channel For Radio Ads
Last week Google CEO Eric Schmidt said to think of the company fist as an advertising system. True to his word, Google and Clear Channel Radio have entered into a multi-year deal that will allow Google to sell 30-second advertising inventory on 675 of Clear Channel’s AM/FM stations.