Landing Page Load Time

Google will be counting page load times in their quality score starting in mid-June.  They are allowing users to see if that is affecting the score as of right now through keyword reporting.  For more information on this click here or for other information checkout VistaPrint Coupons

Big Google Change Takes Place Next Week

Starting April 1st Google will enforce that the display url, destination url & landing page url all sync up.  For example VistaPrint Coupons has a display url of VistaPrintCoupons.com but Lands on VistaPrintCoupons.BlogSpot.com, this will be acceptable because the top level domain matches.  This will most likely affect re-directs and thin affiliates.

Demographic Bidding Now Available

Google has announced that Demographic Bidding will be available.  For more information check out the Adwords Blog! http://adwords.blogspot.com/

New Google Content Launch

Google has made a significant change to their Content Network.  They are now calling the product placement targeting which allows the user to target specific sites and verticals and also pay on a CPC.  With the reporting tools and the ability to block out undesirable sites and pay at a CPC basis, this might be the best opportunity users have to make Content Ads Profitable.

Search Performance during Holiday

As Google Posted earlier this week the performance of holiday related product starts to rise in mid-November and then peaks by Mid-December and quickly fades back to normal.  http://adwords.blogspot.com/2007/11/clicks-conversions-and-christmas.html. The online Holiday Season peaks earlier than the retail season becuase of shipping and preparation of gifts ordered online.  For printed products such as holiday cards and christmas cards the season seems to follow the same path.

Optimized Landing Pages

PPC is more than just the front end of getting a user to click, it involves the back end as well.  The back end that I am referring to is the Landing Page through the conversion Funnel.  A couple of examples of good landing pages that get the user to click and right into the conversion funnel are this Checks page and this Post Cards page.  Both allow the user to view the product that they have searched for and get them as deep into the order process.  Another interest page is this on the site Auction Pal: http://www.auctionpal.com/sell/general . This page allows the user to immediately enter the information that they want and can get them to register within a few clicks.

Google Top Placement Formula more Money for Google?

Google has announced its plans to change the way it places ads at the top of search results.  I am skeptical about this becuase it seems that it is a way to charge the advertisers that show up in the top spots more per click.  It will be interesting to see how and which advertisers are affected by this. For more info check out the Adwords Blog: http://adwords.blogspot.com/2007/08/upcoming-change-to-top-ad-placement.html

New Version of Adwords Editor Available

Adwords Editor 4.0 is now available.

 http://adwords.blogspot.com/2007/08/introducing-adwords-editor-40-for.html

Click Fraud on Google

Google has laid out some more info about how they are tracking click fraud and ways to exlcude sites and even IP addresses for your Adwords Campaign.

http://adwords.blogspot.com/2007/07/whats-new-in-world-of-invalid-clicks.html

 Update: Google has dedicated this webpage http://www.google.com/adwords/adtrafficquality/index.html to the fighting fraud issue.

SEM Best Practices

Here is a small business Blog started by a friend of mine.  It has to do with all aspects of small business marketing as well as reviews for all types of products and services.  Check it out. http://startupguide.typepad.com/startup_guide/