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April 18, 2003
It's Easter...back next week.
April 17, 2003
I've been asked a few times why I
don't update every day. Simple really - if I don't find
anything I consider interesting, then I won't post just
to "keep up appearances". I value you too
much, dear reader :) Ironicly, today is one of those
days.
Actually, there is one thing: "Web
news cashes in". Nice to see that some online
newspapers are figuring out how to make money and it's
not by using damned pop-ups. It's by being relevant.
Finally, (erm...I appear to be in
deconstructionist/ironic mode today)...what
one reporter got for asking the relevancy question.
PS: I take it all back. Google
are advertising for an SEM Agency Channel Manager.
Agency? "This person will work in conjunction with
the Google regional sales teams to maximize revenue
opportunities with top SEMs".
PPS: White
Stripes "Elephant" - is that album great
or what!
April 16, 2003
Overture
set-up in Ireland. Overture are seeking other territories
new, including South Korea, Austria, the Netherlands,
Spain, Switzerland and Scandinavia.
More amusement from The Register.
Taking
aim at the "Teletubby, primary-color world"
of Google.
Pre tech crash: a great place to work
was a place that gave you huge stock options, the machine
of your choice and an Aeron chair. Post tech crash -
"gee,
they do good lunches!".
April 15, 2003
Given the vitriol from some in the
search marketing community you'd think Overture just
killed someone. They haven't - but
they have partnered with Gator.
Which is apparently *much* worse ;)
Gator hasn't exactly endeared itself
to webmasters and this new move doesn't seem like it's
going to win Overture many fans amongst the search marketing
community either. Obviously some marketers are going
to enjoy the ROI of this new initiative and Overture
have to do something in order to decrease their reliance
on the major third-parties.
Having said that, this development
is not something many marketers want any part of - at
least not until Overture provide an opt-out. It's also
a path fraught with problems, not the least of which
is that search marketing is one thing, pop-under advertising
is another.
I can't stand pop-unders. They are
the spam of the browser world and I don't want to be
associated with them. I try to avoid linking to any
sites that use pop-unders as they ruin the surfing experience.
I also want full control over my advertising placement
- context is important.
I can't imagine the bean counters
surf the web much. They're more concerned with the numbers.
No doubt those numbers look pretty good.
Well, the ROI of pop-unders may well
be fantastic, but so is the ROI from the p*rn industry.
Doesn't mean it's right for everyone. Overture can say
what they like about pop-unders being unobtrusive, everyone
else despises them. Overture, why not provide an opt-out
so that search marketers can continue to do what they
do?
In the meantime, the choice is clear
- if you're happy to be seen on pop-under advertising,
then Overture may be the supplier for you. The rest
will no doubt be stampeding elsewhere.
Google must be rubbing their hands
with glee.
April 11, 2003
The next
installment of our PPC interview is online. This
week: which suppliers should you go with, and what suppliers
could do to improve their services.
Excerpt: "The cop-out answer
here would be "try 30 services and track your ROI
and keep what works." That's not practical, especially
now that there are hundreds of phony PPC companies who
will take all of your money and give you fake traffic
to show for it. Better to due a little due diligence
in advance rather than waste your money on pointless
experiments..."
Finally, whether you're for the war
or against, you'll probably agree that there has emerged
one true media star of this conflict - the
Iraqi Minister of Information Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf.
Day after day, Mohammed demonstrated the true art of
spin, delivered with that characteristic smirk, and
with no regard to the visible evidence whatsoever.
Even with tanks engaged in running
battles in the background, the ever unshakable Mohammed
delivered the party line telling otherwise. A true marketing
master!
Our favourite quote: "It has
been rumored that we have fired scud missiles into Kuwait.
I am here now to tell you, we do not have any scud missiles
and I don't know why they were fired into Kuwait."
Mohammed hasn't shown up for work
recently. We'll miss him.
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