Archive for May, 2008

May29

Gord Hotchkiss

0

How Much Would You Pay for this Unclicked Search Ad?

As David Berkowitz mentioned a few columns back, comScore CEO Gian Fulgoni pondered the implications of the fact that 95% of Google’s search advertising inventory never gets clicked. All those millions and millions of impressions get thrown out there, just to fade away as a non event as soon as one leaves the results page. Our own research, which Fulgoni refered to, shows that presence at the top of the page does have an impact on brand awareness and propensity to buy. So, logically, even if a link is not clicked, there must be value there. Fulgoni wondered if perhaps [...]

May26

admin

7

Using Google’s Custom Search Engine for Internal Site Search

More and more each day you probably see Google’s custom search engine functionality appear on site’s across the Internet. In fact, I have implemented the Google custom search engine on two of my own sites. If you are looking for a simple way to enhance your users’ engagement level on your site then I recommend you take a closer look at Google custom search engine. Below are few of the top reasons I like it so much: Giving users what they are used to: More than half the world prefers Google’s search results and are comfortable interacting with the search [...]

May22

Gord Hotchkiss

0

Great Summit. But What Are You Going to call it Next Time?

Less than 24 hours ago, my fellow columnists were sitting on a stage on Captiva Island, recapping the events of the 3 day Search Insider Summit. It was Insider Aaron Goldman that first noticed the dilemma. “You know,” he mused, as he looked at his famous Summit Buzz Index list (more on this in Aaron’s next column), “I don’t see the word search in here.” We realized, together with the attendees, that in three days of earnest, thoughtful, engaged and even passionate discussion, we had talked about a lot of things: marketing, branding, conversations, engagement, intent, convergence, communities, mobile and [...]

May21

Jody Nimetz

9

What’s the Best Way to Deal with a Search Engine Algorithm Update?

As we predicted a few weeks back, Google is performing a major algorithm update.  The search engines, including Google, are always making updates to their algorithms but many site owners feel it when the engines perform a major search algorithm update.  Usually when Google performs a major algo update, there are a number of theories that people come up with to try and decipher how they can improve their rankings in Google’s index or more importantly preserve their existing rankings from dropping in the results. Remember Google’s Florida Update?  It happened in November 2003 and caused Webmaster and site owners [...]

May16

admin

1

Marketers Would Increase Budget for Behavioral Targeting

Four out of five advertisers are willing to increase their online advertising budget in order to add behavioral targeting to their pay-per-click campaigns, according to SEMPO, (Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization), http://www.sempo.org/, which conducted a 2007 state of the market survey of 867 search engine advertisers and search engine marketing agencies. I had a quick chat with the Chairperson of SEMPO, Dana Todd regarding the latest interest in behavioral targeting and the need to include it in a company’s online marketing strategy. Listen to the podcast of our conversation below:     powered by ODEO Rest of the press release: [...]

May15

Gord Hotchkiss

2

Don’t Crown Google Yet. The Rules of Engagement are Still Being Determined.

According to the Financial Times, the Search War is already over. Google’s won. Everyone else can go home now. Microhoo was the last potential challenger, and now that that deal is in shambles, the victory has been ceded to the search empire of Mountain View. Even fellow Search Insider Aaron Goldman has been searching for a Google Killer, and so far hasn’t found one. I myself said Google was going to be an extremely hard habit to break (in 5 parts, no less). It’s true that these are dark times for desktop search. There is barely a whisper of resistance [...]

May09

Gord Hotchkiss

0

A Search Summit for the “Hidden” Experts

In just over a week, I’ll be the emcee at my third Search Insider Summit, on beautiful Captiva Island in Florida. This time around, I also lent fellow Search Insider, David Berkowitz, a hand in putting the program together. We started by asking some past attendees what they liked and what they’d improve about the shows. With the search show calendar as jammed as it’s becoming, it’s important to find a niche that attendees find valuable. In these conversations, the almost unanimous response was, “more conversations”! The size, scheduling, location and intimacy of the Summit are among its best features, [...]

May06

Manoj Jasra

0

Web Analytics: Wasting Your Time

Web Analytics is not easy and can take up much of you time so it’s important to concentrate on the things which have the most benefit to your business. Below I have outlined the types of things you shouldn’t measure as well as some areas where you could potentially end up wasting time rather than focusing on tactics and metrics which will actually help your strategy to succeed. Trying to Achieve 100% Accuracy In a JavaScript and Cookie model, web analytics will never be 100% accurate. In a web analytics test performed last year by Stone Temple consulting where they [...]

May01

Jody Nimetz

1

How to Move Your Site to a New Domain According to Google

Anytime a client considers changing their site architecture or is planning a website redesign or decides to move their Website, we work with them to ensure that they do not experience an adverse effect on their rankings in the search results. Anytime you plan on moving your site, you should have a plan. The best case scenario is that the move should be transparent, at least to the search engines so that your site does not tank in the rankings. When moving your site, you want to avoid the end result of 404 Errors popping up after the move. Not [...]

May01

Gord Hotchkiss

1

Thank God for Product-Centric Leaders

All you who have Google stock, take a moment to thank Larry and Sergey. You who have fallen in lust with your iPhone, stop and say a silent prayer for Steve Jobs. And you parents who spent many a peaceful hour thanks to your kids being glued to a Disney movie, face towards Disneyland and bow to Walt himself, may he rest in peace (or a freezer, as rumor has it). Thank God for the product-centric leader, because they are few and far between. Customer-Centricity: More than Just Words   I have spent many an hour in conference rooms listening [...]