Yahoo Updates Contextual Advertising Solution

Yahoo has updated its contextual advertising solution, Content Match. They say you won't notice cosmetic changes, but what you will notice is that "It just works better."

So, what works better? Yahoo says new technology is better at the actual matching of ads to content. As a result, they say they are seeing higher click-through rates. Of course, all of this is still dependent on ads, keywords, and settings chosen.

Are you using Content Match? Have you noticed any improvements? Leave a comment and tell us about it!

Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 13, 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Related: Yahoo

MySpace Launches Self-Service Ad Platform

MySpace has launched a new self-service ad platform. Dubbed "MySpace MyAds," the new platform allows anyone to create banner ads and use the social network's HyperTargeting technology to find target audiences.

MySpace offered up the following steps for advertisers to get started:

STEP 1: Visit https://advertise.myspace.com or click the "Advertise" link located at the bottom of any MySpace page
STEP 2: Create a display ad using the MySpace MyAds Builder Tool
STEP 3: Select a variable ad spend anywhere from $25 to $10,000
STEP 4: HyperTarget to customers
STEP 5: Measure ad performance with MySpace MyAds analytics reporting

“With MySpace MyAds, we’re blowing the lid off display advertising solutions for small and medium businesses,” said Jeff Berman, President of Sales and Marketing for MySpace. “MySpace MyAds is a direct marketer’s dream – providing entrepreneurs with the most accessible, personalized, and targeted advertising toolkit in the market. We’re giving businesses better ROI ASAP and in today’s economy, that’s a must-have.”

What do you think about the new platform? Leave a comment and let us know!

Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 13, 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Related: Social Media: Communities

Web Content is Having the Worst Week EVER!

I don't know if everyone is in a bad mood over the economy or what, but web content is having the worst week ever.

First, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said the internet was a cesspool. Then, Kevin Kelleher at GigaOm said that certain social sites are ruining the whole social networking industry because their nicheiness has gone just a little too far in his not-so-humble opinion. Finally, David Cowan decided that the "internet sucks" meme was a good idea for a marketing campaign to push MashLogic, including the tagline "Take back the web."

You may not want to join a social network dedicated to the admiration of David Hasselhoff, but that doesn't mean social media is doomed.

You may enjoy half the videos on YouTube, but perhaps they weren't all created for you.

In a modern day world of customization and the web making things more immediate, we've come to expect what we want when we want it.

But now that's leading to self-important decisions about what should be on the internet in the first place.

The problem with declaring the web as full of junk is that such elitist thinking generally leads to a social form of censorship.

The world wide interwebs thrive off of openness and access for as many people as possible. But if we begin to reign it in because some CEOs, bloggers, and startups decide that what they think is good is the only thing that matters, then the web will truly become a garbage dump of narrow, upper crust excogitation.

Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 13, 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Related: People

Google Prepares iPhone Ad Options

Google is preparing for the launch of their iPhone ad options, according to AdWeek. Several ad agencies have been given previews of the new option by the search giant.

The ads will be optimized for browsing on the iPhone, which enables direct Internet browsing instead of browsing via the mobile web. They will include an option for click-to-call. The iPhone already has a feature allowing users to click on any text phone number and it will dial it automatically.

Expect the new iPhone ads to be made available soon. AOL's Platform-A already offers iPhone ad solutions. So has Admob.

Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 13, 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Related: Google

Beam me up, YouTube!

On Friday, the YouTube Blog announced that the video sharing site was starting to test full-length programming. Apparently, YouTubers have been asking "to be beamed up with Scotty, to devise a world-saving weapon using only gum and paperclips, and to get your grub on at 'The Peach Pit'."

Hey, I'm not making this up. Go to the YouTube Blog and read it yourself.

Through a deal with CBS, YouTube is now offering “Star Trek,” “MacGyver,” and “Beverly Hills, 90210” to the 91 million viewers in the U.S. who watch 5 billion videos a month (54.8 videos per viewer). Yes, yes, comScore Video Metrix reports there are another 19.7 million viewers in the U.K who watch 1.4 billion videos a month on YouTube.com (72.4 videos per viewer). But, I'm sorry, I can't find out how many there are in Canada.

Nevertheless, the YouTube Blog says, "These shows will be available in the new Theater View style we rolled out earlier this week, which provides optimal experience for watching full-length programming on your computer."

Yes, yes, but what does this mean to search engine marketers?

The YouTube Blog adds, "As we test this new format, we also want to ensure that our partners have more options when it comes to advertising on their full-length TV shows. You may see in-stream video ads (including pre-, mid- and post-rolls) embedded in some of these episodes; this advertising format will only appear on premium content where you are most comfortable seeing such ads."

Ah, ha! You knew there was a catch!

Still, in order to make it clear to viewers, YouTube has labeled all full-length videos with a Film Strip symbol so they'll know what kind of content they're choosing to watch and what type of ads they might see.

I can't wait to share this news with Matt Bailey, the founder of SiteLogic. My business partner, Jamie O'Donnell, talked with Matt about Trekkie lore and web analytics at SES San Jose 2008. Matt was the first to analyze "the Red Shirt Phenomenon." (As any die-hard Trekkie knows, if you are wearing a red shirt and beam down to the planet with Captain Kirk, you're gonna die.) But, check out the YouTube video below to hear Matt's analysis for yourself.

Measuring Web 2.0 with Star Trek - & SiteLogic's Matt Bailey

By the way, Matt Baily will be teaching one of the Search Engine Marketing Training Workshops at SES Chicago 2008. It's the Search & Analytics Workshop: Using Analytics to Increase Search Effectiveness, which will be held on Friday, Dec. 12, 2008.

To prepare you for Matt's workshop, here are some basic stats:
The Enterprise had a crew of 430 during its five-year mission (although, the show was only on the air for 3 years). In the 80 episodes that were produced, 59 crewmembers were killed, which represents 13.7% of the crew. So, that's what Matt uses as the overall "conversion rate."

Heck, I can't explain it as well as he does. So, watch the video interview above -- read his article over on the ClickTracks site -- or prepare to be amazed during his workshop at SES Chicago.

Posted by Greg Jarboe on October 11, 7:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Related: Google: YouTube

Yahoo Stock Plummets to $13, Investor Proposes Microsoft Acquisition at $22

Hindsight is always 20/20, and that Microsoft acquisition offer for Yahoo earlier this year is looking sweeter by the moment looking in the rear view mirror. Too bad Yahoo rejected the $31 per share offer, because their stock has plummeted to $13 a share this week.

To be fair, some of the drop is due to the greater markets. Even Google is down to the mid-$300s after being up around $580 earlier this year. Another major factor is that Google and Yahoo have delayed the implementation of their search advertising deal.

Yesterday, Brian Sullivan at Fox Business was asking "Where's the shareholder outrage?" While the markets are offering plenty of outlets for a variety of shareholder outrage, at least one Yahoo investor, Mithras Capital, is proposing a new Microsoft-Yahoo deal.

The deal would have Microsoft buying Yahoo for $22 a share. We know why the investor wants this: They want to recoup some of their losses.

But at this point, what's in it for Microsoft? Yahoo continues to lose search market share and seems to be more concerned with securing the proving grounds of executives than building a business model based on users.

We know by now that banks, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were structuring their businesses to benefit executive bonuses. We also know that Yahoo did the same thing to throw a wrench into the Microsoft deal.

Is their really any faith left that Yahoo is on the mend? The Google advertising partnership only works if Yahoo starts regaining market share. But without innovation in search, that's not going to happen.

I firmly believe that there are plenty of bright minds at Yahoo, but like far too many companies, management gets in the way.

A merger with AOL still might be a good idea though. Yahoo has strong portal properties, including Sports and Finance. AOL's Platform-A consistently performs as the top ad network. AOL has also been making tiny gains in search. If you put their strengths together, you just might have something worth saving.

For the time being, though, it looks like investors should have sold their stock long ago. Microsoft has to be prepared for tough economic times, and I'm not sure throwing billions away on Yahoo's flailing search product is a wise investment at this point.

Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 10, 8:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Related: Yahoo

MIVA Releases Customizable ALOT Toolbar, Homepage, and Widgets

Digital advertising company MIVA has released an update of their toolbar, enabling customizable features. MIVA is also launching a customizable homepage and a widget site, ALOT Buttons, for their customers.

The ALOT brand launched in the last quarter of 2007 with the theme "Make the Internet Easy." ALOT products aggregate proprietary content and third party content across vertically themed toolbars and homepages.

“We believe that growth of the ALOT brand to date is due largely to our vertical product strategy and believe that today’s launch is a natural progression that will enable us to further build on this success,” commented Peter Corrao, President and Chief Executive Officer, MIVA. “With our new personalized products, users can continue to install vertical toolbars and homepages optimized for their specific interests, but can now also personalize their products by adding widgets from our expanding widget library.”

Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 10, 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Related: Advertising

SEW Experts: Search is Not Enough

Search Engine Watch Expert - William Flaiz Marketing has grown fairly sophisticated over the decades, and it would be foolish to view search as anything more than a component of a much more comprehensive marketing plan. Gone are the days of thinking that our only job is to drive customers to a Web site. In today's SEM agency issues column, "Search is Not Enough," William Flaiz advises us to examine the entire marketing funnel, not just the search component, to maximize our marketing dollars.

» Full story

Posted by Kevin Newcomb on October 10, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SEW Experts: Is Your SEM Truly Looking at Search Holistically?

Search Engine Watch Expert - Chris Boggs Search Engine Watch Expert - Frank Watson To achieve SERP nirvana, your search engine optimization and paid search efforts must have the same goal. In today's Search Marketing Crossfire column, "Is Your SEM Truly Looking at Search Holistically?," Chris Boggs and Frank Watson offer five important questions to make sure your potential search vendors view search holistically when updating ongoing strategy and planning considerations.

» Full story

Posted by Kevin Newcomb on October 10, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SEW Experts: The New Era of Travel Affiliate Marketing

Search Engine Watch Expert - Elisabeth Osmeloski As the travel segment gets increasing crowded, and the major online travel agencies continue to build brand identity, the race to leverage new opportunities in search and social media is most definitely on for smaller players. In today's vertical search marketing column, "The New Era of Travel Affiliate Marketing," travel search expert Elisabeth Osmeloski looks at just how important affiliates are to the online travel industry.

» Full story

Posted by Kevin Newcomb on October 10, 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Related: Marketing, SEW Experts, Search Ads: Travel

Google CEO Calls Internet "Cesspool"

Google CEO Eric Schmidt must love controversy. In a speech to magazine executives Wednesday he called the internet "a cesspool", AdAge reported.

I don't know if that makes Google a sewerage company, but I think Schmidt should realize that many look at Google as their filter to the web. Employees like Matt Cutts spend all their time working on 'purifying' the results, to expect publishers to be the answer may not be the right approach.

Criticizing opponents to the Yahoo-Google ad deal may not be a smart move given the recent drop in value of the once "golden child" of the web. Schmidt challenged "if you are going to criticize us, criticize us properly." Claiming ad prices would not increase under the Google Yahoo ad deal.

Schmidt displayed a certain amount of callous aloofness when he avoided questions about how publishers could improve their ranking with Google.

""We don't actually want you to be successful," he said. The company's algorithms are trying to find the most relevant search results, after all, not the sites that best game the system. "The fundamental way to increase your rank is to increase your relevance," he added" AdAge reported.

If you call the web a cesspool but do not offer insights to quality content providers who pay money to provide professional journalism I don't think you are serious about cleaning it up, so much as taunting an economically challenged industry.

Posted by Frank Watson on October 9, 6:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Related: Google: Employees

Google Stock Downgraded to Hold; Local.com Authorizes Stock Repurchase Program

Soleil Securities has downgraded Google stock (GOOG) from "buy" to "hold." Their reasoning is that ad-driven companies will see a slowdown to the weak economy and that Google is already experiencing a slowdown in growth of their ad revenues. Soleil analyst Laura Martin downgraded the price target for GOOG from $580 to $350. GOOG was at $334 at the time of this post.

Google will hold its 2008 third quarter earnings call and webcast next week.

Meanwhile, Local.com has announced a stock repurchase program. The program will last 18 months and the company may buy up to $2 million of outstanding common stock.

“The board of directors has confidence in our company,” said Heath Clarke, Local.com chairman and chief executive officer. “Local.com is a leader in the rapidly growing local search market with both patented and patent-pending technologies. We are gaining significant market share, increasing our organic traffic, growing our direct advertiser base and, as a result, projecting continued high growth.”

LOCM was at 1.89 at the time of this post. Its high is 2.36 and its low is 1.78.

Both GOOG and LOCM trade on the Nasdaq which was up 4.40 points at the time of this post.

Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 9, 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Related: Google

New Toolbar Makes Searching Content Easier

ChunkIt is a new search toolbar that bills itself as an x-ray for search. What it does is search your choice of the "big five" search engines, and then displays results on the right and the textual content of the results on the left.

Once the results are loaded, users can click on a paragraph in the left hand side, and it will highlight the paragraph - and then load the full page in the right side.

Highlighted paragraph

Page loaded in the right hand side

I personally find this to be a great tool for search. But one issue for ChunkIt might be copyright. Google has come under fire from newspapers for the issue of copyright when it comes to indexing their pages. Their argument, which has won over some in Europe, is a poor one since Google primarily provides just links to articles.

So, I contacted Brian Cheek at TigerLogic Corporation, the company behind ChunkIt, and here's what he had to say:

"ChunkIt! is a user-driven device that resides on the client-computer and is not a web service. All processing is handled by and all logic resides on the user's local computer. ChunkIt! does not persist, store or cache information and does not use a back-end server to perform any of its functionality."

Smart companies will see the value in ChunkIt's search tool and not make a fuss over copyright. But expect a few to ignore a good thing when they see it and challenge ChunkIt, but only if and when the tool gets wildly popular.

Posted by Nathania Johnson on October 9, 9:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Related: Search

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