Check your facts, WIRED magazine

Written by PPC Handy Man | March 27th, 2008 |

When you’ve been media buying for a while, you get into certain patterns of expectation on the Kabuki dance you go through to get a good rate. It usually goes like this: Ask network for a quote, they come back with a $3 – $5 CPM, you tell them to quarter it, they say “we couldn’t possibly…”, they pretend they’re make a big exception for you and end up cutting the rate by 3/5ths, you run the campaign, it barely works, then you yell at your publisher about a variety of things until they get your effective CPM down to 1/4th of what they initially quoted you at the start, and the whole thing finally works.

~PPC Handy Man

Demographic Targeting: New Feature Offered Through Google AdWords

Written by Angie | March 25th, 2008 |

Google AdWordsLast Friday,Google announced a new feature for AdWords advertisers utilizing content networks and media placements—demographic bidding. This could potentially be a great asset for all advertisers, particularly those with a specific product or service offering. Demographic bidding, often referred to as demographic targeting, allows one to deliver ads to a particular age group, gender or combination of those statistics. The service is available only through some sites, such as MySpace, Friendster, BlackPlanet or other sites that ask users to log in and define personal information. Google’s demographic targeting is not yet available with PPC management campaigns.

~Angie

Hispanic Search Marketing – in English?

Written by Sarah | March 14th, 2008 |

I’m seeing more and more statistics out there about Hispanics online – and lots of them. But some of this data indicates that many prefer to interact online in English over Spanish (the acculturated set) rather than preferring Spanish (the newer set). And the takeaway is that just because your message is out there in Spanish, don’t assume it is being seen by all Hispanics.

~Sarah

Why Won’t Anyone Make an Offer for IAC Interactive?

Written by PPC Handy Man | March 11th, 2008 |

In all the hubbub about the on again, off again, benign, then hostile, then negotiated, etc. bid by Microsoft for Yahoo!, it seems my favorite little interactive media company that could has been left out in the cold… always a bridesmaid, never a bride; IAC Interactive. Right now, with a market cap of $5.35B, and shares hovering near 52 week low pending the outcome of some legal woes, it just might be a good buy for Microsoft to snap up this gem for one tenth what they will likely have to pay for Yahoo!

~PPC Handy Man

Wall Street’s Honeymoon With Google Over

Written by PPC Handy Man | March 10th, 2008 |

Could it be that reports of Google’s flat year over year click growth are true? In recent articles from Slate and Silicon Alley Insider, much has been made of the downturn in Google stock price stemming from ComScore’s estimate that click growth essentially stopped from Q4 ‘07 to Q4 ‘08. Both commentators, Wilson and Blodget, astutely recognize the fatal flaw in relying on ComScore’s numbers, their methodology is essentially a black box. Changes to ComScore’s algorithm or measurement model, changes in Google’s algorithms or click delivery, or innocent statistical error could all contribute to these un-anticipated results.

~PPC Handy Man
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