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Google Adwords recently launched a new matching tool for Beta Testing called Automatic Matching. The basis for this new matching “opt-in” is to help advertisers with limited keyword lists, that struggle to spend their daily budgets, more effectively reach their daily spend caps. The way it works is, Google will analyze your current keyword list over a period of time and determine keywords they believe are relevant and closely related to your current keyword theme to find additional traffic for your campaign. In theory, it will work in a similar fashion to Google’s Content Network in which Google determines based on your keyword lists where you should have your ads placed within the Google Content Network. The bidding will be determined based on your current bidding strategies and will not exceed your Ad Group Default Bid. In the Ad Group interface, you will simply see a line item that shows you an overall number of clicks, spend, etc… that the Automatic Matching generated for your campaign, much like you would see if you opted into the content network for your keyword targeting campaigns. In certain, very limited, scenarios this could be a viable option to expand your current campaign. For instance, if your campaign lacks a true conversion goal and you’re simply looking to drive qualified traffic to your site. In addition, if you lack the knowhow to build properly targeted keyword lists and to execute calculated optimizations on a keyword and portfolio level, this could be a temporary solution to expand your campaign. In the long run, if you fall into this second category, I would highly recommend hiring your SEM management out to experts that can properly implement your Search Efforts. The reasons for my dislike of the new Automatic Matching go to the fundamentals of optimization and keyword generation. Never would I suggest to a client that they should blindly spend their advertising dollars without being able to properly track and act on conversion data. In this case, you would see only an overall number that this generated. Yes, you can check the “search query” report to find out which query strings generated your traffic, but because you are unable to bid on these keywords individually while utilizing this matching this would not be actionable data. If you have Google Conversion Tracking you could at least see sales attributed to each query, but if you’re using other outside tracking systems this data may be lost all together. The ability to track conversions back to specific keywords and adjust your bids accordingly is at the fundamental core of SEM optimization. Without these keyword bid “levers” for you to pull, you lose your ability to properly optimize the performance of your Search Campaign. In regard to keyword generation, you as the advertiser should be the most well equipped to generate an in depth list of keywords that are the most relevant to your campaign. Google’s team and Automatic Matching technology will likely only have a cursory knowledge of your business and will determine additional keyword targeting options based purely on traffic considerations. In the internet marketing world where results matter and advertising spend is held accountable for measurable results, conversions and not traffic should be at the top of your SEM priority list.
Automatic Matching is still in Beta so it may never reach the general public of AdWords Advertisers. If it does get added to the arsenal of, mostly great, Google Adwords features I would highly recommend shying away from this option. If you’re looking for pure traffic, go for it. If you’re looking for conversion results than this would, simply put, be a lazy and irresponsible way to allocate your SEM advertising dollars. So Says the Internet Gatekeeper! Bookmark to:
                 A shocking news break from Google Trends was discovered today! Google Trends Analysts uncovered evidence that Australians love shit, but they are not alone. Apparantly, the entire world loves shit as compared to both poop and crap. Americans, although great fans of shit, are also very fond of poop. Crap doesn’t have a large following worldwide, but there still remains a strong crap movement in the UK. Of all the fecal keywords, shit stands atop the steaming pile. Shit, piled on poop with crap running behind. Over the last few years, we have steadily seen shit dropping in search queries. Scientists estimate, if the current trend persists, that by 2015 shit will drop into a dead heat with poop. Bookmark to:
I need coffee! Every morning when I get into work, my mind is moving in slow motion until I get my morning perk. The morning coffee crew consisting of me, myself, Jimbo Nahinu, The Great Bringer, KFC and occassionally JP head off to get the magically wonderful drink known to the simple man as coffee. Without this fantastic beverage, I would blankly stare at my computer screen until my boss came to ask me a question. At which time, I would likely just twitch and drool and eyeball something in the distance over my boss’ left shoulder. I know I’m not the only one to experience this coffee-less coma condition, countless Americans go through this morning confusion-delusion until they get their daily injection of caffeine. First things first. I like coffee, not those fancy mocha chocolatte, triple espresso shot, 2% milk, with whip concontions that so many people just can’t seem to go without. As crazy as it may sound, I like my coffee - coffee flavored. Whoa! What a revalation, coffee flavored coffee. Countless weirdos with poodles and bluetooth headsets are fainting at this very instant and spilling their carmel hazelnut macchiatos. I appologize to any of the readers out there that may have just ruined a perfectly good overpriced drink. Bookmark to:
For those you who didn’t know, this February 22 is National Margarita Day. It also so happens to be my birthday, so double whammy! I think I’ll celebrate both by double fisting iced margaritas made with some overpriced tequila. In the left hand I’ll go with the Cadillac Margarita. Here is an easy Cadillac Margarita recipe. 2 oz. Cuervo 1800 Tequila - 1/2 oz. Grand Marnier - 2 oz. Lime Juice Pour them all over ice in a tall mixing glass, shake it up, strain it into an ice cold cocktail glass, put some salt on the rim if you’d like, and slap on a garnishing lime wheel. Your Cadillac Margarita is good to go. Bookmark to:
I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Wynn Las Vegas, but if not I highly recommend it. I’ve stayed at plenty of Las Vegas Hotels, but not a single one can compete head-to-head with the Wynn Las Vegas. I’ve been to some of the so-called second, third, fourth rate and heck, even the just-plain-shabby Las Vegas Hotels like the El Cortez. I’ve stay at some of the top Las Vegas Hotels that claim to be as good or better than the Wynn Las Vegas like the Bellagio or the Venetian, but in reality there is no competition. The Wynn Las Vegas is a the new level of luxury resort to hit the Las Vegas Strip. This is the Vegas I want to see, no more family friendly roller coasters and kiddy pirate or magic shows. In the new Vegas, the phrase “What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” really counts for something. This is about living the high life and playing the stakes and doing all the things you wish were socially acceptable at home. You just can’t get that at Treasure Island or the Stratosphere, for that kind of fun you need the right environment. Wynn Las Vegas provides that high life, high rolling, and straight forward “lap of luxury” atmosphere that the Bellagio and Venetian wish they could.
Sure, the Bellagio and Venetian have their perks. It’s not like they’re the Super 8 of Las Vegas Hotels, but the Wynn Las Vegas is a step or two above. Just take a look at the ratings. The Wynn Las Vegas is the only Casino Resort in the world with a Mobil 5 Star and AAA 5 Diamond Rating. Let’s not forget that the Wynn Hotel is also the only Las Vegas Hotel to recieve the coveted Michelin 5 Red Pavilions Rating as well. These ratings only say so much, you have to experience the Wynn Las Vegas to really appreciate what I’m talking about. If you get the chance, and yes the extra cash, you just have to splurge on the Salon Suite at Wynn Las Vegas. 1800 plus square feet of simply amazing luxury Las Vegas accomodations. That’s bigger than most people’s home, including mine. I’m not rich by any means, so I understand that the Wynn can be a little high priced, but it’s worth every penny to stay in Hands Down the Best Las Vegas Hotel next time you and your buddies head to Vegas. I can’t say enough about the Wynn Las Vegas, so next time you go to Vegas do it right and stay at the Wynn. Have them swing by the airport and pick you up in a Bentley. I give the Wynn Las Vegas the first ever 5 Internet Gatekeepers Rating, the most coveted of all Las Vegas Hotel Ratings. Go check it out. So Say the Internet Gatekeeper! Bookmark to:
Maybe if I had just gotten Bariatric Surgery and my stomach could only hold about 2 oz of food, the Cheeseburger I got at Thunderbirds BBQ in Downtown Denver would fill me up. That’s a stretch. You know those stacks of frozen burger paddies you get at the store that shrink up to look like a drink coasters, that’s what this burger reminded me of. It cost me over $11 to get a Bacon Cheeseburger, Fries and a Drink at Thunderbirds BBQ, expecting for that price to get a burger that compares to something I could get at a sit-down restaurant for less. Needless to say, I was very very very dissappointed. Since Thunderbirds is a BBQ Joint, I put some of their house BBQ sauce on the worthless excuse of a cheeseburger to pep it up a little. That was my last mistake. It was as if they took some flavorless store bought BBQ sauce and halved it with water. I’ve heard the one in Boulder is better, but I don’t think I’ll ever go back to any Thunderbirds BBQ unless I get the urge to waste $11. I’m officially calling shenanigans on Thunderbirds BBQ in Downtown Denver. SHENANIGANS!!!! So says the Internet Gatekeeper. Bookmark to:
Microsoft has enlisted (paid) a list of spokesbloggers in the technology field to promote their new operating system Vista. The best way to promote a system is to get the well known heads of technology websites to begin posting blogs for them. One of the more well known bloggers that is doing this is Michael Arrington out of TechCrunch that has declined all comments about this. This is happening in news of recent events that Google is trying to sue Microsoft for Vista not being compatible with many third party products and many users having to buy the subpar versions of their favorite software from Microsoft. Another event that will happen soon is the release of Macintosh’s new operating system, Leopard that is truly worrying to Windows because Macintosh is the biggest competitor to the Windows operating system. This is an outrage that Microsoft is doing this. They are purchasing bloggers to promote a faulty system. This may influence some people to buy it but every operating system that Microsoft launches is full of holes in the first year. These bloggers are throwing away their pride to help Microsoft, and going against their principles. When paid blogging (payperpost) was announced, they created their own initiatives to report these people. This is called “being a hypocrite”; the dictionary definition from the Merriam Webster goes as follow: hypocrite:
All I have to say is that Microsoft is working hard to promote themselves as the good guy that have a horrible system but paying bloggers to forgo their beliefs only reinforces that Microsoft is pure evil. Bookmark to:
A start-up search engine, Mahalo (Hawaiian for Thank You) wants to be the search engine that is uniquely created on user content and visits. Instead of randomly generating search queries that constantly update through various bots that visit your site. They are willing to hire a team of searchers that have a grasp of social networking sites (facebook, myspace, etc.) to create their list of search results, and here’s is a good thing, if you results are relevant you’ll be paid 12 to 15 dollars per search. Many of the users must be willing to provide relevant results and have web 2.0 experience. In my opinion, Mahalo might be the next wave of search engines but only time will tell. Every search engine that has recently come out wants to be the ultimate Google Killer but all of them fall short of what Google has to offer. This search engine may have promise because the searches are coming from visitors that use the net constantly. Most search engines are regulated by internet bots that crawl your site and those results are fed in to a large computer that determines how your site ranks. These internet bots are at fault because many sites are copies or spam that filter through the system. This is where the individual visitor comes in; they can tell if a site is spam and through the results have a better ability for comparison. I guess only time will be able to if we really will say Mahalo to this search engine. Bookmark to:
First things first, lets cover the Internet Marketing Basics. One question that may come to mind might be “What is Search Engine Marketing?” In this posting, I’m going to help you answer this question and discuss some industry “lingo” that is commonly used. Whether you plan on running your own Search Engine Marketing efforts or if you’re going to get this service outsourced, you need to know how to “talk the talk”. So lets get into in. SEM - Search Engine Marketing: This is a broad term for any marketing efforts undertaken to increase a website’s presence on a Search Engine Results Pages. SERPs - Search Engine Results Pages: These are the subsequent listings, either paid or unpaid, that show up after a user enters a keyword into search box of a Search Engine. PPC - Pay Per Click: This is a type of SEM in which an advertiser utilizes Paid Ad Listings (Sponsored Links) to drive traffic from another website to your website. Advertisers bid on an auction basis for gain higher positioning on the SERPs. Bookmark to:
For the past year and a half, I have been trying to find the best way to tell friends, family, and acquaintances what exactly I do for a living. Being in the Search Engine Marketing Industry, this is an uphill battle because of the public’s severe lack of knowledge into the internal workings of Pay Per Click Search Engines. I’ve looked into many blank glassy-eyed faces as I tell them about why they see what they see when they search for “widgets” on Google or any other Search Engine. To get you all in the loop, I am a Strategic Optimization Specialist / Senior Account Manager for a Search Engine Marketing Agency. On a daily basis, I build and maintain full service PPC SEM Campaigns for numerous clients. In my attempts to “teach” those around me the “Ins and Outs” of PPC, I have done nothing but steadily build confusion right along with continued interest. My brother, when asked about my career, has nicknamed me the “Internet GateKeeper” and just leaves it at that. Alas, I have given up on further explanations about Search Marketing and now just go by my given nickname The Internet GateKeeper. So Says The Internet GateKeeper! Bookmark to:
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