Is Your Interactive Agency Delivering Results?

Many clients are too busy to evaluate whether or not their interactive agency is delivering results, but it could cost you in the long run. If your agency is not testing, measuring, refining, and reacting to your marketing tactics, then they are not delivering results. The ability to improve your marketing results requires continuous evaluation and communication with your agency.

1. Do you discuss your marketing results? This may give your agency quantitative and qualitative results to leverage.
2. Does your agency provide specific information when discussing the progress of your interactive marketing campaign? In general, specificity signals ownership, intention, and a plan of action to drive results.
3. Have you or your agency learned from the marketing and reporting? You and your agency should have details on what works and what does not work. Going forward, this should reduce marketing cost and lead to actions that drive results.
4. Does your agency push for deeper web analytics, continuously test banners and ad copy, and work to integrate interactive and traditional marketing for optimum results?

The only time your interactive agency should cruise or stop seeking better results is when you discontinue the relationship!

Yahoo/Microsoft Search Alliance Update

In late August, Yahoo! completed the transition of the back-end technology for English-language Yahoo! organic search results in the U.S. and Canada. There is now consistency of the organic search results between Yahoo! and Bing. In our opinion, there is still a gap in relevant search results when compared to Google. It’s our assumption that Yahoo! and Bing will make additional modifications to the search algorithm after the holiday season. As for the paid search results, advertisers can start transitioning their paid Yahoo! Search Marketing account to Bing now. The Yahoo! ad serving transition is expected to start mid-October. For additional tips on how to prepare for the search alliance, check out our recent search engine marketing article.

Google AdWords Update

Over the past few weeks, Google has made several enhancements to AdWords or tools used to manage PPC campaigns. Below are a few of these enhancements and brief descriptions.

YouTube Enhancements: YouTube launched features that give select advertisers the ability to voluntarily age-restrict their videos and exclude individuals and channels from your Pay per Click campaigns that advertisers are running.

Free AdWords Webinar: Google recently announced the launch of Enhanced CPC, a new automatic bidding feature designed to increase your conversions and return on investment in your Max CPC campaigns. This webinar will provide detailed information on the features and benefits of Enhanced CPC bidding for your search engine marketing campaigns.

AdWords Editor 8.0.1 Update: AdWords Editor is a free Google application that can help search engine marketers, PPC managers, and advertisers manage their AdWords Campaigns. AdWords Editor has been updated to support locations extensions and some additional panel features.

For additional information on Google AdWords features and benefits, contact your PPC manager. If you need PPC management services, contact a Google AdWords Certified Partner for opportunities to increase your ROI on your AdWords campaigns.

Progress Ramps Up for the Yahoo/Microsoft Search Alliance

Yahoo has currently started to move their back end technology over to the Bing platform. This transition is being made to give users more relevant organic search results by combining the Yahoo and Microsoft reach. The alliance encourages users to stay current with this progress and to be prepared for the eventual finished product.

Yahoo is also making strides in the realm of Paid Search Marketing. In the weeks ahead, MS Advertisers with Yahoo search marketing accounts will be able to import existing campaigns into the Microsoft ad Center via a “transition portal”. Yahoo will notify all search advertisers by e-mail when their current accounts will be eligible to transition over to the Microsoft ad Center.

The complete transition for the Yahoo/Microsoft Search Alliance could be complete for the 2010 Holiday season; however parties from both sides agree that they will not rush the transition, so do not be surprised if the finished product is not ready until 2011.

Here at DaBrian Marketing, we are excited to see how the complete transition will affect the Search landscape!

Google Analytics Flash Tracking Tip

We recently received questions regarding how to track flash banner advertising with Google Analytics from one of our current clients. The process uses the Google Analytics Component for Flash.

For instructions on how to download and install this feature, refer to the link below:

http://code.google.com/apis/analytics/docs/tracking/flashTrackingSetupFlash.html#getComponent

We highly recommend that you create a duplicate profile, filter the profile to track only these pageviews related to the specific banner, and use the URL builder to track the clicks for the banner ads.

You can also test landing pages by implementing Google Webiste Optimizer.

Check Out Web Analytics TV for more information!

Internet Marketing Lead Generation to Maximize ROI

In a recent article from eMarketer.com, companies worldwide stated that email was the best lead generation program based on quantity and the quality of the leads. Email blasts were followed by live events, webinars, and website registrations. “The effectiveness of online channels, coupled with the fact that prospects indicate the web is the first place they look for more information, makes it natural for companies to be increasing their investments in web design, email marketing and search engine optimization.”

“As more lead generation efforts shift to the Internet, tools to help develop, execute, and track campaign effectiveness will become a ‘must have’ rather than a ‘nice to have,’” said the report.

This is a clear sign that email marketing will continue to be a powerful marketing method. With that being said, the integration of social media marketing into email blasts will increase the possibility for your information to evolve within the social networks. Leveraging email marketing, social media marketing, SEO, and Pay-Per-Click will help with lead generation and brand awareness. Not all customers are in a position to purchase today, so brand awareness and a diversified campaign will pay off in the long-run. The ability to integrate internet marketing with traditional marketing methods will continue to be important as well.

Google AdWords Broad Match Modifier

In May 2010, Google began testing the broad match modifier in the UK and Canada. Last week, Google rolled out the broad match modifier globally with the exception of Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Arabic, and Hebrew languages. The broad match modifier is a Google AdWords targeting feature that allows advertisers to create keywords with more reach than phrase match and broad match. Now, this feature is available in the AdWords Editor and AdWords API. Keep in mind that by implementing this new feature; your clicks and conversion volume are likely to decrease.