ses london 2008 - search ad platforms

Compare & Contrast: Ad Program Strategies

SES 2008 – Richard GregoryLatitude Group COO

Why use multiple platforms?

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Google

Yahoo!

MIVA

MSN

Why use multiple platforms?

Reach - Want as much business as possible.Other platforms may have a smaller market share – but you wouldn’t ignore the long tail.Put more simply; your competitors are, so why aren't you?Unique functionalitySubtle nuances in similar offerings.

Demographic TargetingSpend where it counts for the right customerTarget by Age, Income (US) and Locations.

Unique Features

Bulk Upload from 3rd party sources – saves time / uniform structure

Ad Generator – Combine various USPs into ad’s

Unique Features

Adwords Editor- bulk upload & download tool

Account Snapshot Summary – Alerts / last 7 days KPI data / Tips

Unique Features

Adscheduling - Set a schedule to increase / reduce bids hourly– Supported by hourly reporting.– Compliment other marketing channels such as radio,

print or TV

Unique Features

  Location TargetingYahoo! - WhereOnEarth system…only regional not cities.Google – “Geo-targeting”Microsoft – Geographical location targetingAll options limited by poor UK IP structure.Invaluable for clients with specific outlets, e.g. a car dealerships

Content networksGoogle– allows multiple ad types:

Text / image / video / mobile

– Multiple payment models, CPC/CPM/CPA

– Site Exclusion

Yahoo– Increase traffic to site– Text ads similar to Google

system – cpc basis

Microsoft– Nothing in Europe yet.

Other PlayersDistributes ads over two networks the Core and Precision.

Has cheaper clicks but traffic can convert at lower rates

Can supply logos with PPC ads

In 2007 launched their own ad serving platform in the US. They will be looking to use it to extend their UK market share which is around 5%

Specialises in local and vertical search, with cheap clicks but relatively low volume

  The Moan Slide!

No Gambling adsMost Expensive NetworkKeyword Generation and estimator tools are poor

No contextual network.Can only target times in 3 hour chunks. <5% UK market share Only 3 countries in which you can serve ads – UK, US and France.

KW mapping dumbing down search? home insurance = house insurance ???No Ad-Scheduling availableSlower Ad Editorial – No live review process as with Google