On November 9, 2010 Google launched its new Instant Search option allowing Google users to preview a site before deciding to click on it. There has been a lot of speculation on how this will affect Internet Marketers. Being a Pay Per Click (PPC) specialist myself, it got me thinking. If you’re familiar with ProspectMX and our PPC services, it would be no surprise to you when I say that PPC is a highly effective tool for most clients. It has the ability to generate instant targeted traffic to your site from users who are actually looking for your service. And, since you’re only paying for the traffic that actually ends up on your site, your ad can display as many times as your budget would allow.

How has Google Instant changed the way we view search results?

With the introduction of Google Instant, there have been subtle changes in the PPC world. When someone searches using Google Instant, it opens up a drop down preview box with all the possible suggestions. During the initial launch there were many downsides to this. For example, once the preview was opened, sponsored links in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place were obscured behind the preview, hiding it from a potentially interested user. Furthermore, the search results and ads changed as the user typed in lengthy long tail keywords. For example, if I’m searching for “paint ball locations in New York” Google search will display ads for “paint” as soon as the word is typed in and then change accordingly as the user entered the rest. Due to this, your ads were potentially displaying for keywords that have no relevance to your campaign.

Since the launch of Google Instant, Google has been very busy tweaking the system to make it more amicable to PPC clients. Google has fixed the glitch of the overlapping preview box so that now when you type in a keyword, all the search results move down in full view as well. Google has also stated that unless the users stay on the page for more 5 seconds or the user clicks on search or presses enter, the impression will not count. Considering that most users complete searches in mere seconds, this eliminates the initial concern of having unwanted impressions in your campaign.

How has this affected Pay Per Click?

Even though initially it seemed that Instant was rather detrimental to PPC clients, it seems that things have turned around. With the changes Google has made since the launch it’s my opinion that Google Instant may actually help PPC clients in the long run. One of the reasons why is because when a user searches with a particular keyword, the ads that used to get hidden are now the point of attention on the page itself. This allows ads that are in 1st or 2nd spot to have more visibility and drive more traffic to the site. Historically, the 1st or 2nd spot for any keyword were not that coveted, however with Google Instant, this may change.

My opinion is to run your PPC campaigns as usual. Even though there have been many developments with Google Instant, it’s still in its infancy and I believe there are many more improvements to come. Many PPC campaigns can be optimized to start displaying ads in the 1st or 2nd spot and long tail keywords would need to be carefully monitored to see if there are too many impressions. These suggestions should help you get a better Click thru rate and hopefully conversions as well. In the end, the success of a PPC campaign always depends on the amount of work you put into it.

As an internet marketing company totally consumed in the latest technology advancements, we thought there is no better way to prep for the holidays than to share our most technology focused gift ideas for professionals. Some items are useful on the go, helpful on the job, or just simply brings a little humor to the work environment.

This year’s highlights include a personal energy generator, a tripod mount for the iPhone 4, and a portable and foldable Bluetooth keyword for iPhone, iPad or Android.

nPower PEG (Personal Energy Generator)

Description:

As you move, the nPower PEG stores up kinetic energy you’re already generating from your motion and converts it into usable power for recharging your cell phone, mp3 player or other hand held device.

Why it’s Cool:

It’s perfect for any professional that always seems to be without their cell phone charger at a crucial time.  The readymade charger can help you make any last minute phone call, hear a song or make an appointment update to your PDA.

Price:

$150.00

Available at:

nPowerPEG.com

Magnetic Accelerator Cannon

Description:

A metal ball sits at the end of the track as you watch the energy transfer and multiply down through magnets and metal balls until the last ball takes off! Magnetic acceleration has a big place in our future, from weapons to travel, so have some fun experimenting.

Why it’s Cool:

It’s the perfect little item if looking for an afternoon escape. This cannon is extremely powerful and offers a bit of enlightenment in the office.

Price:

$29.99

Available at:

ThinkGeek.com

The Glif

Description:

The Glif is a tripod mount for the iPhone 4. It is a simple piece of plastic that screws into the quick release plate of your tripod and allows you to mount the iPhone in any position you desire.

Why it’s Cool:

Anyone that has tried to shoot video with the iPhone 4 knows that the HD quality is remarkable, but is easily destroyed by the rolling shutter wobble present by the CMOS sensor. The Glif allows you to mount the phone on the tripod, dollie, crane, etc. to use just as you would a standard camera.

Price:

$20.00

Available at:

TheGlif.com

PPC Editor App

Description:

The PPC Editor is an Apple App that provides significant management features like budget management and keyword research. The App relies on Google’s API to pull information regarding PPC campaigns and even though this app was not developed by Google, there has been talk of Google developing an Adwords management tool as well.

Why it’s Cool:

PPC Managers are always in the habit of tweaking Adwords accounts.  The App enables Adwords managers to manage their campaigns without being restricted to the computer.

Price:

$16.99

Available at:

The App Store

Jorno Bluetooth Keyboard

Description:

The keyboard is a portable and foldable Bluetooth keyboard capable of turning any iPhone, iPad or Android device into a fully functioning laptop.  The item serves as a mobile powerhouse in pocket size form with a detachable cradle and provides ease of use. Although the item isn’t truly available until January 2011, those interested can take advantage of pre-order pricing and provide as a late holiday gift in anticipation of receiving one of the most mobile advancements.

Why it’s Cool:

Marketing/communications professionals are always on the go and this handy item allows for quick updates in laptop form.

Price:

$99.00

Available at:

JornoStore.com and select retailers

HP – iPAQ 111 Classic Handheld Organizer

Description:

The HP – iPAQ 111 Classic Handheld Organizer has TFT-LCD Color Display. The device features a Windows Mobile 6 Classic operating system with Microsoft Office Mobile PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Outlook and Internet Explorer keeping everything at your fingertips.

Why it’s Cool:

It’s a handheld organizer that connects to the web allowing you to stay productive away from the office.

Price:

$295.99

Available at:

BestBuy.com

Yoda Desktop Protector

Description:

A motion detecting Yoda lights up and talks when it senses movement near your desktop. The motion sensor will detect movement between 6 and 9 feet away.

Why it’s cool:

It will detect movement while you are away from your desk, and it’s Yoda.

Price:

$25.99

Available at:

ThinkGeek.com

Alfa High Gain USB Wireless Long Range WiFi Network Adapter

Description:

The most powerful WiFi adapter on the market. It’s very secure and is compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7, Linux and Mac.

Why it’s Cool:

It serves as a solution for connecting a desktop computer that can be set up anywhere to connect to a wireless network.  It’s perfect to travel with because it’s light and compact.

Price:

$35.99

Available at:

Amazon.com

I’m not gonna lie – I used to dread the days I dedicated to managing my PPC campaigns in Yahoo Search Marketing. When you’re used to editing campaigns in Adwords Editor, switching to the slow, cumbersome Yahoo Search Marketing interface (whether you use bulk editing or not) is a nightmare.

So needless to say I was pretty excited to get an email a while ago about the new Yahoo Search Marketing Desktop tool.

I just downloaded it today and have only played with it a bit, but so far I’m pretty happy with it. I think what I like most about it is that its layout and interface is pretty similar to AdWords Editor in a lot of ways – unlike MS’s AdCenter Desktop tool, which confused the crap out me at first (and to be honest, still does sometimes).

Editing keyword bids and ad text will certainly be much easier now, allowing me to get more work done for a client per month than I used to be able to. And, I was happy to note, they seem to have features similar to AdWords Editor’s “advanced keyword bid and ad changes,” which I find INCREDIBLY useful and time saving.

BUT – I will reserve further praise until I use it more in depth.

Are Yahoo & Microsoft Teaming Up Against Mac?

Now that Yahoo and Microsoft have formed their “search alliance” I can’t help but wonder what that means for us Mac users. I already know I can’t use AdCenter Desktop on the Mac without setting up parallels or special programs, which I leave up to my tech guys.

And now on the FAQs page about Yahoo’s Desktop Editor, I read “The tool has been officially certified by Yahoo! to work on the Windows platform only. Using the tool on another platform, such as Mac, that is capable of running Adobe AIR applications will work, but issues found will not be supported by Yahoo!.”

So basically you can use it on a Mac (as I have) but there’s no guarantee that something won’t go wrong…and you can’t rely on Yahoo to help you if it does.

Now obviously Microsoft’s not trying to produce Mac compatible downloads…but now Yahoo too? Look’s like their search alliance is against more than just Google….

I will of course, qualify that by saying that I’m not sure if any of Yahoo’s other tools or downloads were built to be Mac compatible – I’m not typically a big fan of Yahoo tools.

Bottom line: Support Macs Yahoo! I don’t care if you’re in bed with Microsoft, Macs need love too!

So I am now officially an Adwords Qualified Professional…woohoo! Just took the test this morning, so I figured it would be helpful to put together a quick study guide for anyone considering taking the exam.

Now, I won’t go into too much detail, since I don’t want to piss Google off, but since I was taken off guard by some of the questions, I think it’s only fair I share my opinion of it.
First off, I did study in the Google Advertising Fundamentals Exam Learning Center – but I basically did a review of the outline, skimmed the info and only read indepth on topics I felt I needed a little extra help in.

That was a mistake. While I am confident in my ability to use and build Adwords campaigns for our client’s benefits, there are still details of the program I could learn more about, and that certainly came up within the test.

For example, while I am familiar with Adwords’s billing policies, I don’t have the details memorized. I would suggest understanding their billing cycle before you take the test. Actually, my biggest recommendation is to simply study the Learning Center topics and take any example quizzes you can find.

Adwords Qualified Professional Study Guide

But if you’re like me, and your experience is more with the actual management and optimization of campaigns, here’s a particular list of subjects you may want to work on:

1. Billing details, such as the billing cycle, where to go to change preferences, etc.
2. The tabs/navigation of the Adwords interface and what each section includes.
3. The pros and cons of the different keyword match types
4. Editorial and policy guidelines for trademarks, ad formats, etc.
5. Different ways of “targeting” your campaign
6. The difference between Search Network and Content Network, and their individual policies. (Hint: Look into any difference in rules or approval policies in the Google Search Network between Google search results pages and the search results pages of other properties within the search network).

I think that’s enough for now – if I give too much away, Google might revoke my Google Adwords Qualified Professional status and I worked too dang hard to give up my pretty logo now!

Speaking of which, apparently it takes 1-3 days for the passed exam to show up in your Company profile. Guess I’ll just have to be patient.

As the resident PPC player here at PMX, it’s up to me to stay on top of what’s going on in the world of Pay Per Click. So of course it was interesting for me to read about how Google Adsense will now accept ads from qualified third party networks which will “help you generate the most profit for every ad that appears on your site, whether the ads come from AdWords advertisers or Google-certified ad networks,” according to the Google Adsense Blog.

While I suppose that’s great news for Adsense users, as a PPC Specialist, I’m more worried about what it means for my Adwords campaigns, specifically when it comes to the content network. More competition for ad space means higher CPCs obviously…but I’m trying to wrap my head around any other repercussions for my content network campaigns, either good or bad.

If I’m having to mess more with CPC bidding to keep my ads in prominent positions, it’s obviously going to increase some time spent on PPC management initially…if the third-party networks come running to jump on board that is. Supposedly Google will have some pretty high standards in the certification process.

So what does everybody else think? Besides the obvious increase in competition and CPCs, how else will our Adwords campaigns be affected? I’m particularly interested in anyone who can think of some positive changes it could have.

I suppose one pro for us Adword-ers is that if potential revenue earnings for Adsense publishers go up, more and more people might jump on the Adsense bandwagon, which means more sites for us to advertise on and more impressions for our ads- but I dunno, seems like a bit of a stretch for me.