Nov
29th

More Netizens Becoming Search Engine Users

Posted by admin on November 29, 2005 at 12:12 pm

Have you ever Googled for a shrimp curry recipe? Exclaimed “Yahoo!” when you found the complete discography of your favorite Scandinavian-folk-rap artist? Did you Ask Jeeves why it’s so hard to think of a verb for “MSN Search”? If so, you’re probably one of the 60 million American adults who use search engines daily, according to a recently published study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project and comScore. The comScore data show a jump from 49.3 million daily search engine users in September 2004 to 60.7 million in September 2005 (23%). The study also found that search engine usage is the second most popular online activity, behind email.

The study includes a lot of interesting information, but what stood out to me was the reported increase in the percentage of internet users who use search engines daily. It’s gone from 30% to 41%. Frankly, I’m surprised it’s that low – even keeping in mind that the percentage of users who have ever used search engines is much higher (90%). I believe search engine usage lags behind email for three reasons: 1) using email fulfills a social need and can be a proactive or passive activity, whereas search engine use is strictly proactive; 2) the proliferation of email marketing enables and encourages users to reach desired goods and services by clicking on links within emails; and 3) search engine users don’t reliably get the answers they seek.

The problem of the latter is twofold – no algorithm is perfect (or psychic), and relatively few people understand how to use search query syntax to generate better results. An earlier Pew study found that only 40% of women and 54% of men are “very confident” in their search abilities. And survey of our own analytics data suggests that only a tiny percentage of search engine users employ advanced operators like “quotes” and +word.

Search engines have the potential to be the ultimate embodiment of today’s “on demand” culture. When coupled with broadband connections, they enable us to seek answers, entertainment, news, community, products, and information in mere seconds. Mobile search lets us take those capabilities on the road. Knowledge is power, but knowing how to find knowledge is almost as good.

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Nov
23rd

Buddies for life…I think

Posted by admin on November 23, 2005 at 11:31 am

Last week, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) users logged on to discover a new friend – er, Buddy. “ShoppingBuddy” is a new AIMbot that you can “converse” with to get help finding products, mostly from The Gap. Wanting to avoid the Day-After-Thanksgiving crowds, I decided to take ShoppingBuddy for a test drive:

Straightupsearch: Hi ShoppingBuddy, how are you today?
ShoppingBuddy: Hello again.
Straightupsearch: My, aren’t you coy? So, what should I get my mom for Christmas?
ShoppingBuddy:

- Search results for mom
- Netgear Switch [$65.00 - $99.99]
- Linksys EtherFast 10/100 Switch [$19.95 - $38.38]
- D-Link Micro USB Hub [$11.00 - $38.38]

Straightupsearch: An Ethernet switch? Really? I was thinking more along the lines of some nice gloves…
ShoppingBuddy: I didn’t find any good matches 4 U but may I ask you a question?
Straightupsearch: sure
ShoppingBuddy: OK, who R U shopping for today?
Learn how to make your gift even more special at gap.com
Straightupsearch: My mom is really more of a Talbot’s kind of lady. Ok, what should I get my little brother?
ShoppingBuddy: good
Straightupsearch: Most of the time he is, I guess.
ShoppingBuddy: Indeed
Straightupsearch: Anyway, he likes Godzilla collectibles.
ShoppingBuddy: OK, I’m searching for matches 4 U. Gimme a sec…
ShoppingBuddy:

- Search results for Anyway likes Godzilla collectibles
- I Love Lucy Mug All About You [$12.95]

Straightupsearch: Are you saying that Lucille Ball is a monster?!
Straightupsearch: OK, last try. What should I get my boss?
ShoppingBuddy: k
Straightupsearch: K is worth 5 points in Scrabble
ShoppingBuddy: OK, I’m searching for matches 4 U. Gimme a sec…
ShoppingBuddy):

- Search results for worth 5 points Scrabble
- Scrabble Cuff Links at RedEnvelop [$75.00]

Straightupsearch: Scrabble Cuff Links – perfect! How did you know? Thanks, ShoppingBuddy!

IMO (in my opinion), IMO (Instant Messenger Optimization) is probably not the next frontier, unless the AI gets a lot better. ShoppingBuddy also gets its results from AOL Shopping, which is not the most comprehensive index of products and information. I got much better results by using AOL Search and using the same “search terms”.

ShoppingBuddy is certainly trying to endear itself to the kids though, with all the “you”=”U”, “are”=”R”, and “for”=”4″ IM shorthand. Maybe I should ask ShoppingBuddy if he knows where I can buy “Hooked on Phonics”.

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Nov
21st

Landing Pages Should Be More Like Mariano Rivera

Posted by Vern on November 21, 2005 at 4:00 pm

I’m not much of a baseball fan but I do appreciate excellent performance. Rivera is a relief pitcher or for the NY Yankees. In the late innings of a ball game, when preserving a win is on the line, Mariano goes to work as one of the top-ranked “closers” in baseball. A good PPC strategy includes landing pages designed to preserve the win – to close the sale.

I recently had a conversation with a client who wanted to use an existing page from his web site as a landing page. As Kristie discussed a few days ago, website home pages are ill-suited to generating conversions. Linking a paid search click to any other existing website page can be a bad idea as well. These pages are not designed to be used as an extension of the paid search ad or to close the sale. Studies have shown that when a searcher clicks on a paid search ad selling a product, they are likely to buy that product if they find what they are looking for. A properly designed landing page has one mission – to convert the searcher to a customer – to close the sale. Think of the search experience as a sales process. When someone types “buy rocket fuel” in Google, they want to do literally that. They will click on an ad that they feel will deliver what they are looking for. It must move them to “buy rocket fuel” as efficiently, quickly and easily as possible. Things happen fast on the Internet. A good landing page gets right to the point, supplying the information necessary for a purchase decision with no distractions. The landing page must continue the laser-focused selling message that began with the paid search ad click.

The landing pages we implement for our clients act as the next step in the sales process for a single product and a very specific target market at an attractive price point. Just like the paid search ad. The landing page message in one case is – It’s simple, easy, inexpensive, and typically include a risk free guarantee. The landing page design evokes a feeling of ease and confidence. It is uncluttered, to the point and asks for the sale.

Existing website pages are intended to be informational in nature and to assist in the beginning of the online research process. They are not designed to close the sale. By clicking on a paid search ad, the searcher has already begun the sales process and eliminating links or any other distractions allow us to guide the searcher to the sale in a very precise manner.

Don’t lose the online sales game. Put focused paid search landing pages, specific to your ads, to work in the late innings to preserve the win – close the sale.

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Nov
16th

Where's Martha?

Posted by Steve on November 16, 2005 at 1:43 pm

I was watching The Apprentice: Martha Stewart a couple weeks ago (and apparently, I was one of the few) when the youngest candidate, David, was dismissed. He’s only 22, but the owner and founder of an internet advertising company.

When Martha let him know “he wasn’t working out,” David made a case for himself before he left. His position in her company would not be decorating wedding cakes or gathering flowers for the perfect bouquet. It would be helping her market her web site through search engine optimization. He told the ex-con that her site didn’t show up anywhere when someone searches for “recipe” (in fact, it’s not in the first 100 results in Google). And even though David still didn’t “work out,” she wanted to discuss these ideas further with him at a later date.

That spurred some curiosity. I wondered what other terms Martha Stewart’s well-known site wasn’t positioned for. So I did a little research.

I remember her saying that she creates some of the finest wedding cakes in the world. But can anyone find them? Well, since her site wasn’t anywhere to be seen when I searched for “wedding cakes” in Google, probably not.

It’s not uncommon to see Ms. Stewart frolicking through her garden with clippers in hand, occasionally trimming an already perfectly trimmed topiary. Let’s see if anyone is using any of her wonderful ideas. I put “gardening ideas” into Google. What did I find? Nothing.

How about crafts? Martha is like the real life MacGyver. She could make a Christmas ornament with a toothpick and stick of gum. She has become famous for her creativity in craft design, so I figured this was a fail-safe topic. I typed “crafts” into Google and her site didn’t show up. Perhaps it’s too broad. The holidays are coming up; maybe people need some unique ideas. How about “holiday crafts?” Still nothing.

I gave it one last shot: “insider trading.” There we go! Her name comes up on the second page! Now Martha may be able to settle for having great visibility on that term, but I’m not so sure about the others. She’s going to need some real help optimizing her site if she wants to become a billionaire twice over.

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Nov
14th

There is no free lunch – not even from Google

Posted by admin on November 14, 2005 at 4:34 pm

Just like your mother told you, if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t true. Google offered free analytics today, setting off some buzz. And as with many non-events from Google, I’m only discussing it as a service to my colleagues—adding to the buzz, nonetheless. (sigh)

Is this anything? So now you’ve got free Urchin services gussied up in Google logos. Keep in mind it is not magic. You still need to install it; make sure it’s tracking properly and interpret the data. Google is not going to send you emails that say, “you need to offer free shipping,” “your target audience isn’t using the word ‘drawer pulls’ anymore” or “your landing pages will sell better with reindeer images.”

And just how free is access to your customer behavior? Are you comfortable that an advertising publisher can see what’s working for you and what isn’t? Aggregate data might help it hone product lines, encouraging better products for its clients. And, would it follow that high performing products would be higher priced, eventually—wouldn’t it? (Being good business people and all.) And do you really want Google to see what’s happening with your campaigns on Yahoo and MSN? (I can hear your gasps of horror from here!)

In short, Google has dressed a wolf up in sheep’s clothing and now it’s going to eat your lunch—for free!

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