PardonMyFrench

Revisiting Facebook for Online Advertising

You long time readers know that I've had a love-hate relationship with using Facebook as an online advertising buy; that is specifically buying banner ad space and not for using it for connecting with customers-supporters which I always believed it was extremely useful.  Facebook with its low CPM rates and lack of targeting options coupled with boring ad units put it extremely low on my media recommendation list.  That is until recently. I've become very bullish on Facebook advertising and hope they make more targeting options changes.

On the right is a screen shot of a make believe ad buy (actually it was a real one but I

 can't who it is really for).  So, let's take a tour and describe  what I like about Facebook for advertising and what I think they should still change.

1) The geo-targeting works fine if you want to target by city, state, or country.  However, there aren't zip code, county, or MSA options plus I could really use a bulk upload.  I'd imagine Facebook will be changing this in the future.

2) Other demos like male/female, targeting on a user's birthday, education level and whether you are in a relationship and if you are interested in males or females provides some interesting targeting options especially if you are a dating site (for example) or need to target based on marital status.  Interesting targeting but really this is left over from their college only Facebook days.

3) Now the Keywords is where it gets very interesting.  You have to be a keyword wizard and you have to understand that these keywords are not the kind you would normally search on but really kind of like groups within Facebook of what people put on their page.  The main problem I have with this is that if you enter in more than one term Facebook looks at it as an OR instead of an AND.  For example if you wanted Republicans who like Obama you can't (see below for the exception),  You'll find 2.9 million Facebook people who have Barack Obama on their page but when you add in Republican you get about 3.17 million which is just adding in Republicans to Obama's total.  This is good targeting, but an AND function would be much better,

4) The workplace targeting is very interesting especially if you are going after a certain company.  This is unbelievably cool

5) Connection targeting really only works if you are the Facebook admin so you can target your own supporters or if you want to exclude them.  This is how the Barack Obama admin can target their large fan base and then use keywords to further segment them out.  That's how they could find Barack Obama Republicans.

6) The CPMs or CPCs are dirt cheap still - at this level I like using CPMs so I make sure my ad is shown.  The ad units are not their new sexy units which are usually reserved for their large customers (this should change too soon) and the media is not on a user's home page but on their subpages.  Again this is kind of a bummer if you don't have multiple thousands of dollars to spend, but still quite the non-premier options are quite good now.

I think Facebook is a good tool right now especially with their targeting options and dirt cheap CPMs.  I do hope they make some improvements to their keyword targets by making it an AND and not an OR plus provide the option for lower spenders to get on a home page or get better ad units.  At that point with those three changes, Facebook would explode for the small advertiser.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

comScore Shows Google's Nearly Impregnable Search Fortress

comScore released its August 2009 search numbers and while a lot of people, especially Microsoft fanboys, will be jumping for joy as Microsoft gained core search share by 0.4% to 9.3% and Google dropped by 0.1% to 64.6, I for one don't see the joy.  In fact, comScore's report show's Google's dominance is quite secure and for the moment quite safe.  

You see the numbers that everyone reports is a comScore metric called core searches which is basically searches off of the main search site like Google.com.  However, as any Google fanboy (like me) will tell you, Google is much more than searches off of Google.com.  It includes Gmail. Google Docs, Google Books, News, and of course a little known site called YouTube.  And, that's where things get very interesting.

Look a little lower in the report and you'll see something called Expanded search which lists out all search activity including video and search activity on the non-core sites.  It is this report which shows how dominant Google's search strategy is and why Microsoft has a long, long way to go to catch a giant.

1. Google isn't just 7x larger like the core report shows; all Google properties versus all Microsoft properties is TEN TIMES LARGER THAN MICROSOFT.  Why do you think Google gives you all of those products for free?
2. YouTube while losing some share in August is the second largest search property around.  YouTube is so large that it is 28% larger than Yahoo and twice as large as Bing.  Think about that for a second, if Bing is hugely successful they'd have to knock of Yahoo and YouTube before Google even blinks.
3. You can look at the rest of the sites on the list, but they are so small it really doesn't matter much but they are interesting.  For example, eBay and AOL losing share and Facebook is growing quickly probably driven by their huge growth. 

Yes Bing is an exciting product.  Yes Microsoft is spending $100 million in advertising to boost their search but right now all they have generated is a little buzz and some excitement.  I haven't noticed a blip in the amount of paid search advertising that I've run for clients and I've tried.  I also doubt Google has noticed a blip in their search activity.  In fact, I bet Google is more concerned with expanded search and in that case, Google is STILL growing.  Microsoft isn't even close right now.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

XM Radio Save Program Needs Help

I've been a big fan of XM Radio ever since my Acura came with satellite radio.  XM was a life saver when I would drive to and from Jersey City when I was a managing director at Harrisdirect.  I'd listen to ESPN, Comedy Channel, CNN, and all the different music stations.  Some times the comedy channel was the only thing that kept me going while I was sitting in traffic on the Pulaski Skyway.  When I started my home based business, I added a second radio in my office so I could listen to news, sports, and of course Springsteen once XM merged with Sirius.  

That worked great until about a month ago.  Instead of using some cash in the stock market or leave it in a bank to earn nothing per month, we built this great extension on the house which is now my office. Unfortunately I can no longer get a signal in my office because it is on the North Side of the house and the Southern part of the room is an interior wall.

So I logged on to my XM account but got nowhere with the help menus.  Next I called into listener care which could do nothing to solve my problem, so sadly the only thing I could do was cancel my service since luckily for me, it was a little before my annual renewal.  I had no issues with their customer care, they were professional and courtesy but they couldn't do anything with my signal problem.

However, I started to get bombarded with what I'm assuming is their save program.  Now I love save programs, especially integrated direct mail, internet campaigns.  I also think their approach for customers that left for other reasons would be quite reasonable, but don't they know I can't access their service?  Why don't they know I called in to their listener care and they tried to help me but couldn't.  Is it too much to ask to use data to segment out their list to people that left because they could no longer get a signal.  And, why don't they know I'M ACTUALLY STILL A CUSTOMER WITH MY PRIMARY CAR RADIO STILL ACTIVE?

Why send me this smoking great offer?  If you want me back why don't you send me emails with a different product, some kind of booster, or something that actually addresses the reason I left?  Why don't they recognize I was a multi-unit customer with my other radio still active?  Shouldn't that clue XM in that it really was a move of the equipment and not the price?  I don't think that is too much to ask using modern targeting techniques.

XM, I still love you.  Please turn off the email and direct mail campaigns and save those dollars for a real save.  If you have a non-price solution for me, I'd be happy to turn the radio back on.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

Google's Content Network Just Got Better

With the early morning announcement that DoubleClick's Ad Exchange Network is now available in Google's Content Network, you should be very excited.  Now there are even more sites involved and based on my experience with DoubleClick's network, I'd assume that there are some new high quality sites.

What this means for you is that if you were running a Google Surge, you should now go back and ask your Google Reps for an updated site list.  If you had been using Google for placement targeting against certain demographics you should now go update that list.

I'm thrilled.  This gives you more reasons to shift dollars to Google where you get good placements with great targeting and reporting, all with competitive prices via at worst a credit card where you get maximum flexibility.  This already makes a great product, even better.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

Fight The Smears versus The Birthers

(Just a fair warning  - I AM NOT A BIRTHER)

The other day while working on an online advertising campaign for one of our clients I came across the following text ad from FightTheSmears.com.  It's obviously an ad trying to debunk the theories that President Obama is not a US citizen.  However, I found this ad interesting on a number of fronts...

1. It is September 2009 which is almost a full three years before President Obama's reelection.
2. I found another ad in Google's Content Targeting network which suggests either a tactic to massively expand out the campaign and/or garner dirt cheat impressions.  Notice I wrote impressions and not clicks.  Text ads in Google's Content Network woefully under-perform and I always recommend to not waste your time with them.
3. They are also running paid search ads to intercept people looking for this information, but what I find very fascinating is that the Google Search Trends on this topic is slowing down and appears to be limited to a few states in the South and West.
4. The actual text ad I grabbed was an in-text video overlay on top of a YouTube video about a California Small Business Owner ripping into her Congressmen at a Town Hall Meeting on Obama Care.  It takes a little more effort to put this ad inro your AdWords system so clearly this is something they wanted to do.

Is the Obama Administration really that concerned about the birther theories that they will run ads almost 3 years before a massive amount of people will care again?  If you ran the trends back to fall 2008 you'll see that the peak was really October 2008 which of course was right before the election.  However, they are spending time, energy, and money to really blast this message out via Google's Content Network and YouTube.  The in-text video overlay clearly shows that they are ok with a very loose targeting and even though it is really out of context (ObamaCare versus Obama's Birth Certificate) they are getting an impression view of the message.  

Then again there is always the flip side that could be happening.  That's is since the Trends are slowing and it appears that most of the significant traffic is from the South and West, wouldn't they be better off just leaving this alone?  Aren't they potentially fueling the fire by keeping this alive and being defensive?  Heck even risking that the impressions that are being served will leave the reverse message in the viewers mind since the ad isn't really in the right context?

BTW  -  just to drive you readers crazy, is it possible that Obama is ok with the wrong message? Perhaps they think that by keeping it out there that they are making the extreme right side of the Republican base seem a little crazier than normal.  Perhaps by responding in this matter they can keep the issue alive, driving a wedge between potential independent voters who may not want to be associated with birthers?

Unless Obama has data for my last theory, at this point I'd recommend shutting this campaign down.  It really makes them look defensive on an issue that has lost steam.  Then again, I wouldn't be surprised that they have polling data to support my last theory.  At any rate, it is clear that the Obama Administration will be a never ending campaign and unlike past administrations the next election will always be front and center.  That's certainly a change from the past.  

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

Thanks to Beatles Rock Band for Wii - We are Listening to Beatles 24-7

September 9, 2009 I rushed out at lunch time and picked up Beatles Rock Band for our Wii.  Now the kids were always remotely interested in the Beatles but as you know, we are Springsteen fans (even when I complain about him) so The Beatles were not in rotation.  Lately because of Rock Band I find myself giving my kids copies of the Who Singles, dusting off my Boston CDs, and numerous other classic rock bands.  None of that compares to the impact of Beatles Rock Band.

The kids have literally had me repurchase long sold Beatles CDs. You see back in College my freshmen  year girlfriend was a big Beatles fan so I had almost every CD.  When we broke up I got rid of every one except Abbey Road by selling them to my old favorite record store, Cheap Thrills in New Brunswick (remember record stores?).  I didn't really have a Beatles itch for like 20 years even though while growing up they were everywhere - I guess I got burned out (literally) on them during College.  Then during New Year's eve (12/31/08) we spent the night listening to the fake Beatles Band in Epcot and the itch started to come back, but still it was under control.  That was until Jake and Kaela.

The kids practically melted Abbey Road, so then I ordered my favorites back from Amazon - Sgt Pepper's, Rubber Soul, Help, Magical Mystery Tour, White, and Revolver.  I ripped my favorites to my iPhone and started listening again but the Beatles were not in heavy rotation.  That is until this week - 9/9/09 to be exact.

Beatles Rock Band is brilliant.  Instead of you starting your band, you play the Beatles through the years in different venues with hidden easter eggs along the way. Plus instead of just unlocking songs you also unlock pictures with detailed explanations and embedded videos (like The Beatles Christmas Messages)  These simple changes do a few things all driven by curious little kids...

1. Where did the Beatles start?
2. Who's the guy with the glasses?
3. Why did the Beatles stop touring?
4. Why did the Beatles break up...

Etc.  24/7 Beatles.  It is so bad, that I bought Yellow Submarine remastered and the Beatles Past Masters on Saturday.  Kaela has Sgt Pepper's in her room and Jake still has Abbey Road in his room.  I went to today's Giants game and we listened to Past Masters Volumes 1 and 2 as well as Rubber Soul (round trip = 90 minutes).  Jacob and I got home and we played about 6 songs on Rock Band (BTW -  I do a killer I am The Walrus) until about 10:30 PM.  Mary asked me to find out when McCartney is touring again so I signed up for his newsletter.  Plus more...

24/7 Beatles introduced to kids by parents that stopped listening to them 20 years ago?  Not only did they get the $55 from the game, but probably $100+ in CDs and a potential 4-pack in tickets and Beatles gifts.  If you are say a classic rock band like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with an aging fan base, you can instantly reignite your catalog by hooking up with Rock Band - between it and iTunes you can get younger....Amazing....Led Zep next?

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

September 11 Memories

***This is a repost from 3 years ago. ***

I thought my post from the other day would be enough for me, but with my kids asking questions while we are watching the football game I feel like making a post.  Instead of the normal paragraph form, I'm just going to list out random thoughts that I'm having...

• No I never worked in the WTC and in fact the first time I even ventured into the Path Station was probably in the mid-90s
• No I didn't know anyone that was there that day
• When I joined CSFBdirect and had my office "downsized" I chose a cube by the window because at least when my AT&T friends called me I could say I had the greatest view in the world
• WTC became my beacon when I finally came out of the covered roadway after being stuck in traffic on my way to the Holland Tunnel
• I absolutely loved heading over to WTC during lunch to browse the Border's Book Store
• For some reason, I still carry a Hale and Hearty Soup frequent buyer card in my wallet, punched last on 9/7 at the kiosk that used to be in front of the Path
• I was supposed to have a meeting the morning of 9/11 in AOL's lower Manhattan offices that was canceled the day before - I still keep the copy of my calendar from that week
• We used to go for drinks in Moran's some times after work even though it had over priced drinks
• My last time through (9/7) I was in a hurry and didn't stop by the Warner Brother's Store to pick my son up a stuffed Bugs Bunny; 5 years later I don't let time get in the way any more
• My wife had a doctor's visit to determine whether she was pregnant (which she was); that still creeps me out when you hear about all of the people that didn't know they were pregnant that day and lost someone
• My last normal time in NYC was watching the ladies US Open Final between the Williams sisters on 9/9; I haven't watched tennis live since then
• It helped me to write down what little things changed that day so I could remember what it was like before 9/11

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

Twitter and Spam

Every day I get a couple of new ads to my Twitter followers which I'm thankful for; I kind of wish I had more,  but it is what it is.  What I find increasingly annoying is the lack of information Twitter provides you in the notification email.  All we really get to see is are who they are and what their follower profile is which is kind of useless.  Why not grab the last 5 Tweets, the website URL, and the bio?  Seems so easy to do.  I get the thought process of driving traffic, but does Twitter really need the short, likely quickly abandoned click generated from this email?

Perhaps you think I'm being picky but for little cost and design impact, including that in the Twitter user experience would be more helpful.  And, it will cut down on the spammers who are looking to drive traffic to the page while boosting the legitimate marketers who would be happy to get quality followers.  Seems like a no-brainer to me  - help the legitimate folks and marketers, increase usability, and cut down on the spammers.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

P.S. I did follow the above Twitter account.

How to Run Advertising in Google's Content Network

Those of you who have been reading this site for the past years know how much I love Google for marketing. Even during the campaign season I was a huge proponent of Google especially Google's Content Targeting for branding and messaging.  Occasionally during the Presidential Campaign we'd hit a home-run like the ads we ran for McCain against Obama meeting with Iran's President Ahmadinejah but for the most part Google's Content network was good for getting dirt cheap impressions as well as dirt cheap cost per video view; during the primary season we enjoyed a 7 cents cost per video playrate - beat that TV!  Plus, there's always the use of Google Surge for blasting out ads in a geographic area.

Anyway, I think Google must have made some changes to their targeting  in the content network because as of late I'm seeing marvelous results.  Here's why I'm loving Google's Content Targeting and I'm using my own small marketing campaign to try and rent some space in my Union NJ office.

• Paid Search Can Be Super Expensive - I'm targeting a 25 mile radius around Union, NJ which would include NYC.  The paid search per click rate just to get on the first page is north of $2.00 for the most part and before you jump all over me, I'm talking about a quality score of 7+ in my ad groups; rental real estate is just competitive and with big players. I have to run it, but I'm not happy because it is my own money.
• Building Banner Ads - I don't recommend running text ads in Google's content network because I   believe there is little brand value and you are typically in a 300x250 ad unit with two other advertisers.  So you are probably saying, Eric - I can't make flash ads or Eric - I dont want to pay my agency to build them.  Well don't worry because Google has tools to build your own ads - all you need is a click thru URL, some ideas, as well as an image or two and then go through their library looking for the creative you like.  Make you changes, Google resizes them for you (please evaluate all sizes) and bingo you have a flash ad for FREE.  Here's what one of mine looks like.
• Setting Up Content Ad Groups - I recommend smaller keywords in your ad groups to get maximum exposure.  It also seems to help with the targeting engine as long as the words in the group relate to each other
• Top 3 Position Only - I usually start cost per clicks in the 30 cents range and let it run for a day or two.  Then I adjust the bids to make sure I am in the top 3.  In my example, my actual cost per click is 57 cents with an average position of 2.3.  In search my average cost per click is $1.59 with an average position of 6.8; that's a 64% savings for the same amount of clicks.  
• Site Targeting - once I get going I like to add in actual website addresses so I make sure my ads appear.  I can use the Content Targeting Site Selector tool or Google's Ad Planner which is a personal favorite of mine (did I mention this is free?) to find sites.
• Demotargeting - you can also further segment your marketing using simple demographic targets like age, gender, income, education, and a few other.  Again this is FREE.
• Optimize and Track

Seriously - cheaper rates, free impressions, ability to create your own flash ads for free, add in geotargeting and demotargeting for free, plus a media planning tool that most companies pay $10K per month means that Google's Content Network is a must use for advertisers, especially small advertisers.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

Google Becomes Bing Only on Chrome?

I went on this morning to research a new client for a meeting I have later on this morning.  I typed in the keyword "energy drink" and low and behold the search results in Google are now very Bing like.  I was surprised to see the new left hand margin this morning which now includes the ability to filter based on time (much welcome) and related searches.  See this screen shot:

It didn't take Google very long to launch a competitive view similar to Bing which either means they have great spies at MSN or their engineers work at lightning speed.  On other searches, Google now includes a section called "All Results" which tries to further refine your search results.  The one thing I'm still waiting for from Google is search previews on the natural search results which I've read somewhere they are testing.

Also of interest is that I tried the same search with Internet Explorer and Firefox and I DID NOT see the same type of new search results.  It seems to be only available with Google's browser Chrome and of course I'm not sure if Google is just testing it out now.

So, for you Chrome users enjoy the new search layout.  If you are an AdWords advertiser you should start thinking about how to reorganize your search to make sure you are buying the "related search" terms for your best performing words.  That's what I'm instructing people to start working on today.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric