March 31, 2005
That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles
Kevin wrote last week in ClickZ about how a recent trend of users deleting cookies--39% according to a Jupiter Report--threatens SEM and online advertising agencies because it stands to destroy current tracking methods.
Kevin wants to know how to save the cookie. I have another answer: Go after the anti-spyware programs. Many don't diffrentiate between actual spyware and tracking cookies--which often serve a useful purpose for users. I tested the three major anti-spyware, Yahoo!'s Pest Patrol, Adaware and Spybot, to see which SEMs and online agencies were really in danger. Here is what I found:
| Agency |
Yahoo/Pest Patrol |
Adaware SE |
Spybot |
| 2o7.net |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Advertising.com |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Atlas |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
| Ave A / Razorfish |
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
| Bfast |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Casal Media |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| CJ |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Did-it |
No |
No |
No |
| DigitalGrit |
No |
No |
No |
| Doubleclick |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Edge.ru4 |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| FastClick |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| iCrossing |
No |
No |
No |
| InsightExpress |
No |
No |
No |
| KeywordMax |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
| KeywordRanking |
No |
No |
No |
| MediaPlex |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Overture |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Performics |
No |
No |
No |
| RealMedia |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| TribalFusion |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| ValueClick |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
|
|
What needs to happen for the at-risk agencies is for them to actively court the anti-spyware programs and convince them that they are not placing malicious cookies. These programs also have a huge influence over people's behavior when it comes to safety (If cookies didn't seem so evil, users wouldn't clear as often)
Kevin says to woo the people. You have to woo the leaders too.
Posted by eli at 07:27 PM | Comments (1)
March 04, 2005
SES NYC Thoughts: SNAP might be on to something
Spoke with new search engine SNAP at SES expecting to be thoroughly unimpressed. But it turns out, they have something good in the works.
SNAP is aiming to combine an SEM advertising program with an affiliate program. Basically, you will pay per conversion instead of per click. It combines the rick-free approach of letting affiliates do your PPC, with the control and branding abilities of doing your own.
I hope it works for SNAP. I'm going to try it out and report back.
Posted by eli at 03:44 PM | Comments (1413)
Google Maps Update!
Looks like they integrated it--and it look great.
Do a search for an address in Google, and you get offered Google Maps, Mapquest or Yahoo! Maps, with the default being Google Maps.
A Google Map also appears in local search.
Barry from RustyBrick (who I went to high school with) is concerned with the URL displayed for local search/map results and that the info presented is sometimes out-of-date.
I think the important thing to remember here is that Google is a search engine, local a yellow pages directory. The URL presented is just one of the many sources used to find something at a certain location. Google Inc may be found through digitalpoint.com, just as I am found at Did-it.com via eMediaWire.com. And because the address info is taken from these source sites, if they are out-of-date, Google will be out of date.
Posted by eli at 03:25 PM | Comments (0)
February 10, 2005
Google Maps Go Beta!
It's about time. Google has long shown maps from Mapquest and Yahoo! (a competitor) in order to offer searchers integration that includes maps and directions. It's quite a sacrifice to send users to a competitor's page just to keep them happy--but's that Google for you.
Now Google has its own Maps technology, and like everything Google has done recently, it looks great. The maps, provided by NAVTEQ and TeleAtlas, are the clearest available online yet. I especially like the whole pseudo-3d, shadow effect stuff.
Google does do things differently, though. Because the maps are meant to integrated into the search bar (eventually--Google is still using Yahoo and MapQuest now), Google provides one line to enter a full address, instead of separate spots for address, city, state and zip code. That means even for driving directions, you will have to enter "200 west 60th st, 10023 to orlando, florida" to get directions.
Also: Google has integrated the maps with local search, which means you can expect to soon see ads there. It also makes map search smart--powered by Google's local search index. Which means a search for "feldblum, ny" finds Did-it.com. Impressive, no?
I'm hoping to see Google integrate this with Keyhole, the sattelite imaging company they purchased. Not because it would be so helpful, just because it would be cool. And Google is a company that understands the value of cool.
It's in beta so there are still some kinks. Some boxes (the map is divided in sections) don't show in Firefox. And it can't find Google headquarters in NY...
EDIT: Looks like the look/feel came from Map24
Posted by eli at 06:11 PM | Comments (3)
February 02, 2005
Welcome.
Thanks for stopping by! This is the place where I can keep our readers up-to-date on issues in the Pay Per Click space. I look forward to these discussions with you and hope you respond in kind by letting us know what you think via our commenting system.
Eli Feldblum
Pay Per Click Analyst
Posted by ppca at 04:05 PM | Comments (1)
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