Search Enginuity

Ask Launches Digg-style News Service

February 6th, 2008

There have been rumors for a couple of weeks that IAC has been looking to hire people for a new ‘content’ project launching in the near future. This likely isn’t it but Ask has launched a Digg-style news portal called Ask Big News.

It’s clearly an attempt to combine Techmeme with Digg (I doubt there’s even a relationship with Digg beyond implementation of Digg’s API tools) to present their Moreover feeds in a unique manner. There’s minimal value but at least their not forcing a login to Digg/Track stories.

More coverage at the Silicon Alley Insider and Techcrunch.

Update: Not to be outdone, Google has announced new local features to Google news.

Posted by Clay

Filed in Search Engine Industry News

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Three Tips For An Effective Super Bowl Search Marketing Campaign

February 1st, 2008

The Super Bowl is always a fun time of year for search marketing. It’s one of the few times where offline advertising’s effect on search engines is so clearly illustrated. It’s also one of the few times where you can anticipate and take advantage of spikes in unique search queries (unique search queries = no competition = cheap traffic = low cost conversions = lunch on your boss). Millions of people do super bowl queries relating to the game, the advertisements, and the products/services pitched. You don’t have to spend millions to benefit from the massive audience. Here are three tips for an effective Super Bowl search marketing campaign:

1. Research your competitors: If your competitors are running ads on the game try to uncover their spots (agencies love showing off their work to the press) to anticipate search queries. The ad’s primary messaging and brand taglines are often used as search queries. Even if your direct competitors aren’t advertising there may be other advertisers looking to attract your target market. Don’t forget to add negative keywords when building your keyword list.

2. Develop unique creatives: Always think in terms of the consumer. Develop creatives that touch on their initial search query and reinforce your brand’s value proposition vis-a-vis the competition.

3. Implement short-term bid strategies: You know there will be spikes on your competitors search queries so plan to own the first position by raising bids on competitor keywords. Your extensive keyword research uncovering unique and cheap super bowl queries will balance out the expensive clicks.

To illustrate with a real world example, the Wall Street Journal covered a campaign we ran last year during the Super Bowl:

“Search engines created the blueprint, allowing companies to bid on an adversary’s trademarked search terms. A recent search for “Taco Bell” on Google, for example, revealed a sponsored link advertising Wendy’s new steakhouse double melt sandwich. Monster Worldwide Inc.’s employment Web site Monster.com bought search words related to its rival CareerBuilder.com, an online job site owned by Gannett Co., Tribune Co., McClatchy Co. and Microsoft Corp., after last year’s Super Bowl, when CareerBuilder ran TV ads showing monkeys working in an office. But anyone searching online for CareerBuilder related-terms saw an ad with the headline “Don’t Monkey Around” that took visitors to Monster.com…” (Wall Street Journal)

iMedia Connection also covered it:

“By contrast, CareerBuilder, which finished mid-pack in the rankings, squandered opportunities to capitalize on its popular animal-themed TV spots by not securing visibility for obvious terms like “monkey commercial.” Instead, competitor Monster.com bought those keywords on Google, siphoning off traffic that could have gone to CareerBuilder, the brand identified with monkey business.” (iMedia Connection)

When CareerBuilder ran their monkey ads we were prepared with a number of unique creatives. Visitors who searched for ‘Career Builder’ or ‘Monkey Commercial’ would have only seen these ads on Google:

Bidding on competitor keywords is fair game and if your competitors are advertising on the Big Game you’d be crazy not to take advantage of that opportunity. Mix a little competitor research with some keyword research and top it off with a little creativity and you’ll engage the customers your competitors paid millions to attract.

Note: When it’s all said and done check out Reprise Media’s Annual Super Bowl Search Scorecard.

Posted by Clay

Filed in Best Practices: Paid Search Marketing