So far, from our experience, Google has proven to be far and away, the best PPC advertising engine. There are a number of reasons why I feel this way, not the least of which is that Google seems to consistently deliver a better ROI on client’s online ad dollars spent. Secondly, Google’s administrative interface is more user friendly and conducive to reporting and campaign updating. Last, but not least, Google introduces new innovations faster than Yahoo or anyone else, including CPC Banner Advertising and Site Targeting.
Site targeting allows advertisers to bid on a CPM basis to have their banners show up on websites within the Google Ad Network. You can target your banners to show up on specific sites, by demographics such as income and gender, or by category, such as finance or technology sites. I like that Google estimates how many impressions per day each site’s banner inventory offers, so that advertisers can choose based on their goals.
Blueliner has recently setup several clients with site targeting, and although it’s too early to gage results, I am cautiously optimistic that, if monitored closely, we can attain a better ROI utilizing site targeting via Google than we may be able to achieve advertising with traditional online ad networks. True to our ROI marketing philosophy, we will be testing - testing - testing - in order to determine where future dollars should flow.
The fact that Google is starting to offer more options, combined with its rapidly broadening network, makes it hard to deny that they are the best place to start an online advertising campaign right now. By no means am I denying other PPC and online ad networks, not to mention other potentially effective Internet Marketing strategies such as email and affiliate marketing. I am just confirming that Google is an innovator in the online advertising space, that is constantly changing the game and rewriting the rules. Their products, because they set the bar and create so much transparency around marketing ROI, put pressure on agencies, ad networks, portal competitors and associated vendors to get in shape and prove their value.
I’ll report back on the effectiveness of Google’s Site Targeting in about a month.