More partner site examples from the Google content network

Our advertisers have often asked: 'What kinds of web sites make up the Google content network?'

To help answer this question, we just re-launched the Partners page on the Google content network microsite to include a more comprehensive set of examples of where your ads can appear. After all, the content network is comprised of hundreds of thousands of web sites, from information and news sites like About.com and the New York Times, to blogs like Ask the Builder. And while it's not possible to individually name all the sites in the content network, the revamped Partners page is meant to better demonstrate the variety of sites available. Below are some features of the new Partners page:

• Sites are organized by category. This will help you browse sites by categories that represent your target audience, such as Finance, News, Entertainment, Technology, etc. For example, if you sell herbal teas, you might browse through the Health & Fitness or Home & Garden categories to see examples of related sites. Or, if your target demographic is female, you can try the Women's Interest category.

• Once you find a site that's relevant to your product or service, you can use placement targeting to target your ads to that site directly. We recommend you use the Placement Tool to determine whether a specific site is available for targeting, and to identify other relevant placements to target. Further, if your campaign is already running on the content network, you can see the sites where your ad has appeared by running a Placement performance report.

• For those of you targeting users in other countries, a drop-down menu lets you browse partner sites in countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

(Click on the image for a full size version)

So while the simple question "Where will my ads appear?" may not be the simplest to answer, we hope the new Partners page will help you better understand the variety of sites available to you to help you meet your advertising objectives on the content network.

Posted by Emel Mutlu, Inside AdWords crew

Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 10:00 AM

Introducing the Google Marketer's Playbook

Are you interested in reaching your target audience through offline advertising, while also driving online searches and boosting ROI? If so, you can get help from experts at the Google Marketer's Playbook talks at upcoming ad:tech digital marketing conferences.

The Google Marketer's Playbook is a new series of educational talks where our experts discuss strategies for making the most of AdWords and other Google products helpful to advertisers such as Google Analytics and YouTube. Topics include optimization strategy, measurement and tracking, and increasing reach.

These sessions will be held at the 2008 ad:tech Miami, Chicago, and New York shows starting June 3rd and are open to all exhibit hall pass holders. To obtain a free exhibit hall pass to the event of your choice, visit www.ad-tech.com and click on the 'register' link next to the show you will be attending. Following the talks, attendees will be able to participate in the live Q&A sessions with the experts.

The Google Marketer's Playbook at ad:tech San Francisco has already passed, but you can watch recordings of the sessions in this YouTube playlist. These videos are also live on the Google Business Channel which contains even more presentations and webinars about Google's business products and advertising solutions.

Posted by Christian Yee, Inside AdWords crew

Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 5:28 PM

AdWords system maintenance on May 17th

On Saturday, May 17th, the AdWords system will be unavailable from approximately 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PDT due to scheduled maintenance. While you won't be able to sign in to your accounts during this time, your campaigns will continue to run as usual.

AdWords system maintenance typically occurs on the second Saturday of each month during the above times -- with this month being an exception to that rule, as previously noted in our April maintenance update.

We'll continue to update you via the blog as we always have, but you may want to take note of our intended dates and times to help you plan for any scheduled downtimes further down the road.

Posted by Trevor Claiborne, Inside AdWords crew

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 11:21 AM

Landing page load time now available on the Keyword Analysis Page

In early March, we announced that we'd soon incorporate an additional factor into Quality Score, namely landing page load time -- where load time is defined as the amount of time it takes for a user to see the landing page after clicking an ad. Now, we'd like to post with an update.

Starting today, load time evaluations will be displayed on the Keyword Analysis page, for your review. We suggest taking some time to evaluate and understand this information because, starting mid-June, landing page load time will be incorporated into your Quality Score.

Once you've had the chance to review and evaluate this information, you may wish to make changes to improve your landing page load time. People who click your ads may well thank you for it, by becoming your satisfied customer.

To learn more about load time and landing page quality, please see this article in the AdWords Help Center.

Posted by Blake Wharton, Inside AdWords crew

Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 12:35 PM

More Analytics Seminars coming your way

Based on the positive response to our new Analytics Seminars for Success, we've added 6 additional sessions in Boston, Chicago, and Orlando. Industry experts will teach you how to use and apply Analytics knowledge to make smarter marketing decisions.

Sign up seven days before the seminar date and we'll even throw in a $50 AdWords advertising credit. (View the terms and conditions of advertising credits.) You'll find more information about these seminars, including dates, locations, course outlines and registration instructions, at http://www.google.com/awseminars.

And of course, if you'd like to be informed when AdWords and Analytics Seminars become available in your area, simply fill out this form.

Posted by Vivian Leung, Inside AdWords crew

Additional TV Ads webinar now available for sign up

Due to overwhelming demand for the Google TV Ads webinar, we've added an additional session. If you're interested in learning more about Google TV Ads, we'll be hosting another free webinar next week.

Our online webinars are led by AdWords and TV advertising specialists and cover tips on how Google TV Ads can help drive more web traffic and increase your sales volume, turning TV viewers into your customers.

The 1-hour webinar is being held on Tuesday, May 13th at 10am PDT. Please visit the sign-up page to register.

Posted by Trevor Claiborne, Inside AdWords crew

Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 2:21 PM

Tips on converting last-minute Mother's Day shoppers to customers

Mother's Day is only 5 days away! And this holiday is surely no exception to the rule that many shoppers procrastinate. Below are some tips to capture a bigger share of the 'late-shopper pie' -- both on Mother's Day this year, and next!

• Create ad groups containing keywords and ad text geared specifically toward Mother's Day, with keywords like 'mother's day gifts' and 'mother's day gift ideas'. You can then pause this ad group and re-use it with minor tweaks next year. You can find detailed suggestions on creating effective keyword lists in our Keyword Basics and Beyond Keyword Basics blog posts.

• Write compelling ad text that features the products you offer on your web site. This invites shoppers interested in those products to click through, and prevents clicks from shoppers who aren't interested. You might also find our previous post on ad text optimization helpful.

• Highlight gift cards as an alternative. This year, almost 40% of shoppers will buy a gift certificate for mom.* If you offer gift cards, highlight them as another option to last-minute shoppers, as gift cards are delivered more quickly than standard packages.

• Extend shipping deadlines. You can convert more last-minute shoppers into customers by offering delivery options, such as overnight delivery, and free or discounted shipping. Also, it's important to clearly inform buyers of delivery deadlines on your home page as well as on specific product pages.

• If you offer gift wrapping, highlight this option along with shipping directly to the recipient.

• Many last-minute shoppers turn to the Internet, but are hesitant to use their credit card on websites. Cater to these shoppers by offering other payment options, like Google Checkout.
  

As you read this, late shoppers are busy searching for the perfect last-minute gift to buy mom. This is your opportunity to persuade them to buy from you.

* National Retail Federation 2008 Mother’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey (PDF)

Posted by Emel Mutlu, Inside AdWords crew

Audio, and Video, and Print, oh my!

Google AdWords has come a long way since its launch in 2000 -- gone are the days of only serving simple text ads on search results and various pages across the Internet. Over the years, we've introduced a number of creative formats for advertising online, and now you can even use your AdWords account to create campaigns that will reach customers when they aren't online.

Here's a quick overview of all the AdWords ad types available:

Online

Text ads: When displayed on Google, text ads are four lines of text: a title (25 characters), two lines of ad text (35 characters each), and a URL line. The format of text ads on partner sites may differ. For example, your ad text may appear on a single line, or it may look like the ads on this page.

Image ads: Appearing on select content sites in the Google network, images ads are just that -- graphical AdWords ads. Unlike traditional online graphical ads, image ads can be matched to a page's content. See examples of image ads and placement options.

Video ads: Like image ads, video ads appear on content sites in the Google network, but are user-initiated. That means a user must click "play" to watch your ad. Think of video ads as a type of commercial on the Internet. Watch examples of video ads.

Mobile ads: Available as text or image ads, mobile ads appear on mobile websites, and direct users to your mobile website. Mobile text ads can also appear when users search Google from a mobile device. If you'd like to run mobile ads, you'll need a mobile website. Learn more about where mobile ads are available.

Offline

TV ads: That's right -- TV ads! Through your AdWords account, you can launch a television campaign in minutes. Google TV Ads is available to advertisers located in the United States, billed in U.S. dollars. Watch a demo to learn more.

Print ads: Place your ads in newspapers across the United States. In fact, you can choose from more than 750 newspapers, and set a price that matches your budget. Learn how other advertisers have used Print Ads by reading our success stories. Google Print Ads is available to advertisers located in the United States, billed on credit card postpay.

Audio ads: Broadcast you message on over 1,600 radio stations across the U.S. Audio ads are just like traditional radio commercials, but they're easier to buy and manage. Google Audio Ads are available to advertisers located in the United States, billed on credit card postpay. Listen to examples of audio ads, all of which were created using the Google Ad Creation Marketplace.

We invite you to experiment with the various ad formats available -- advertisers often find that offline ad formats are a great complement to their online campaigns, helping them reach new customers. You can find more information about each ad type in the help center.

Posted by Heather Lane, Inside AdWords crew

Friday, May 02, 2008 at 1:24 PM

Place ads on television with Google TV Ads

We'd like to introduce Google TV Ads, a flexible, all-digital system for easily and efficiently buying more accountable and measurable TV advertising. The program, which has been an invitation-only beta test since June 2007, is now available to all US-based advertisers.

Television is a great way to reach new customers who might not be familiar with your product or service. Research shows that 37% of online search users were prompted to perform a search as a result of exposure to television advertising.* Now, you can launch a national television ad campaign right from your existing AdWords account.

How does it work?
First, you'll need a TV commercial. If you don't have one yet, check out Google's Ad Creation Marketplace, where you can connect with industry professionals who provide script writing, editing, production, and voice-over talent at an affordable package cost. It's free to search for specialists and send them requests for project bids, and you aren't under any obligation to work with them until you accept a bid. To celebrate our launch, for a limited time Google will cover the cost of creating your TV ad through our Ad Creation Marketplace, up to $2,000. Learn more about this special offer.

Next, you're ready to create your campaign. You can choose the networks and dayparts on which you'd like your ad to run. If you're looking for guidance on how to best reach your target audience, TV Ads offers recommendations based on audience demographics, or you can request a free customized campaign proposal. You can also run your ads during specific television programs that are relevant to your product or service. If you search for program content such as "home improvement," TV Ads suggests programs based on matches with the title, program description, cast, genre, episode information and networks.

With Google TV Ads' auction model, you choose the maximum cost-per-thousand impressions that you're willing to pay, and only pay when your ad airs.

Ready to learn more?
We'll be holding online webinars led by AdWords and TV advertising specialists covering tips on how Google TV Ads can help drive more web traffic and increase your sales volume, turning TV viewers into your customers. Sign up here for the upcoming webinar.

You can also read about how other advertisers are finding success with Google TV Ads, and check out our product demo to learn how to create a campaign step-by-step. Click on the image below to be taken to the demo.

(click the image to go to the demo)

* iProspect Offline Channel Influence on Online Search Behavior, August 2007 (PDF)

Posted by Christian Yee, Inside AdWords crew

Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 5:16 PM

Tips on online safety and preventing phishing

At Google, we're committed to the online safety and security of our advertisers and users. Recently, Google's Security Team has put together a list of tips on our Official Google Blog regarding phishing and how you can protect yourself and your sensitive information online. We encourage you to read the post, and feel free to contact the AdWords Support Team if you have any questions.

Posted by Vivian Leung, Inside AdWords crew