| Technology Marketing Blog with the latest news and happenings at TMC and TMCnet

April 2009

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Another reason for organic SEO: Click Fraud

April 27, 2009

The good news: Click fraud is down.

The bad news: Click fraud is still prevalent.  
http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090427/FREE/904279993/1078/newsletter011

According to Click Forensics, in an article published by BtoB Online, click fraud rate for the 1st quarter of this year is at 13.8%.   That means nearly 14% of paid search ad commissions wind up in the pockets of crooks.

OK, so maybe you're not shedding any tears for Google losing some bucks.  However, this is another reason to get away from paid search ads and invest in organic search engine results.

Lorna Lyle

Google Sees Wisdom of Content-Related Advertising

April 22, 2009

A recent whitepaper published by Google points out that advertisers in their content network "are likely to be as or more cost-effective than ads on the search network."  Slightly more than half of the 25,000 global accounts in a study concluded in November 2008 experienced a lower "Cost Per Acquisition" using Google's Content Network versus their ads in SERPs.

Why do I bring this to your attention?  Because it parallels one of the elements of the success of TMC's global online communities and channels.  Owners of these portals have their marketing messages surrounding relevant content (updated news, feature articles, videos and more).  These marketing messages perform better because they build brand identity and position the portal's owner as an information source.

Compared to pay-per-click advertising, which puts companies at the mercy of Google's amorphous bidding-war pricing structure, GOC and Channel owners on TMCnet pay a fixed rate, regardless of the amount of traffic.  They get clicks from visitors who are genuinely interested in content that's tied into their market segment.

What is Google's reason for publishing this whitepaper?  Probably to persuade their search-only advertisers to move to their higher-priced Content Network ad program.  Hmmm ... more bucks for each bang?









The Station Car of the Future

April 22, 2009

I was watching the Today Show this morning and they unveiled the ultimate green station car. The Peapod from Chrysler is an electronic car that runs 30 miles on a 6 hour charge. It uses no gas and produces no carbon. They estimate it costs 2 cents per mile. With a maximum speed of 25 MPH, it is purposed for around town errands making this the perfect station car.     
  While Peapod is taking advantage of Earth Day to announce and promote their ultimate Green machine, Ford is hitting the road with an online marketing blitz to hype its new subcompact, the Fiesta.  They have given away 100 cars to social-networking "experts" for six months who will be using Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social online media to spread the word on their experience behind the wheel of the Fiesta.  It should be interesting to monitor the success of their new age marketing initiative, the Fiesta Movement.  

For other Earth Day news, visit green.tmcnet.com.

Jan Pierret




Advertising Price versus Value

April 8, 2009

Here is an excellent article from MediaPost's Online Spin that describes why emphasizing value over price in your advertising is better for long-term success.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=103688

Lorna Lyle