October 2011, Google launched Google Boost in order to tackle the SME advertising market. Easy Adwords service It is of course not the first try from Google at this, if you remember previous Jumpstart, GBBO and current Adwords Vouchers up to 500€uro.
So what is Google Boost?
Google Boost is a network of automated and simplified paid search listings. The sponsored links appear on Google.com (and search partners network), Google maps in the sponsored links sections and mobile phones. Ad campaigns will be triggered when the right combination of vertical keyword (e.g., “pub”) and location keyword (e.g., “Dublin”) is met.
The ad copies contain basic information such as:
the location information - address, business name and phone number
customer targeted data - a.k.a. the description line where the advertiser promotes its business
star ratings
number of reviews received
and a special Google Maps marker
This is a very aggressive move by Google combining various products to tackle the local search market as well as the SME market:
Google Local Business Centre / Google Boost
Google Hotbot - Google's rating and reviews solution
Google Tags - add photos, videos, coupons, menus to the business listings
This also now means that the first organic result will now fall ''below the fold'', a.k.a ''below the scroll'' by online strategists and marketers.
Let's sit back for now and watch how those do in the USA for now.
Reports from Statcounter indicate that in December 2010, Firefox took 38.1 per cent of the European market, while Internet Explorer's share fell to 37.5 per cent.
Google's Chrome saw its market share increase to 14.6 per cent.
Aodhan Cullen, StatCounter’s chief executive officer, comments: “It’s the first time Internet Explorer has been “dethroned" from the number-one spot in a major territory like Europe. This appears to be happening because Google’s Chrome is stealing share from Internet Explorer.” Firefox is just maintaining its existing share"
Internet Explorer still leads the North American market owning 48.9 percent of the market, vs. Firefox owning 26.7 percent and Chrome owning 12.8 percent.
Cullen adds: "Gains by Firefox and Chrome in Europe may have been prompted by an agreement between European Union regulators and Microsoft that compels the U.S. company to offer European users a choice of browsers."
That's what monopoly situations do to your business...
Alec Brownstein is an advertising copywriter, and a good one...
Alec bought the following Google adwords keywords: Gerry Graf, David Droga, Tony Granger, Ian Reichenthal and Scott Vitrone. They are 'la creme de la creme', as close as it comes to royalty when it comes down to advertising creatives and directors.
When the above gentelmen did a "vanity google" of their own name, an ad appeared in which Brownstein asked them for a job. The result? After investing a total of $6, Brownstein is now working for Y&R .
According to yesterday's Le Figaro article, companies advertising online will have to pay a tax - the infamous 'Google Tax' - equalling 1% of the yearly ad spend from January 1st 2011.
This tax creation was proposed by french 'député' Philippe Marini who also requested to tax french companies e-commerce revenue by 0.5%. France has a tradition of taxing revenue generated by advertising but this is a first where the advertiser is taxed. Some say this is a hidden way for the French government to tax 'ad revenue giants' such as Google that based their EMEA heaquarters in 'fiscal & tax heavens' such as Ireland...
L'Union Des Annonceurs - french advertisers association - says " [...] it will slow down developments and productivity. Google and other advertising platform giants will not suffer from this tax. But indeed the French SME, sole traders, charities, not the large corporations..."
Online advertising market reached €uro 2 billion in 2008, France online ad spend in the first half of 2010 passed €1 billion ($1.4 billion), according to several sources...
Some say that Google's recent investment in France ($ 10 million investment in a French cultural center & R&D center to be opened in France) was a hidden failed attempt to soften France and forget about that nicknamed 'Google tax'. It did not prevent anything!
YouTube campaigns & FaceBook Groups have been created to rally companies and individuals to the cause, but the buzz did not take...
The french Finance Minister -a.k.a Bercy - is in favor to postpone the 'Google tax'. Will it be the likes of Google, Apple, Yahoo! etc salvation?
The title says it all: Summer Time Means Cider Time! The heat, the tough working days thinking about a cool pint of cider on ice! Nothing like cider to quench ones thirst.
From cider comes vinegar (yes...
