Google to Offer Impression-Based Pricing

My hat is off to Google. This is a great move to get more branding power out of the Google network, which is turning out to be one of the best networks around. I know that this move will make some who are uncomfortable with the Google model get into the game. I'm very excited about this move...Would love to hear some comments from the masses.


MediaPost Publications Home of MediaDailyNews, MEDIA and OMMA Magazines

Personalized Search From Google - Holy Grail?

Well, back before MSN made it's new world debut earlier this year, part of the hype was that the site would feature personalized search. I even wrote a column about it in our monthly newsletter that goes out to Zunch clients and friends. Now it looks like Google has beat MSN to the punch, again.

I don't know if this will get out of the Google labs, but the implications for search advertising are endless. Imagine being able to target your ads BETTER than current search. Imagine knowing your target's search history, etc...

Ok, where are the privacy advocates? I imagine they will be along soon.

One other implication this has is on naturalized SEO. Most people are still looking at rankings to measure success (a practice I don't like at all, as it's ego driven and not results driven). Hopefully, personalized search will make rankings meaningless because each user will receive their own search engine results page. Hopefully, this will make marketers look at results instead of rankings. We can all hope.


Internet News Article Reuters.com

Pay-Per-Call: A New Avenue for Search Marketers

Ok, Ingenio launched a Pay-per-call service today. Contrary to what everyone has said, this is Ingenio's product. AOL is the distribution channel. We have learned that to purchase this, go through Ingenio

What does this mean? Probably too early to tell. We've used Findwhat's Pay-per-call program, and while it seems to bring quality calls, the volume is so low it's hardly worth the time to set up the program unless you are selling a very high-ticket item...Will AOL getting into the fray change this? Not sure.

Recently at Dallas/Fort Worth Search Engine Marketing Association (DFWSEM) meeting the Vice President of Pay-per-call at Findwhat gave a presentation on the benefits of the medium. It was a great presentation, but one of the points brought up is that consumers have been conditioned to click. Can that behavior be altered where they are conditioned to call? As they say, film at 11.

Pay-Per-Call: A New Avenue for Search Marketers

It s All About Content

Coming from a PR background, I thought this article was spot on. While it addresses more of the needs of the Corporate Communications professional communicating with traditional journalists, the lessons learned work for search engine marketing as well - make your content accessible and make sure the content is relevant to the end user. I've always advocated treating Google and others like journalists who filter your news. There is no Media Map entry for Google or Yahoo or MSN, but wouldn't it be interesting if there was? How do the major search engines want to receive their news and information about a company? Are you adhering to their wishes, or are you sending them stuff they don't want?

And yes, in the end, it is all about content. That's how you get people interested in your site, it's how you inform them of your services and ultimately, it's how you get them to make a decision to buy.


It s All About Content

Yahoo sheds Overture brand | CNET News.com

Got an e-mail today from the Overture/Yahoo folks that the official re-branding has begun. I guess it makes sense for Yahoo to do this, even though I'm sure the folks at Goto/Overture/Yahoo are sick of their collective identity crisis. Hey, business cards are cheap, right?

Question is, will this really make a difference for anyone, or does a PPC Engine by any name still smell the same...I'll leave it to your own nose to decipher the smell. Hopefully you're smelling something good.


Yahoo sheds Overture brand CNET News.com

Initial Post - Let's get started!

It's finally time. The initial post of the ZEN-SEM blog is here! Of course, ZEN-SEM stands for Zunch Englightened News - Search Engine Marketing. Yep, another SEM blog for those who care to visit.

Of course, you say, Zunch already has a wonderful blog here...And yes, it is wonderful. That blog will continue to provide witty insight into the world that is Zunch.

This blog, on the other hand, is designed so that the Zunch Interactive Marketing and Search Engine Marketing teams can comment on the daily happenings OUTSIDE of Zunch. When the search engines launch a new feature, we'll comment on it. When a new interactive PR technique is used with success (or failure) we'll be there to talk about it.

Basically, this is the hot off the presses opinions of the Zunch team on what's going on in the world of SEM and other interactive marketing. We invite you to join in, comment and let us know what you think.

What a long, strange trip it's going to be! We can't wait.