Location Targeting of Ads with Adwords

As if query parsing wasn't bad enough, now Google gives searchers ads even based on the Google Domain they search on.

[Meaning sitting in India, I could go to google.co.uk, search and see ads for advertisers who are advertising in the UK].

While I find Googles logic, illogical (if I am a local merchant and can only service those people in a certain target geography, query parsing and now google domain specific searches would just waste my money) some might not but it still isn't Googles place to decide where and when to show ads outside of the region I have specified. There should be an option which allows me to select whether I want to opt into these 'additional' targeting options.

I think Yahoo!Search Marketing has done the right thing by asking advertisers if they would like to enable domain based targeting in geographies out of the selected target geography.

[Query Parsing - when a search query is very specific to a location, Google will show ads that are targeted to that location, even though the location of the searcher is outside the target geography selected by the advertiser]

Something A Lot Of Us Were Waiting For

Adwords now allows you to compare date ranges in the account snapshot.


It also gives report type multiple graphs (for different variables) on the same page unlike the standard graph the account snapshot use to show.


While it might not look like an earth shattering feature, it is still highly beneficial. What is interesting and something you won't get in reports is -

1) Data is stacked up side by side for the 2 selected date ranges (unfortunately it will be restricted to 2 at least for a while I guess).

2) They have put in a difference column (displayed as a % change) so advertisers don't have to sit and calculate by how much things have changed. Maybe they ought to give an absolute difference column too.

Interesting article about internet usage in India.

Some of the main highlights (survey conducted by the e-technology group of IMRB International - across 65,000 people) -

Internet usage in India has grown by more than 11 times in seven years.

The number of users has grown in all socio-economic categories as well as in all metros and non-metro towns.

The top eight metros still have the largest number of users.

Using the internet in schools and colleges is the fastest growth category—22 times what it was in 2000—indicating increasing computerisation of educational institutions.

This is followed by internet access from home computers, a segment that has grown over 15 times.

In absolute numbers though, cyber cafes have the largest numbers accessing the internet, about 57 lakh, followed by those logging on from home. Accessing the net at the office comes in only third.

Email and information search are still the biggest drivers of internet use.

With the highest jump of 27 times in the number of users since 2000, the entertainment segment comprising games, ring tones, music and video downloads has caught up with the chat segment.

e-commerce including online travel, share trading, banking and buying products which has grown nearly 25 times since 2000.

More than 60% of information seekers look for general information on the net and 45% look for educational information.

About 27% search job sites and 17% seek financial information. Interestingly, at 8%, the number of people looking for astrological information is double that of those searching online matrimonial sites, a mere 4%.

Ideal Ad

I totally love this Sony Bravia Ad



I think most ads should be made along this line - whether PPC or not.

The ad has ONE MESSAGE that it wants to convey - 'Colour like no other'. The whole ad seems to revolve around that theme (though you also think about other positives like sharpness of images).

The ad is simple to understand even though it is so unconventional. It doesn't do some jazzy crazy stuff. Being different for the sake of being different will never work.

The aesthetic appeal of the add is brilliant too. Whether it is the street, the motion, the balls, the focusing, the music, all seem to have been done to perfection.

The ad doesn't tell you and expect you to believe. It shows you.

Generalists not Specialists

A colleague (Reshma) said Search needs generalists not specialists. While the statement sounds off, in the context it makes a lot of sense.

What she was talking about was that in PPC campaigns you don't need an adwords guy who knows the system in and out only. He needs to be able to understand marketing, he needs to be able to write ads, he should be able to testing and analysis.

Similarly a seasoned copywriter may be great at producing results in 90 characters because they have marketing backgrounds and know how to play with words but would not necessarily know what bidding strategies should be used, how an account should be structured, etc.

Therefore I agree that PPC requires generalists - masters of all.

If you believe

that you have done all the optimization possible,


you haven't understood PPC Advertising.

Not Just Another Medium

I hate when people say that 'Search is just another medium' (for advertising).

I totally disagree. At least when it comes to PPC.

While I understand that testability is available in other mediums, I don't think it is available to this extent.

While you can change communication in other mediums, none is as flexible and quick as PPC.

While you can try and measure (and in some cases successfully measure) ROI on other mediums, it is difficult to do that same and sometimes inaccurate.

Also in terms of targeting - I do understand that someone who reads Biospectrum is interested in Biotechnology and that the magazine can provide enough of reach, not every product / vertical can be advertised in a handful of magazine assuming that the audience is targeted.


Going to stop this rant because I could go on for ever. PPC isn't just another medium. It's like no other medium. While I admit I haven't worked in any other medium, you don't need experience to figure it out.