Ed Stevenson

Four best practice tips for Facebook Advertising

In my last post, I argued that the growth of Facebook is such that marketers can no longer ignore it as a platform. However, I also mentioned that it is much less mature than search marketing, and as such best practice techniques aren’t as well developed.

So in this post I'm sharing my thoughts on how best to use this fast emerging channel most effectively, based on how we see agencies and advertisers using our platform to manage Facebook campaigns.

by Ed Stevenson 23 September 2010 10:03am 15 comments

Facebook vs Google: does size matter?

Facebook recently announced it has hit the major milestone of 500m users, following hot on the heels of the news that, in the US, the site has overtaken Google for the first time. This is truly remarkable growth for a site that only launched in 2004.

However, can we judge the effectiveness of Google vs Facebook based simply on the size of their respective user bases? Should we be diverting more budget towards Facebook at the expense of search?

by Ed Stevenson 04 August 2010 13:27pm 3 comments

Retailers: understand your search revenue through integration

Recovery. Confidence. Spending. These are terms that will that will be welcomed by retailers across the world as the global economy inches away from recession. They will now be looking to capitalise on the more optimistic outlook and report more positive results.

We are clearly not out of the woods yet, so all such supporting marketing activities, such as search, need to be justified with accurate measurement. However, to date there has been a fundamental flaw in the way that it is measured and could prove to be a major stumbling block.

by Ed Stevenson 22 July 2010 10:53am 0 comments

Social media advertising for retailers

It is hard for any marketer to ignore the hype that surrounds social media. Facebook, Twitter, performance display and ad exchanges are bringing opportunities for retailers to generate demand within these massive new channels.

Facebook is probably the most accessible and it’s understandable that retailers are getting excited about its possibilities. We’re looking at a site with more than 400m active users, all of whom can be individually targeted and engaged through Facebook Ads.

by Ed Stevenson 29 June 2010 10:53am 4 comments

Seasonality and search marketing for e-commerce

Having been at eTail Europe this week, and it has got me thinking about the different challenges etailers face, many of which should have been solved by now. One of the things I've noticed is how seasonality is a key consideration for all retailers. Online marketers are no exception.

We all know that sales tend to be stronger in the run up to Christmas and slower throughout the summer months and the overall impact of seasonality will depend on what type of products you are selling, but it will undoubtedly affect all retailers in some way or another.

In the article below I will highlight some practical ways that retailers can use paid search marketing techniques, including advice on the use of Google Ad Parameters and the Long Tail, to ensure that the seasonality of the market works in your favour.

by Ed Stevenson 18 June 2010 11:14am 2 comments

Paid search predictions for 2010

Forecasting the future of any industry is always going to be tough, let alone attempting to predict the future of a market as complex as paid search. Although leading analysts are already estimating paid search spend will grow significantly this year, how this growth is going to happen is still uncertain.

However, it’s obvious that more money will mean the number of tactics, targeting options and channels available for search marketers will need to grow to make sure search that campaigns can deliver ever-increasing return on investment (ROI).

With this in mind, I expect that the following trends are likely to drive paid search growth throughout the coming year...

by Ed Stevenson 05 February 2010 09:56am 9 comments

MicroHoo: Does 1+1 really equal 3?

There are two things that make a search engine successful: quantity of traffic and the quantity of advertisers competing for the top spots and pushing up CPC’s. Currently, there is a great deal of industry speculation, which claims that, if Microsoft and Yahoo’s deal goes ahead, it could create a true competitor to Google in the search and advertising market. But is this really the case?

Yes, their traffic will be added together, but will they see higher CPCs through attracting more advertisers?

by Ed Stevenson 05 October 2009 14:18pm 0 comments

Boost your quality score with these simple tips

There are many elements of an effective paid search campaign. While much of the discussion often centers on bidding, there is an equally important component: quality score.

Quality score was introduced by search engines looking to receive maximum yield from advertising. By understanding the search engines’ approach, search marketers can take steps to improve their ROI, independent of their bidding strategy.

by Ed Stevenson 25 August 2009 11:01am 8 comments

Paid search spending is not going down

According to a recent post from Heather Hopkins at Hitwise, the share of search traffic coming from paid listings is decreasing at the expense of organic traffic.

The stats highlight a 26% decline in the share of paid clicks, but is paid search really falling? Let’s take a closer look...

by Ed Stevenson 23 July 2009 12:00pm 3 comments

Dealing with Google’s new trademark policy

Google recently announced it would allow limited use of trademarks in the text of some search ads in the US, even if the trademark owner objects.

While previously brand owners could specify which retailers or affiliates were able to reference their trademarked brand name, any advertiser who sells a brand on its website can nowuse that brand name in the text of their Google ads.

Google’s Trademark policy change in the US is likely to impact a wide range of advertisers, brand owners, competitors, and affiliates. However, it is the brand owners who should be particularly vigilant of the new ramifications.

by Ed Stevenson 22 June 2009 15:10pm 2 comments