As many early testers have revealed, Google has begun adding more information about their personalization tactics to the results.
In the case of Pay Per Click Ads, the method of customization is added to a non-customizable bottom line of the ad. The description shows who this ad has been targeted at. In the example below, the ad has been “geo-targeted” to the Champaign & Springfield-Decatur, IL market by DMA.
On the same page, Google has also noted how personalized search has affected my Organic Results. More experienced searchers are fully aware that no two sets of results are ever the same. Organic results vary by over 200 factors, including web history, as noted by Google in this case, as well as geographic designations based on the searcher’s IP address.
The decision to begin adding these informative little tags are likely the result of two emphasis changes at the search company:
More transparency - One of the most common complaints with web folks has been the feeling of lack of information from the search giant. With more blog posts and chat sessions, the sense is that Google is trying to make users feel a little left out in the cold.
Ongoing moves to localize searches - In an effort to filter the onslaught of information that users experience, the search industry as a whole, not just Google, is moving rapidly towards this type of “localization” by both geographic and behavioral targeting.
The hope of both moves is to make each users individual search experience more enjoyable.
Danny Sullivan posts about a new feature in Google Search that i somehow missed:
“Google is now showing “search customization” messages to inform searchers when their search results have been modified from “normal” due to a searcher’s geographic location, previous query or web surfing and search history. It’s a nice move to help searchers know what exactly is going on “under the hood” at Google”
“Google Maps do not display latitude and longitude values, but there is an easy trick to get these numbers. This technique will provide the latitude and longitude coordinates of the center of the map displayed by Google Maps.
Looking up an address in Google Maps will center the map on that address if it was found. Because this trick provides the latitude and longitude of the center of the map, moving the map around manually after that will change the center position and this technique will not work accurately.
When the location you want is in the center of the map, copy and paste this code into the location bar of your browser and press enter:
A little dialog box will pop up displaying the coordinates which can be copied and pasted for use elsewhere. This code can be bookmarked and then used in the future by selecting the bookmark.”
Since this is the first I’ve attended, I was not sure how applicable the information covered in the second of Google’s Webmaster Chats would be for me and my situation. Despite this, I had just passed my Professionals Exam (please note the pretty logo in the Sidebar!), and had overall had a pretty crappy day, so spending an hour or so on a WebEx sounded appealing enough.
I am glad I did.
All levels and veins of interest were represented, and the presentations were helpful, and interesting enough, and I picked up lots of salient little tidbits out of the ongoing 300-question Q&A.
So, here’s a quick cheat sheet of my notes, without the legibility issues of my penmanship:
One presentation highlighted the underused Google Subscribed Links, and the Google Personalized Search Engine.
Personalized Search Factors include: user location, user options, and search history.
You can also turn off the personalization of a search query by adding “&pws=0″ to the string.
For help in ranking well in Local Search, be sure to keep your physical address on the page.
Some answers emphasized that results are personalized by IP.
With over 200 factors for Ranking, let’s face it, no one can keep track all of the time.
Multiple languages on one page can confuse not only users, but also the bots. Try to choose 1 language, and stick with it, or create a landing page for each language.
Automated language translation of pages is still read as duplicate content by the bots.
There is no such thing as an “.edu boost”. No extensions are any differently weighted, either domain or file type. If the bots can read it, that’s it.
While url strings are case sensitive, Google searches are not. All Caps is even fine.
There is no difference between hyphens, dashes, or underscores. You no longer need to worry about avoiding the hyphens, but you also really shouldn’t worry about switching out all of those underscores you’re using either.
The Googlers were all wondering why we were all asking so many questions about Meta Tags? The only one at all used is the Meta Description, and that’s not even commonly used. Quit it with the meta worries
The buzz words for the session seemed to be “personalization“, “localization“, and “accessibility“.
A top point was to make you site accessible, usable, and enjoyable for the user, and maintain quality, relevant content. If you follow these simple concepts, the bots will be fine, too.
I hope you get a chance to sit in on the next one. I highly recommend it. Expect more of this fun little “open-ness” adventure from Google in the next quarter.
You made some big changes this year. You’ve grown in leaps and bounds, but I have to admit, I was feeling a little neglected. As if your head was turned, and you were only focused on your power users, and the big deals. As if i just wasn’t good enough for you anymore.
You’ve just managed to do what no one else could - you gave me that little signal, that little change that let me know that you were still paying attention.
I know it’s silly, but I always figured that if you required Unicode for your uploads, that you should allow me to export my spreadsheets into that format. You just never gave me that option. I didn’t want to turn to another word processor to do the conversion, but you forced me into it.
But now that the txt that I export works for you, we can go back to being exclusive again.
It’s a little thing, I know, but sometimes it’s the little things (that save three steps) that really matter.
“Local Internet advertising is expected to increase 50% in 2008 to $13.1 billion as small and medium businesses facing a faltering economy turn to less expensive options for reaching consumers, according to a new study.”
BIM drives record traffic to local advertiser and station websites
KCRG receives over 22 million pageviews in February
Google Search engine placement drives value for advertisersMadison, WI May 13 2008 – Broadcast Interactive Media, the leading provider of locally-focused website and revenue solutions for more than 130 local media clients, notes record traffic and local revenue to station websites. BIM powers groups such as Fisher Communications, Journal Broadcasting Group, Granite Broadcasting, Schurz, Equity and others.
According to John Phelan, KCRG General Manager, Cedar Rapids, IA, “Since launching on the BIM platform we’ve grown from 2.4 million pageviews in April 2006 to logging a record 22.2 million pageviews in February, with our unique visitors going from 286,000 to now over 2.2 million. Additionally, we’ve grown local revenue with BIM’s online business directory model. The focus on SEO really gives KCRG the competitive advantage with local advertisers, and has brought in nearly $400,000 in new local revenue. In fact, one of our Your Health Matters Today sponsors, Linn County OB-GYN, achieves 1st page, 1st position rank Google searches by being part of BIM’s online business directory.”
KSFY General Manager Kelly Manning adds, “We’ve taken advantage of BIM’s expertise in local search services, and have seen sponsors such as South Dakota Furniture Mart garner top listing – page one, placement one. Results like these reinforce our decision to partner with BIM to build a true internet business through web-marketing programs and increase traffic through flexible technology and content support.”
Timur Yarnall, BIM President/CEO, adds, “BIM’s domain expertise in site design, local sales training, national ad revenue and YouNews™ strengthens with successful search engine optimization practices. Given that fully 68% of search engine users click through to results on the first page of a search, and 92% within the first three pages, it’s become increasingly important for local broadcasters to offer comprehensive ad solutions to their local advertisers. Clients like KCRG and KSFY understand this, and have been fantastic partners, taking and running with programs like Your First Time, Explore Politics and YouNewsTV™. It’s exciting to see clients apply the various elements BIM offers and achieve these phenomenal levels of growth.”
Additional Information on Local Search Results:
BIM’s # 1 local advertising client for this month now is Linn County OB-GYN, P.C., a KCRG Your Health Matters Today client. They had 767 clicks to their sponsor page last month, and 935 this month. They appear, and have been appearing for quite some time, on 1st page, 1st position of Google, with keywords: “ob gyn eastern iowa.”
South Dakota Furniture Mart, KSFY Sioux Falls, SD, was one of BIM’s first YouNewsTV™ sponsors. They had 939 clicks on their sponsor link last month, and 885 this month. They are consistently on the first page, holding position #9, with keywords “furniture south dakota.”
Additionally, BIM has tested new Local Search services, also with excellent results. WISE Your Health Matters Today client Fairfield Furniture garners top listing (page #1, placement #1, Google search) as a result of BIM’s Local Search practices, with keywords “furniture and design fort wayne.”
About Broadcast Interactive Media
Based in New York City and Madison, WI, Broadcast Interactive Media (www.broadcast-interactive.com) is the leading provider of locally-focused Web solutions for more than 120 television and radio broadcast station websites. Offerings include a comprehensive suite of revenue-generating programs including YouNewsTV™, national sales support, video streaming, content feeds, and technology development. Customers include groups such as Fisher Communications, Journal Broadcast Group, Granite Broadcasting Group, Meredith Broadcasting, Schurz Communications, and Freedom Communications.
Contact:
Marivic Valencia
Marketing Director
Broadcast Interactive Media
Ph: 608-255-2802
mvalencia@bimedia.net
Broadcast Interactive Media
122 W Washington Ave
Suite 350
Madison WI 53703
