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Google has two goals with Instant... first, they want to improve the user experience by offering inline suggestions - makes sense - I like that part. What they

by RBr 16y ago

Google has two goals with Instant... first, they want to improve the user experience by offering inline suggestions - makes sense - I like that part. What they're not advertising is that Google is dealing with the same decreased CTR and advertising revenue that the rest of the Internet is. In an effort to seem as user-centric as possible, they've introduced a user friendly feature with a refinement that increases the CTR on their ads. This isn't a shocking move, it's a sign of the web to come. What's really disappointing is that Google isn't devoting more time to coming up with different ad units and testing more creative ways to encourage users to click. The online ad industry is stagnant - advertisers and publishers are scared to make changes. Google isn't any different.

brandnewlow 16y ago
My startup is building better displays ads for the web: http://nowspots.com http://nowspots.com I agree Its weird that the basic deliverable of an ad unit, a click, hasn't changed in 15 years.
Pewpewarrows 16y ago
I've always found it funny that advertisers swear by CTR as much as they do. It's almost as if they completely forgot the last few decades of television advertisement. For television, no one gives a damn if a viewer goes out to buy the product right that instant. It's all about repetition and building psychological reinforcements so that once the viewer actually needs something along the lines of what that product offers, they subconsciously lean towards that specific product as opposed to its competitors. Granted, it's a lot easier for someone to just click some text from their computer than to get up in the middle of a show and drive to a store, but the same essential theory still applies. Which is why I don't understand how CTR is valued so highly over impressions.
- chopsueyar 16y ago
  The 'Old Spice' campaign is an example of what you describe.
- underdown 16y ago
  I think you're speaking in terms of a specific market. A local florist ppc'ing does not have the luxury of affording to brand in this economy. inherently a click affords more branding anyway as you are much better able to control the presentation of your brand on a page you have complete control over.

by RBr 16y ago

brandnewlow 16y ago

My startup is building better displays ads for the web: http://nowspots.com http://nowspots.com I agree Its weird that the basic deliverable of an ad unit, a click, hasn't changed in 15 years.

Pewpewarrows 16y ago

I've always found it funny that advertisers swear by CTR as much as they do. It's almost as if they completely forgot the last few decades of television advertisement. For television, no one gives a damn if a viewer goes out to buy the product right that instant. It's all about repetition and building psychological reinforcements so that once the viewer actually needs something along the lines of what that product offers, they subconsciously lean towards that specific product as opposed to its competitors. Granted, it's a lot easier for someone to just click some text from their computer than to get up in the middle of a show and drive to a store, but the same essential theory still applies. Which is why I don't understand how CTR is valued so highly over impressions.

chopsueyar 16y ago
The 'Old Spice' campaign is an example of what you describe.
underdown 16y ago
I think you're speaking in terms of a specific market. A local florist ppc'ing does not have the luxury of affording to brand in this economy. inherently a click affords more branding anyway as you are much better able to control the presentation of your brand on a page you have complete control over.