Google AdWords Tests Campaign Optimizer Tool

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1. Google AdWords Tests Campaign Optimizer Tool - 2007-06-28 11:53:25-04
   

   A number of people are reporting that Google has implemented an AdWords Campaign Optimizer tool. We were first alerted to this on the Search Engine Roundtable Forums, where PPCblogger kindly provided us with some detailed screenshots of the tool in action.

   For now, this appears to be available to select UK advertisers, as I was unable to find it in my AdWords campaigns nor was I able to find any Google US help pages on the feature. The Google AdWords Help Center (UK only) says that the goal of the tool is to fine tune your advertising campaign.

   The Campaign Optimizer is a free AdWords tool designed to help you fine-tune your advertising campaigns. When you run the Campaign Optimizer, we automatically analyze your budget, keywords, and landing page, and create a customized proposal for your campaign. You can then review the proposed changes and accept the ones you want to apply.

   You can reach the Campaign Optimizer via the Optimize Campaign link on your campaign details page. You can also go to the Tools page of the Campaign Management tab and click Campaign Optimizer.

   Included within the campaign optimizer are keyword recommendations, advertisement recommendations, and data related to when users last ran the tool.

   I'm not sure if this is being rolled out to all of the UK advertisers at once at the moment, but initial reports of the availability of the tool are coming from there.

   Forum discussion continues at Search Engine Roundtable Forums.
   

   

   
   
   
2. How Often Should You Update Your Content? - 2007-06-28 12:16:48-04
   

   When you maintain a blog or a regularly updated website, is there an optimal amount of time you should wait before updating your articles, or should you post them all at once? In a WebmasterWorld thread, a website publisher is wondering if publishing 5 articles at a time once a week is better than publishing one a day.

   Ogletree says that either way is fine because there is apparently no evidence to boost one claim over the other.

   There is no evidence that adding a lot of content at one time can hurt a site if the content is of high quality.

   I'm inclined to agree with ccDan, who says that you should spread them out over time, especially from a reader's perspective.

   I think it's better to spread them out than to post a bunch at once. Just for the sake of getting visitors to return to your site.

   There's also been good advice dispensed that if you are concerned about search engine rankings, you can check your log files:

   I have never had any problems adding lots of content. If you are really concerned about this you can watch your log files and see when gbot gets all the new articles and then post more.

   [Hat tip to Ogletree.]

   Discussion continues at WebmasterWorld.
   

   

   
   
   
3. Network Solutions Guarantees Top Search Engine Rankings - 2007-06-29 07:58:27-04
   

   It appears that Network Solutions, the domain name registrar, is now in the search engine optimization. They have a page guaranteeing top search engine results or your money back.

   Here are the various plans:

   • You can pay $1800 and get no guarantee to rank 10 keywords well
   • You can pay $2800 to submit 20 keywords of which 5 are guaranteed to be top ten
   • You can pay $3800 to submit 30 keywords of which 10 are guaranteed to be top ten
   • You can pay $5800 to submit 50 keywords of which 20 are guaranteed to be top ten

   There is fine print, of course....

   • No flash sites
   • No adult keywords
   • No hosting service downtime allowed
   • No changes can be made to the site
   • Top ten rankings in any of the 12 search engines within 10 months from completion date
   • And more

   If you look at the process they laid out for their top 10 search results plan, you can see a bit more. For example, they recommend their "Link Building Service package and/or an optimized Press Release" with their "Top 10 Search Results package." So right there, we see that link building is not included in the main package. They conduct keyword research and a site analysis, they write the content for you, they submit to search engines (I don't know why), they make links from your current home page to your new "optimized pages," they do reporting and then watch.

   I am honestly considering giving it a try, just to see the quality of work. Should be fun. Any ideas for a site topic?

   Forum discussion at Cre8asite Forums.