Monday, November 14, 2011

Once again, Google is keeping us on our toes

Google announced last week that they are designing an alternative to their AdWords program, called Dynamic Search Ads. The concept is quite simple: instead of using a keyword and matching it to a relevant page, Google is taking a page and matching it to a relevant keyword. Ads are generated straight from your website.

So, what does this mean for your brand? As of now, Dynamic Search Ads can really be an asset to your business. You no longer need to churn out hundreds of keywords, you have more control over what you target, and you'll probably also see an increased number of clicks, giving you a greater ROI.

But there is a downside: although the user is seeing exactly what they want, this limits how sneaky you can be when it comes to Search Engine Optimization. Because search results are based on your website content, you can't advertise alongside similar products (for example, you can no longer use your competitors name or product as a keyword) which cuts down on potential click-throughs.

However, this new method places high importance on one thing: good website design and content management. If an advertiser wants to fully optimize the new Google AdWords, they need to be sure their website is up-to-date and has the appropriate content. Otherwise, their AdWord campaign may not be as successful as they hoped.

All of this begs the question, does your website say what you want it to say? What products do you most want to highlight? Is there any outdated information listed? There are numerous considerations to keep in mind when designing a great website, and I think now more people will realize how vital great website design is to their business.