Google Data » Kate Pacher

Free Image Gallery and Other Goodies: Updates to the Ad Creation Tool for Print Ads

Kate Pacher — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:36:00 +0000

The Google Print Ads' Ad Creation Tool now has a free built-in image gallery and other new features that make creating a professional-grade newspaper ad even simpler. Just as before, you don't need any special software or artistic skills, and you can experiment with the Ad Creation Tool for free.

The new free image gallery has hundreds of professional quality, high resolution color photos to choose from. You can access the gallery from any template with an image field. Browse the gallery and pick one, and it will insert directly into your ad layout.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

If your placement is black/white, the image will automatically convert. And if you change your mind and pick another template option, the image will update itself in the new design - all on the same screen - making it fun and easy to explore the options.

To improve text formatting, you can now create bullets and line breaks in multi-line text fields. Create bullets by starting any new line with an asterisk (*).

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

An alternate font style option is also now available. Select your font near the top of the form below the template thumbnails. If you prefer a more classic look, try the "Serif" option. The font family will carry throughout your ad, so you don't need to format each individual field.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

For our larger and more popular ad sizes (3col x 5.25" - 7"), we've also added a color picker and new templates with a coupon field.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

Try exploring these templates for a new look. As always, you can save your final masterpiece in our built-in library and use it later in your campaign. Your ad will automatically adjust itself to fit the various column widths of newspapers- no additional work required.

Have fun experimenting with these new options!

Posted by Nic Crucian, Creative Services Team Lead for Google Print Ads

Conference Spotlight: ERA @ Las Vegas, NV

Kate Pacher — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:51:00 +0000

Last week, Googlers headed out to Las Vegas to talk one thing...direct response (DR). Team members from Google TV, Print and Audio were on hand to speak to the thousands of attendees at the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) convention. It was truly thrilling to meet so many marketers who were interested in and open to new ways of buying and tracking their media.

While most of us were busy meeting new folks at our booth, Bruce Falck, Head of Audio Ads, and Grace Davis of TV Ads, participated on two very interesting panels. Here are some of the highlights:

In the Radio Council session, "The Sourcing Challenge: How to Know Where Your Website Traffic is Coming From," participants discussed the growing number of consumers who are using the Internet to research purchase decisions. As offline channels continue to be significant drivers of online activity, attribution for driving consumer action online is a key challenge that must be addressed.

Bruce highlighted the innovative steps Google is taking towards providing advertisers with better measurement of their radio campaigns and consumer response. One tool that can help you start to develop insights into the source of your consumer response is our Traditional Media Effectiveness Tracking Page.

At the panel entitled, "DRTV 3.0: How Advanced Advertising Technologies are Reshaping DRTV," Grace Davis from Google TV Ads spoke directly to DR advertisers' main concern-- driving positive return on investment (ROI)-- and explained how Google TV Ads helps to do exactly that. The flexibility of Google TV Ads makes it easy to test and optimize for ROI, because advertisers can easily experiment with new networks and dayparts to find the most efficient inventory.

Learn how Carat Fusion, a DR agency, has been using Google TV Ads to increase ROI for their clients in this success story video.

Thanks to all of you who joined us at ERA, and we look forward to seeing you at upcoming industry events!

Posted by Hayeon Kim, Marketing Manager for Google Audio Ads

Introducing the Traditional Media Effectiveness Tracking Page

Kate Pacher — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:23:00 +0000

Print campaigns. Website visits. Audio Ads. Incoming phone calls. TV campaigns. It's enough to make any marketer's head spin. We don't have to remind anyone of the importance of measuring each medium, but keeping track of them is so difficult that many businesses simply don't have the time to do so.

Well, we want to help. We're excited to announce the launch of the Traditional Media Effectiveness Tracking Page. It's designed to provide marketers a better overview of the Google Traditional Media campaigns they've run, and more importantly, how those campaigns have helped drive customer inquiries.

What happens to website visits when an advertiser runs print campaigns in multiple cities across the US? What happens to website visits when that same advertiser adds an audio campaign or TV campaign to the same markets? How big is that benefit? We're launching the Tracking Page because we want to help advertisers answer these questions.

The Traditional Media Effectiveness Tracking Page has three modules: an Impressions and Cost Module; a Google Analytics Module; and a Call Reporting Module. These modules work together to provide helpful insights about what effects an advertiser's traditional media campaigns are creating.

(Click on the images below for full-size versions)

Impressions and Cost Module

Google Analytics Module

Call Reporting Module

Advertisers can use the Tracking Page to identify trends and insights and then use advanced tools such as Google Analytics reports to deep dive into, say, how the combination of running a print and audio campaign in the same market at the same time drove a substantial increase in website response - a phenomenon that GolfNow experienced when launching their product in new markets.

As this tracking page evolves we look forward to adding new modules which further the tracking abilities of our advertisers. Check it out today and of course, feel free to pass along your thoughts. We've set up a feedback link on the right side and we look forward to hearing from you.

The Effectiveness Tracking Page can be found on the 'Traditional Media Ads' tab on the Conversion Tracking link in AdWords Accounts. You can find it linked from the Campaign Summary table as well - above the Audio, Print and TV campaign tables.

Posted by Kenton Kivestu, Product Specialist and Neha Singh, Software Engineer

Check Your Specs: Meeting Google TV Ads Technical Requirements

Kate Pacher — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:59:00 +0000

Before you create a new television campaign and get your commercial running on the Google TV Ads system, it's important to make sure your ad meets our technical specifications, so that you can upload it without complication. Advertisers that have already created their ad can easily open it in their favorite editing program and follow some simple guidelines to make it Google TV Ads-friendly.

Visit our Help Center for tips on using Adobe Premiere Pro and Sony Vegas to adjust your ad to meet our specifications.

Visit our Google TV Ads YouTube Channel to watch step-by-step instructions for using Final Cut Pro and Sony Vegas to meet the technical requirements.

Once your ad meets specifications, you can easily upload your ad, create a campaign, and get it running in no time!

Posted by Aly Makishima for the Google TV Ads team

Google TV Ads Expands Reach with Bloomberg TV

Kate Pacher — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:41:00 +0000

Today, Google and Bloomberg Television announced a strategic partnership that will make national inventory on Bloomberg TV available to advertisers through the Google TV Ads platform. This exciting news follows the announcement of our partnership with NBCU announced earlier this month, and underscores Google's commitment to the TV ad industry.

Bloomberg Television is a 24-hour business and financial news channel, reaching over 54 million homes in the US. The network attracts affluent, highly educated viewers who turn to Bloomberg TV for fast accurate reporting of the world indexes, currencies, U.S. Treasuries, and the leading stocks and industry sectors.

Currently, advertisers can target Bloomberg Television through Dish Network inventory available on Google TV Ads. Our partnership with Bloomberg TV means that advertisers can now reach all Bloomberg TV viewers in the US.

Advertisers will be able to leverage the flexibility of Google TV Ads across more networks and wider audience reach, including real-time campaign optimization and targeting down to the specific program. Data from millions of set-top-boxes measuring all networks, including Bloomberg TV, give advertisers a glimpse into viewership patterns.

This partnership also brings Bloomberg TV the opportunity to make their inventory accessible to more advertisers through the Google system, including advertisers who may be new to TV advertising.

Through our partnerships with Dish Network, NBCU and now Bloomberg, we look forward to continuing to strengthen our platform and building a more robust television ad network for advertisers and inventory providers.

To learn about Google TV Ads and how advertisers have used our platform to grow their businesses, please visit our official Google TV Ads website.

Posted by Neha Mandal for Google TV Ads

Get to Know Google TV Ads

Kate Pacher — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:52:00 +0000

If you've ever been curious about whether Google TV Ads is right for you, now is your chance to learn more, at our first webinar of the fall season.

Join us on Wednesday, October 1st from 10:00-11:00 AM PDT for an online webinar led by AdWords specialists. During this session, our specialists will explain the key benefits of Google TV Ads and reveal tips on how to drive more web traffic and increase your sales volume — turning TV viewers into your customers. Click here to register now.

The webinar will be a chance for you to find out how Google TV Ads can help you grow your business. See you next week!

Posted by Aly Makishima for Google TV Ads

Ad Lengths Deliver on Different Objectives

Kate Pacher — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:10:00 +0000

With Google TV Ads, you can choose to air a 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, or 120-second ad. But which length is right for your message?

We analyzed data from millions of anonymized set-top boxes to compare how different ad lengths impact the number of impressions (views) an ad receives. The chart below shows four different ad lengths along the horizontal x-axis (15-, 30-, 45- and 60-second) with the corresponding level of impressions on the vertical y-axis ("Baseline Impressions" represents the number of impressions received by a 15-second ad):

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

This analysis shows that a 60-second ad reaches only about 4% more viewers than a 15-second ad. Therefore, a longer ad doesn't necessarily buy more viewers -- it buys roughly the same viewers, but for more time.

If you have a complex message, you can use longer ads to engage viewers for a greater period of time. But if you want to maximize reach with a less complex message, you'll benefit from spreading out more frequent, shorter ads.

Posted by Dan Zigmond, Technical Lead for Google TV Ads

Join us at the ERA Annual Convention in Las Vegas

Kate Pacher — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:01:00 +0000

Are you a retailer attending the ERA Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV?

Join Grace Davis, West Coast Manager for Google TV Ads, and Bruce Falck, Head of Google Audio Ads, as they take part in the following two panels:

DRTV 3.0 - How Advanced TV Advertising Technologies Are Reshaping DRTV
September 22, 2008 from 4:00 – 5:00pm

Radio Council Session - The Sourcing Challenge: How to Know Where Your Web Traffic is Coming From
September 23, 2008 from 1:00-2:00pm

Afterwards, don't forget to stop by the Google booth #329 and chat with our specialists about Google's product offerings.

Posted by Anna Khesed for Google TV Ads, Google Audio Ads, and Google Print Ads

NBC Universal Partners with Google TV Ads

Kate Pacher — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Last night, Google announced a strategic partnership with NBC Universal in which NBCU will offer a limited amount of advertising inventory across all dayparts on several of its cable networks. This exciting inventory partnership is the beginning of an important relationship with NBC Universal and will allow advertisers broader reach through the Google TV Ads platform.

As a result of this partnership with NBCU, national cable inventory on CNBC, Sci-Fi Network, MSNBC, Oxygen, Sleuth and Chiller will be available through the Google TV Ads system across all dayparts, including primetime starting in early 2009.

Since our launch, Google TV Ads has been improving and evolving with valuable input from advertisers and agencies. Advertisers have found our platform and premium Dish Network inventory to be useful in driving more relevant, efficient, and measurable TV advertising. By offering both Dish Network and NBCU inventory, we're thrilled to extend the benefits of Google TV Ads across a larger inventory footprint.

Google TV Ads has enabled a range of advertisers, from direct response businesses like FragranceNet.com to brand advertises such as Lenovo to buy more efficient, accountable and measurable national television advertising. Read about more advertiser successes or view Google TV Ads success stories on our YouTube Channel. In order to take advantage of the expanded inventory offering when it becomes available, we encourage advertisers and agencies to get up and running on our system today.

In NBCU, we've found another partner that shares Google's commitment to innovation, research and the power of technology. With valuable feedback from advertisers, agencies and inventory partners, we've continued to evolve and strengthen the Google TV Ads platform. Together with our partners, we are committed to developing a robust television ad network for advertisers.

To launch your own TV campaign in minutes, check out our Getting Started Guide.

Posted by Neha Mandal & Jesse Haines for Google TV Ads

Creating an Effective Print Ad

Kate Pacher — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:45:00 +0000

Newspaper readers actively respond to ads they see in their newspapers; this is no secret. But how can you make sure you have the best ad to catch a reader’s eye?

At Google, we've developed a set of guidelines to help you create an effective print ad. There are three aspects to an effective print ad: timing, creative layout, and creative content.

Timing

The biggest goal of your print ad should be to catch the attention of your audience. The best way to do this is to expose readers to your ad with frequency. We recommend that an ad run a minimum of three ads per week for two weeks. There is a high correlation between high-frequency ads and positive lifts in site traffic, increases in store traffic, and other calls-to-action. A reader must be exposed to a message at least three times before one can expect to achieve a measurable impact. The Newspaper Association of America quotes this conventional wisdom in their article, 10 Reasons to Advertise Frequently.

Creative Layout

When considering what your ad should look like, think attractive and uncluttered. Visuals tend to enhance persuasion, aid in recall, and create an emotional association with a product. We recommend using color over black and white, images over text, and a size of 1/8 of a page or larger. You can use the ad creator tool to get started.

Creative Content

Providing detailed product information is another method to gain attention. If you are advertising a product, you should show it. It’s even better if you show the product in use. And if you’ve got prices, list them!

After you've created an effective print ad, be sure your call-to-action is prominent by adding a Google Consumer Response Tag or CRT which is discussed in this previous blog post.

Remember, bigger, clearer and more frequent ads most effectively reach a greater portion of potential customers.

Posted by Nikoletta Chabay, Research & Strategy Associate for Google Print Ads

Set Up Your TV Campaigns for Success

Kate Pacher — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:43:00 +0000

With Google TV Ads, you have access to detailed reports based on second-by-second data from millions of set-top boxes, and you have the flexibility to adjust your campaign on the fly. But how can you take advantage of these benefits to optimize your campaigns for the best ROI? It starts with how you structure your campaign. Here are a few key points that you may want to consider when creating your TV campaign(s) to learn what works best and optimize accordingly.

Include a specific call-to-action in your commercial.

Your call-to-action should be what you plan to measure when evaluating the success of your campaign or specific targets within your campaign.

Ideally, your call-to-action should direct customers to a unique behavior that they wouldn't perform unless they'd seen your TV ad.

For example, you may direct customers to call a unique toll-free number that only appears in your TV ads. Learn how to create free toll-free numbers.

Or you may direct customers to visit a unique URL. Read the FragranceNet.com success story that shows how they were able to successfully track and optimize their campaigns using a unique URL.

Make sure you have enough airings to elicit response.

To know what's working, you'll want to reach enough viewers so that the level of response can be observed. We recommend that you spend at least $150 on at least four ad airings in a given day to ensure that you're reaching enough viewers.

We recommend running your campaign for a minimum of four weeks so that viewers have the opportunity to see your ad a few times.

Create separate campaigns with unique phone numbers for each network target.

Review the call and order logs for each campaign (network). If you have one phone number, you can isolate the response by network by rotating the spots at different dayparts, different days of week, or different weeks.

Compare orders placed vs. impressions delivered to find most efficient placements.

On networks that drive more orders per impression you may want to increase your CPM bids to clear more spots on these high performers. Likewise, you may want to decrease CPM bids on those networks that deliver less call volume per impression.

Target multiple networks with multiple creatives, and make each creative/network combo have a different phone number.

Review call logs / order logs for each creative version and placement.

Compare orders placed vs. impressions delivered to learn which ad is most effective at driving calls and where its version is relatively most effective.

Refine the campaign's structure to place each creative version on the more responsive network.

Drop non-engaging ads from rotation.

By keeping these points in mind when creating your TV campaigns, you can evaluate the data in your reports to know what is working best and then use the flexibility of our platform to make changes that can optimize your campaigns.

Posted by Diane Chour & Meredith Papp for Google TV Ads

This Minute: Announcing 60 second Audio Ads

Kate Pacher — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:53:00 +0000

30 miles per hour. 30-minute TV shows. 30 days in a month (usually) - we're surrounded by 30s, but sometimes, as with audio advertising, 30 just won't cut it. Don't worry, the Google Audio Ads team hears you. So today we're announcing new functionality for our Audio Ads program: additional support for 60 second audio ads.

Now you can pick the ad length-- 30 or 60 seconds-- that best suits your product and/or service and your marketing goals. Gone are the days when you're forced to chop down your message and race through your call to action! So, starting today, take your time. And if you need it, enjoy a whole minute.

To use 60-second ads in your Audio Ads campaign, you can select the "Advanced" option during Audio Ads setup and use the drop down to select 60 seconds.

Posted by Kenton Kivestu, Product Specialist

Call On Me: Call Reporting for Google TV Ads

Kate Pacher — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:28:00 +0000

Believe me, at Google, we get excited about advertisers' online conversions. But at the same time, we recognize that a substantial amount of business still gets done the classic way: over the phone.

So we're excited to launch free Google Call reporting for TV Ads advertisers - a feature we've previously introduced through Google Print Ads and Audio Ads, as well. This feature allows advertisers to request a free toll free or local number that can be displayed in a TV Ads creative. Advertisers can then easily track all calls that come into the call reporting number as Google redirects those calls to the business number of choice. This helps you track which programs or networks are providing you with the best cost per call and those that are not providing enough ROI, so you can adjust your campaigns.

What's the catch? Nothing. It's really that simple. And if you're still not convinced, check out the recent post from our friends on the Audio Ads team. It outlines the four easy steps for setting up call reporting, whether it's for audio, print or TV. But don't feel compelled to pick just one. After all, as GolfNow and The Hanley Center saw, the only thing better than running a print, audio or TV campaign is running some combination of the three to improve the results. Now that will make the phone ring!

Posted by Kenton Kivestu, Product Specialist for Google TV Ads

A New Way To Click: 2D Barcodes

Kate Pacher — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:58:00 +0000

You may have heard or seen information about a growing technology called 2D bar codes (sometimes called QR, or "Quick Response" bar codes). These bar codes are a way to encode information, just like conventional bar codes - but 2D bar codes can encode significantly more. This information can be read by devices with cameras, such as cellphones. 2D bar codes are especially exciting because they allow readers to "click" on interesting print ads with their cellphones and seamlessly connect to relevant online content.

For example, the 2D bar code here contains the information "www.google.com."

While using a camera phone to read 2D barcodes has been on the mobile scene in Japan for quite some time, the idea is still expanding in North America.

(Photo by Dan Zen, available on Flickr under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 license)

In the launch of a trial of mobile 2D bar code reading in San Francisco, Citysearch posted 2D bar codes in the windows of 580 restaurants and establishments. When users scan a bar code, they are taken to a Citysearch review of the establishment. The beta program is currently being watched by the country's largest cellular carriers.

Michael Liard, a research director at Allied Business Intelligence Inc. believes the Japanese have probably blazed a trail that North Americans will eventually follow.

Ideas for usage of 2D barcodes in North America range from placement on computer products, to replacing ingredients lists and other information typically printed on product packaging. QR codes on products you have at home could be scanned to create a shopping list, or even to get coupons. In the real estate industry, properties for sale can display signs with codes printed on them, so that when house hunters drive by, they can easily stop and scan the code to access information.

Good Morning America recently featured this growing technology, including a segment on how major retailers are using 2D bar codes to facilitate shopping from your cell phone.

There are countless ideas for expansion of the use of 2D bar codes, and Google makes it easy for advertisers to place bar codes in their newspaper ads, through our Consumer Response Tag. For example, Blue Nile, an online diamond retailer, used the bar code in addition to other calls of action in their newspaper ads.

To learn more about how to download the software for reading bar codes, click here, or get started on creating your own CRT with a 2D bar code.

Posted by Anita Tandon & Aly Makishima for the Google Print Ads Team

Sources Used For This Post:

Blackwell, Gerry. "Quick Response Codes Part III : Will North America Embrace the Technology?" SmartPhoneToday

Kim, Ryan. "Bar codes create bridge for window-shoppers." SF Gate.

Story, Louise. "New Bar Codes Can Talk With Your Cellphone." The New York Times.

Sunny and Hot: Perfect Forecast for Audio Ads

Kate Pacher — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:21:00 +0000

Do customers seek you out when the weather gets hot? Or maybe gray skies lead to booming sales? If so, you may consider incorporating event triggers into your Google Audio Ads success strategy.

With event triggers, you can set up your Audio Ads campaigns to play only when specific environmental conditions are forecasted in your target market. This high-tech feature lets you deliver a relevant message to potential customers in the moment they need you most.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

For example, you could set up your campaign to start playing only when the forecasted weather indicates "hazy" conditions or "rain showers," or when the UV index is above 10. Currently, advertisers can set campaigns to trigger based on four types of environmental cues: apparent temperature, actual temperature, UV index and weather conditions.

How it works:

Build an audio campaign with your desired demographic, daypart, format and markets.
Indicate the environmental cues you'd like to target during campaign setup. (Tip: You should create a separate campaign for each set of unique conditions)
Upload specific ads with messages to match the event that triggers them to play.
When the conditions are met, based on the forecast for the next day, Google Audio Ads will trigger your campaign and serve the ad you specified.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

If you think this might be right for you, you can learn more about event triggers.

Posted by Leigh Sinclair, AdWords Account Manager

What’s in your future: New TV "Spots Scheduled to Air" Report

Kate Pacher — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:12:00 +0000

So you've just created a campaign with Google TV Ads, and now you want to know when your ads are scheduled to air before they run. Is this possible? Of course! Now, you can access this information by midnight before the day of airing through the new report called Spots Scheduled to Air.

To access this report, click on the "TV Ad Reports" tab in Report Center and select "Spots Scheduled to Air."

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

All available columns will be selected as defaults, while a few columns such as Impression, Cost, and Tuning Metrics will not be available before the ad runs.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

The report will show the spots that are scheduled to air, and each spot will be labeled as "Pending" in the "Verification Status" column until successfully aired, at which time they can be viewed in the Played Spots report.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

For direct response advertisers, this report can be helpful when planning call center staffing. In addition, knowing where spots are scheduled to run can help inform any changes you might want to make to your campaign targets for the next day.

Posted by Aly Makishima, the Google TV Ads Team

Join us at the SES Conference in San Jose!

Kate Pacher — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:56:00 +0000

Are you an advertiser focused on local business? Join us at the Search Engine Strategies Conference in San Jose, California from August 18th- 21st and attend the Local 2.0: The Evolution of Local Search panel presented by the Kelsey Group. Meredith Papp, Product Marketing Manager for Google TV Ads joins the panel to discuss how Print, Audio and TV ads can help drive local business.

The panel will be held on Thursday August 21, 2008 at 10:15 am. Afterwards, stop by the Google booth (#403 on the main expo floor) and chat with our specialists about Google's product offerings!

Posted by Anna Khesed, Associate Marketing Manager

Get Creative with the Google Ad Creation Marketplace

Kate Pacher — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:46:00 +0000

Ready to get started with Google TV Ads, but don't already have a commercial? No problem! The Google Ad Creation Marketplace has over two dozen TV Specialists to help you create the perfect television ad in an affordable and timely manner. Whether you're interested in using stock footage, pre-produced commercials, or custom ads with on-location filming and live actors, our TV Ad Creation Marketplace covers a wide scope of TV production services, so you can find the Specialist who meets your creative needs at the price you're willing to pay.

Watch how eHealth was able to launch a successful TV campaign using the Google Ad Creation Marketplace to create their custom ad with on-location filming:

Here are some helpful guidelines to consider when using the TV Ad Creation Marketplace:

Request a bid from three to five Ad Creation Specialists. This will give you a variety of prices, ideas and offerings from professionals. Choose the Specialist that meets your needs.

Communicate with your Specialist during the ad creation process. Discuss the price and the deposit, the approval process, and the estimated time for completion. You can find their contact information from within your Ad Creation Marketplace request for bids.

Incorporate tracking mechanisms in your TV creative. Include a unique URL on the bottom of the screen, a coupon code, or unique phone number so that you can better track the responses to your ad. Ask your Specialist to incorporate these elements into multiple shots, so that potential customers will remember them, and consider having different codes for different channels to track which programs bring you the best business.

View the commercial below, to see an example of an ad produced by a Specialists for SmartDiets.com through the Google Ad Creation Marketplace.

Your Specialist will work with you to create your ideal ad. You can easily pay using Google Checkout, and the ad will be uploaded directly to your AdWords account for immediate use in your TV campaigns. View our demo to learn how to get started. Ads can be produced for as low as $79 dollars, so your imagination is the only limit!

Posted by Julie Picquet, Ad Creation Marketplace Specialist

Research Study Illustrates How Newspaper Drives Online Behavior

Kate Pacher — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:53:00 +0000

Last year, Google commissioned a research study to measure how newspaper readers respond to print ads by going online. The fact that newspaper readers respond via the web is well known to advertisers who advertise in print, and this study aimed to quantify the effect. The study was conducted by Clark, Martire & Bartolomeo, Inc., a third-party research provider, as a telephone sample of 1,003 random adults; respondents had to be regular print newspaper readers who used the Internet and search engines at least once a month.

The first major takeaway was that newspaper readers do actively respond to ads they see in their newspapers. In the last month alone, a whopping 56% of the target market had researched or purchased at least one product after seeing it in their paper:

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The second takeaway was that when readers look for more information on products they see in the newspaper, they rely primarily on the Internet. Of those who said they had researched a product they saw in the newspaper (44% of all respondents),

• 67% conducted research online
• 48% visited a store
• 23% called a store
• 23% asked a friend

Looking more closely at the 67% of respondents who researched online, 47% started their research by visiting the relevant product's website. This makes sense, since newspaper ads normally include a URL.

However, a full 31% of researchers actually began their research by using a search engine. This corroborates the conventional wisdom that print campaigns drive traffic to online search campaigns. Additionally, this finding argues for marketers' maintaining presences in both print and search; it's likely that even if you include a URL in your newspaper ads, a meaningful segment of your customers will respond to the ad by visiting a search engine.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

One final insight regarding the interaction between online and offline media had to do with consumer perception. A significant number of people -- around half, in fact -- said that seeing a product both online and in the newspaper would make them more likely to purchase than seeing the product in only one medium.

The conclusions of this study were in line with the observations of many marketers who successfully blend online and offline, but it's always nice to have numbers to back it up.

Posted by Leo Martin, Print Ads Specialist

Source: "Newspaper Drives Online," 2007, study produced by Google with Clark, Martire & Bartolomeo.

Use Targets and Blocks to Strengthen Your TV Campaigns

Kate Pacher — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:23:00 +0000

You may already be familiar with how to target or block specific programs in your TV campaigns. Now, one of our newest features allows you to block certain airings of programs by choosing specific networks and dayparts during which you do not want your ad to run. We'll talk later in the post about why this is useful, but first, let's review program targeting.

By clicking on the "Select Programs" tab and entering the program title or subject matter that you are looking for, you can quickly add programs to target in your schedule. In addition, if you click on the "more" link in your search results, you can choose to target the airings of those programs that are on a specific network.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

This can be helpful for two reasons:

If a program you want to target airs on multiple networks, but you feel that only one of those networks has the audience you want to target, you can choose it specifically.
If you only want your ads to air on the network where the program was first run, you can select it and not select other networks that syndicate it.

In addition to specifying the network on which the program airs, you can also be specific about the times. So why might it be beneficial to block certain times when a program airs? The feature is especially useful if you are trying to manage traffic to call centers, and you want your ad to air only during hours of operation.

Trying the new feature is simple:

1. From the "Select/Block programs" tab, search for the program you'd like to target and click "Add."

2. View which networks the program appears on by clicking "more" next to the Sample Synopsis.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

3. Then, from the "Select networks/dayparts" tab, find the networks and dayparts during which you do not want your ad to run, and click the "Block from schedule" button.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

Now that you're armed with the ability to target and block, you can go on creating even more effective campaigns.

Posted by Aly Makishima, the Google TV Ads Team

Join Us at ad:tech Chicago

Kate Pacher — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:13:00 +0000

Google's traditional media teams will be attending ad:tech Chicago next week. Join us as we discuss strategies for driving online traffic and boosting ROI using Google TV Ads, Audio Ads and Print Ads. The session will be held on August 6 at 2:15 PM in room #326, and is open to all exhibit pass holders. To obtain a free exhibit hall pass, register online before August 5.

After the session, don't forget to visit out booth on the main expo floor!

Posted by Anna Khesed, Associate Marketing Manager

Tag Your Print Ads to Measure Customer Response

Kate Pacher — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:55:00 +0000

One of the most important elements of any successful print campaign is tracking, and there are several response methods to choose from. These include vanity URLs, coupon codes, unique telephone numbers, and non-competitive Google search terms. But how do you decide which one is right for you?

Now, you can include multiple response types with our experimental custom-designed consumer response tag, or CRT. The CRT allows you to list multiple calls-to-action in one easy-to-find place: the bottom of your ad. These various action types fit different clients' needs, and give your clients many opportunities to get in touch with you.

In a recent experiment, online jeweler Blue Nile ran two corresponding print campaigns with a similar media budget: one using the CRT, and one using a singular call-to-action. The CRT ad campaign drove 6.5 times the sales that the traditional ads drove; customers simply had more opportunities to find their products than ever before.

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Using the Print Ads interface, you can create your own CRT to append to your ad. During the campaign creation process, you'll have an option to create a customized CRT during the 'Ad Content' portion. Just follow this short four-step process:

1. Create the tag using our tool by selecting your contact options and layout.
2. Download a PDF copy to your computer.
3. Place the graphic in your ad layout.
4. Upload the final ad to your campaign.

When you’re planning how to track your next print campaign, keep CRT in mind as a new approach to reach all of your potential customers.

Posted by Mary Shirley, AdWords Account Manager

Insights from TV Tuning Behavior Data

Kate Pacher — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:08:00 +0000

This is the first post in a series we'll share throughout the year featuring insights we've derived from data on television audience tuning behavior.

Each week, Google processes data from millions of anonymized set-top boxes (STBs), including which channels each STB was tuned to, second-by-second. This data is provided by our partner, EchoStar. We're then able to provide advertisers with next-day reports of how many impressions were delivered to each ad airing, as well as tuning metrics, such as what percentage of the audience stayed tuned to their ad from beginning to end.

We've been looking at this data since before Google TV Ads launched, and have learned some interesting things about how viewers engage with TV commercials. The first thing we've learned is that on average, between 5-15% of viewers tune away from a channel as soon as a commercial break begins. The chart below shows the percentage of the total audience tuned to a given channel before, during and after a commercial break:

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The section labeled from "Begin" to "End" shows the duration of the commercial break, and the section highlighted in gray shows when one particular commercial actually aired. We can see that about 4.5% of the audience tunes away almost as soon as the break starts, and another 0.5% or so leave during the commercials. You can see from the gray section on the chart labeled "Ad Airing" that about 0.5% of the audience left during this particular commercial.

So if such a small percentage of viewers tune away during commercials, why should we care about what they do? Well, behavior during commercials generally follows a very consistent and predictable pattern. So when viewers tune away from an ad, they are voting with their remote controls. These "votes" can be useful information, because they might tell us when viewers aren't finding certain ads interesting or relevant, and they bring us closer to understanding when TV ads are relevant to viewers. The animation below shows how many STBs tuned away from a commercial during each of the 30 seconds an ad aired. Each image in the animation is an average of all airings during one of the first 10 weeks of 2008. The peak tune-away is at second three, after which the tune-away rate gradually declines. This basic shape is remarkably consistent. If we look at the average per-second tune-away for all commercial week-by-week, we see very little change to the overall pattern.

(Click on the image to see animation)

Many factors affect audience behavior, including the nature of the programming, the time of day, the day of week, and, of course, the personality of each viewer. But ads themselves can also have an impact. If we could ensure that viewers were seeing only the advertising messages most relevant to them, everyone would benefit.

Posted by Dan Zigmond, Technical Lead for Google TV Ads

Tips for Tracking Calls from Radio Ads

Kate Pacher — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:31:00 +0000

Radio drives people to pick up the phone and dial – a fact to which any unfortunate owner of the number “Eight, six, seven, five, three-oh-nieeeeine” can attest. So how do you tap into the trend and adapt your campaign strategies to your listening audience? Here’s a thought – why not find out where they’re coming from?

Google Audio Ads has released an important enhancement to its call reporting feature: geographic location. In addition to gaining insight into call volume and duration, advertisers can now evaluate their metrics in the context of a caller’s city, state, designated market area (DMA) and country.

Use this data to calculate your cost per call and analyze your ads' effectiveness in different regions. All you need is available in your AdWords account. Here’s how:

1. Request a local or toll-free number via the "Call Reporting" link on your Campaign Summary page. We’ll assign you a phone number and re-direct it to the business number of your choice.

Tip: Planning to test different versions of your ad? Consider requesting a unique phone number for each version to learn which version best drives direct response. You can currently request up to 20 phone numbers.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

2. Mention the assigned phone number in your Audio Ads spot.

3. Access a simple list of calls made to your phone number from the "Call Reporting" link on your Campaign Summary page. You can also run a customized summary of your calls by tracking phone number, date range, city, state, DMA and country all within the Report Center. Simply select "Phone Call Report" and define the view that best serves your campaign analysis.

Tip: Call details are updated in reports every 30 minutes.

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4. Refine your campaign settings based on learnings from your call reports. For example, you may want to increase your exposure in markets that are especially responsive or proving to deliver strong ROI.

And to make a good thing even better, call reporting is free. So what do you have to lose, except the opportunity to drive more qualified leads? Your audience is listening. Answer the call!

Posted by Davi Robison, Product Marketing Manager for Google Audio Ads

New Demographic Planning for Print Ads

Kate Pacher — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:58:00 +0000

To make it even easier to reach your desired audience, Google Print Ads has recently launched some new demographic targeting features. Using data from Scarborough Research, we have set up demographic profiles for roughly 30% of our publications. These profiles provide a breakdown of each publication's readership by household income, age, gender and educational background:

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

You can use this data when searching for publications to add to your campaign. On the first step of the campaign setup wizard, you'll now see a heading for demographic criteria. These controls allow you to specify the exact audience you want to target, again in terms of income, age, gender and education:

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

As you change these settings, your publication results will automatically update with scores reflecting how well each publication matches your ideal readership. We show you both how many people in the targeted audience you can expect to reach through publication, and how effective it is to reach them through that title compared to the average (the "efficiency index").

You can also sort the results by any column. For example, to see the most efficient publications for reaching your target audience, click on the "Demographic Idx" column heading to see the most effective titles at the top of the list. And, to make sure that you see the widest possible choice of publications, titles for which we don't have complete demographic data will still be available in your results.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

While you're choosing the newspapers that you want to include in your campaign, we'll keep track of the total circulation and targeted audience figures for those you have selected. You can play with the search settings and see how this affects the figures for your choice.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

We hope that these features will help you build the best Print Ads campaigns for your business. Try them out, and let us know what you think through the "Send Feedback" link at the bottom of every page. And stay tuned: we'll be adding more ways to use demographics in the coming months.

Posted by Tom Ayles, Software Engineer for Google Print Ads

Reach Your Target Audience With Google TV Ads

Kate Pacher — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:18:00 +0000

Do you want your television ads to reach college age men? Or maybe you want your spots to focus on baby boomers? If so, you'll be happy to know that Google TV Ads offers tools to help you target networks and programs that reach your intended audience, as well as reports to give you insight into how well your ads are reaching that target. Here's how it works:

First, from the Target Campaign screen during campaign set up, you'll want to click on the "Get suggestions by target audience" tab. There, you can select the demographics of your ideal audience, review the networks and dayparts that best reach that audience, and add some or all of the recommendations to your campaign. Learn more about how Google recommends networks and dayparts.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

After your ad airs, you can also run a report to get directional feedback on whether your targeting selections are efficiently reaching your desired demographics. Using the Nielsen data provided by Google TV Ads, you can also make discoveries about those watching your ads. By comparing the demographic compositions of the audiences for the networks, dayparts and programs that perform best in your campaign, you can find commonalities and then edit your campaign targets accordingly. Return to the "Get suggestions by target audience" tab to find and target other networks and dayparts that are rich in that demographic.

It’s important to keep in mind that this data is based on a large survey, and Google TV Ads only reaches a subset of viewers in that survey. Therefore, you’ll want to use this data to get general information about who is viewing the programs you’ve aired on, rather than use it as an exact measure of the demographics of the viewers who have seen your ad.We encourage you to learn more about the Nielsen demographic data as well as other metrics in your Google TV Ads reports.

Posted by Ajoy Bhambani, Product Specialist

Traditional Media Mix and Match

Kate Pacher — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:56:00 +0000

In a world where consumer touch points are multiplying rapidly, an integrated media plan is increasingly important to driving positive results. How can you utlize different mediums most effectively?

With Google TV Ads, Audio Ads, and Print Ads we're simplifying the process and making it easier for advertisers to reach consumers with an optimal media mix - whether they're listening to their favorite radio talk show on the way to work, relaxing with the Sunday paper or watching the evening news. We've designed our traditional media platforms to focus on efficiency, measurement, and flexibility. Here are a few examples of how advertisers have used these platforms to build and manage successful advertising campaigns.

When GolfNow, an online portal that connects golfers to available tee times, expanded nationally, they utilized a combination of both Google Audio Ads and Print Ads in different markets. They quickly discovered that using radio and print ads together drove dramatic results. In Phoenix, Arizona where they simultaneously ran ads across both mediums, branded keyword search surged by 200%. Check out the video below for more details on how GolfNow developed their optimal media mix using Google's traditional media products.

Similarly, The Hanley Center, a leading residential treatment program for chemical dependency, used Google TV Ads to create their first- ever national television advertising campaign. They saw a huge lift in calls and brochure requests, and were able to identify which regional markets were especially responsive. The Hanley Center then used Google Audio Ads to heavy up exposure in these markets. In markets where both Google TV Ads and Google Audio ads were used, brochure requests increased by an incredible 40%. To learn more about how they achieved these results, watch the video below.

Keep these examples in mind when you are experimenting with your own mix of print, television and radio advertising. Google can help you find the right combination.

Posted by Kenton Kivestu, Product Specialist for Google TV Ads

Google and the Google logo are trademarks of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

Introducing Google Audio Ads

Kate Pacher — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:04:00 +0000

If you haven’t heard of Google Audio Ads, tune in. Using the same online interface as your Google AdWords account, you can easily reach your target audience with relevant messaging on the radio.

Audio Ads offers real-time reporting to provide you with detailed insights into your ad plays, as well as into your campaign's overall impact and performance. You’ll have unprecedented opportunities for in-flight optimization of your ads and campaign parameters.

Take a look at our new video to learn more about advertising with Google Audio Ads.

We hope to hear your ads soon!

Posted by Hayeon Kim, Marketing Manager, Google Audio Ads

Class Is Now In Session: Back-to-School Webinar Opportunity

Kate Pacher — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:52:00 +0000

The back-to-school season is just around the corner. To help you prepare, we're hosting two free webinars specifically for retailers looking to take advantage of the back-to-school rush.

These sessions will provide industry information and insights about who's shopping and how you can effectively target these back-to-school consumers with any or all three of our traditional media products: Google Print Ads, Google Audio Ads, and Google TV Ads. Plus, you'll learn how to leverage these mediums in conjunction with your online campaigns to reach additional customers and increase your revenue. The webinars will also include a review of Google tracking features and tools that can help track, measure and analyze the performance of your traditional media campaigns.

These webinar sessions will be held on the following dates and times:

Thursday, July 10th 2008 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PDT
Wednesday, July 23rd 2008 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PDT

Register to attend here.

Both sessions will cover the same content, so please feel free to sign up for whichever session is most convenient for your schedule. Once you've registered, you'll receive an email from WebEx with participation details.

Posted by Emily Harris, Traditional Media Marketing Specialist

Give Your TV Campaign a Check-Up

Kate Pacher — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:19:00 +0000

Google TV Ads makes it incredibly easy to launch a TV campaign. After you've created your campaign, what do you do if your ads haven't aired? Here's how to identify what might be happening.

First, you'll want to check that your TV ad has successfully uploaded and been approved to air. You'll find this status at the top of the campaign management page.

After selecting your TV campaign from the Campaign Summary page you’ll come to screen like the one shown below:

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

You’ll notice a bar across the top of the page that describes four approval steps, including review for compliance with technical and editorial guidelines:

Basic Quality
Google Approval
Publisher Approval
Broadcast Quality

Click on the tab for each of these steps to see a description of what happens in each stage and the status of your campaign. Typically after 48 hours, your campaign will have passed all four stages and you’ll see a message that your campaign is now competing in the auction.

Once in a while, there may be an issue with your uploaded ad that requires some attention. If you see a red 'X' on any of the four approval steps, this indicates that your ad is not ready to air. You'll also see a link to 'View More Details.' Click on this link to be taken to the Ads Diagnostic Tool which will provide you with additional details. For example, your ad cannot air if it doesn't pass our publisher review or doesn't meet our formatting and content requirements.

Once you've confirmed that your ad is successfully uploaded and approved, you'll want to make sure that your bid and budget are high enough for your ad to show by using the Ads Diagnostic Tool.

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

This evaluates whether each of your TV ads is likely to air based on your current bid and budget. Within each category, you'll find that each ad listed includes a description of potential issues that may prevent your ad from airing.

Posted by Salahuddin Choudhary, Associate Product Manager

Introducing Google’s Traditional Media Blog

Kate Pacher — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:14:00 +0000

Welcome to the new Google Traditional Media blog! The recent launch of our traditional media advertising platforms enables you to advertise on TV, radio, or in newspapers. We’ve created this blog as a place for you to turn for the latest in feature launches and tips to help you run effective traditional media campaigns.

We’ll also share recent industry findings, which we think will be interesting and useful for both individuals who are new to TV, print, and radio, as well as those of you who have been using those mediums for a while. Additionally, we’ll give you a glimpse into the life of our team here at Google, so you can learn more about who we are and what we do.

We hope you'll consider subscribing to our blog, or just stopping by from time to time to learn more from our team of product and industry specialists.

We always appreciate your feedback on our products. To send it in, simply click the "Feedback" link at the top right-hand side of the page.

Posted by Kate Pacher, AdWords Account Manager