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Google Maps tag team with Sensis Yellow Pages - a massive swallow of pride?

Published by Josh on 4 November, 2008 in General. 0 Comments

Just announced yesterday was the partnership between Sensis Yellow Pages Online and Google Maps starting from the first quarter of next year. This would have definitely come as a shock to other major online media networks in Australia. But this decision marks the next step to deliver better quality information to the online Australian user – and it’s about time!

And it’s refreshing to finally see at least one of the online media players in oz keeping their ego in check. The Sydney Morning Herald states it as Sensis admitting defeat to Google, since Whereis.com.au (part of Sensis) directly competes with Google Maps in Australia. Maybe to a certain extent, but the deal will drive more relevant traffic to Yellow Online, benefiting the businesses listed on the site. This contributes to the brand of Yellow Pages, and put more money in Sensis’ pocket. That’s surely a win for them.

A ‘truly local’ business listing

The move made by Sensis may not be so crash hot for competitor True Local though, who also runs business listings through Google Maps. True Local (owned by News Digital Media) may have the advantage of time, with some of its listings already rich with reviews and user content on Google Maps. One example is its listing for Tetsuya’s Restaurant, which turns up as the most relevant listing when you search for ‘restaurant in Sydney’:

Tetsuyas Google Maps Listing

But with a more extensive list of businesses in its ammunition, Yellow Pages Online will cover the bases where True Local doesn’t. While it’s still early days, it won’t be hard for Sensis to dominate space on Google Maps if they get the strategy right. Suit up, True Local; play time is over!

Implications for local companies, online business directories, & SEO firms

Greater competition in the online space for listing directories is good news for local businesses. It means an extra outlet of exposure for companies listed on Yellow Online. It will also mean better product offerings and innovation from other online commercial directories.

This also has implications on the SEO front. Optimising local business listings for Google Maps will now require more effort, more expertise, and more opportunities for respectable SEO firms.

Happy Melbourne Cup day!

Google Search Query Reports - Tweak your PPC and SEO

Published by Josh on 17 March, 2008 in SEM and SEO. 0 Comments

So your Google PPC campaigns are under-performing… Or your SEM client now wants you to do sort out their SEO… This is where running a Google AdWords Search Query Performance Report could come in real handy!

Search Query Reports – Where the magic happens

So what’s a search query report? It’s a report containing nearly every searched term that triggered a Google PPC ad. You find it under the AdWord’s Reports tab and it comes loaded with heaps of information on user search queries.

Which keywords are converting? Which ads are performing?

Say you want to know which search query is your highest performer and which of your ads gives you the best return from that query… Search Query Reports deliver. You can drilldown to average position, clicks, impressions, CTR, etc, and at a glance identify the winners and losers among your ads and your keywords.

Spot negative keywords. Spot new ones too!

If you find your ads are being shown through irrelevant search terms, add these to your list of negative keywords. And should you happen to come across new keywords which led to conversions (if conversion tracking is on) you know what to do.

Give your CTR a boost!

The proof is in the pudding! When we tweaked the performance of a new account following our analysis of a Search Query Report, we noticed an immediate performance lift; a 20% sales rise coupled with a drop in our CPA!

You might not get this result every time, but with new accounts when you’re unsure about where you’re at, a Search Query Report can point you in the right direction.

A perfect SEM tool? Well… almost!

One thing you’ll notice when you run a Search Query Report is that Google spits out results in that show up as ‘## other unique queries. And no (before you ask), you cannot see what those ‘unique queries’ are… So what’s up with that?

Firstly, it’s labeled as a ‘unique query’ because that’s exactly what it is: ‘unique’. It may be a sentence long and could turn up once a year at best, so you’re not missing out! Google lumps these ‘one of a kind’ queries with the other one timers to save you the bother of sifting through the clutter.

Secondly there’s a server issue. Listing all one off queries would require heaps of memory – and even Google can’t carry that load!

That said… Give Search Query Reports a try and see how you go! It could make a big difference to your accounts.

Do Yellow Pages give you a better return?

Published by Josh on 28 February, 2008 in CMS and General. 0 Comments

Sensis says they do…

A recent issue of B&T Magazine details how Sensis is investing more in its print product Yellow Pages than it has in many years. While online advertising has been on the rise at the expense of traditional advertising, Sensis is balking the trend with increased spend on paper advertising.

Using ‘metered ads’ (a US system), Sensis found that 65% of people made a purchase from a sample of 400 Yellow Pages print directory ads - a mighty conversion rate by any standpoint. Read the original Sensis media release.

Online users more likely to browse the Yellow Pages!

So the Yellow Pages convert… but who uses the print version of the Yellow Pages nowadays? According to Bruce Akhurst, Sensis’ chief executive, you’d be surprised:

“The fact is that regular internet users — people using the internet at least weekly — are more likely to use Yellow print directories than the rest of us”.

Weekly Internet Users Disagree…

Oh really? Just to be sure we surveyed the office to see if Sensis’ data reflected our reality - After all, going by Mr. Akhurst’s quote Amplify employees would qualify as ‘people using the Internet weekly’.

Our findings: Only two out of nine Amplify folk were daily users of the print yellow pages.

Do you use the Yellow Pages?

A poll of only 9 people of course means nothing. A poll of statistical outliers like the good people working at Amplify – well that REALLY means nothing. Mainly because we use these directories as laptop stands for workplace ergonomics. That said, we’d like to know what your search habits are. Do you use the Yellow Pages in print or do you find what you’re looking for using other means? Let us know!

Where do you look first for a local business or service?

Mobile Advertising - this year is THE YEAR! (Really?!)

Published by Josh on 8 February, 2008 in Mobile Advertising. 3 Comments

Ever since 3G mobiles came on the scene in 2001, the m-marketing buzz (that’s mobile marketing buzz) hasn’t exactly kept pace with reality. Here’s a quick step back in time from a Sydney Morning Herald article from 2002:

a greater change for the individual than when the telephone first became a part of our everyday life
Ericsson Phones (Late 90’s)

m-commerce will change our shopping experience… It’s also likely to be one of the most effective branding tools we have ever had at our disposal.
Martin Lindstrom, Former BT LookSmart COO (April 2000)

It won’t be long before every train or bus is filled with people reading the newspaper on their phone or hand-held computer.
Kim Yeadon, NSW Information Technology Minister (August 2000)

That’s not to say those prophecies won’t be coming true some day; the question is: when?

Introducing Mobile Codes Technology

Here we are in 2008 and we find Sensis bringing Mobile Codes Technology to new Telstra handsets. Mobile codes or QR (Quick Response) codes may be new in Australia, but they are already in use in retail promotions in Asia and with airlines abroad, including JAL, ANA and Air Canada to name a few.

QR Code billboard in Asia

Cue the m-buzz: QR codes may just be the marketing widget to help mobile advertising make its mark in the Australian market…. So what are they?

Quick Response Codes - a better barcode

QR mobile codes, a form of 2D barcode, were originally created by Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994 to track parts in vehicle manufacturing and they look something like this:

QR Code of Amplify.com.au

QR Codes - a picture worth a thousand words!

With the advent of camera phones, a host of QR coding applications came into being allowing consumers the ability to transfer proofs of purchase or promotional coupons to camera phones.

How does it work? By simply taking a picture of the QR Code off a computer screen or street advertising billboard, a user is able to store the data onto his mobile.

Click on the picture below to see how QR codes might work on your mobile camera phone:

[video]crPg_eyXPTs[/video]

Cue the m-buzz: QR codes could revolutionise online marketing!

Mobile Codes - a better SMS

QR codes can carry a lot of information. How much? Here’s the breakdown of what you can store:

Numeric only Max. 7,089 characters
Alphanumeric Max. 4,296 characters
Binary (8 bits) Max. 2,953 bytes
Kanji/Kana Max. 1,817 characters

Just think of it this way, a mobile SMS allows you to send 160 alphanumeric characters. Sensis’ Mobile Codes Technology allows you to store over 25 times that capacity!

Cue the m-buzz: QR codes could help me sell just about anything!

Bridging the gap between traditional and online advertising

QR codes could further bridge the gap between traditional advertising. By allowing consumers to respond directly to advertisements on street billboards, advertisers could more accurately measure a return on ad spend (ROAS) and finally put a sales figure to ‘branding’ initiatives.

Cue the m-buzz: This might actually work… today!

QR Code of 28 Weeks Later DVD in UK

Seen QR codes lately? Used them? Tell us about it by posting on this blog!

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