Smart Internet Marketing at Guruphobia

Boy, it sure has quieted down since Google made their adwords changes, hasn’t it?

To be sure, numerous Adwords Advertisers have been impacted by the new quality score issue, and still are as of this writing.  I personally know of at least 5 serious Adword advertisers who spend a high 5-figure amount per month who have been adversely affected by these changes – they are still scrambling to “fix” their landing pages.

This whole episode has spun off some interesting side effects:

- Many are recrafting their sites to better “comply” with Google’s Quality score.  From what I’ve seen, there are varying levels of success in this approach. 

- Many are recrafting AND moving their sites to new domains.  This definitely had short-term success in many instances, but it doesn’t answer the fundamental question: “How long before Google’s Adwords Spider visits your site and scores it for quality again?”

- A small burgeoning business of crafty entrepreneurs selling “Beat Google Adwords Quality Score”-type E-books have sprung up.  In addition, there have also been a new flock of Adwords pseudo-gurus springing up with reports, guides and forums……promising to “unlock” the secrets of the mystical “quality score” elixir.

- MSN Adcenter and Yahoo PPC have been reaping the benefits as PPC advertisers FLOCK over to them en masse.  This is one effect that could well bite Google in the nether regions long term……….people who once had no intention of straying from “Mother Google” are now risking life and limb to taste the benefits of alternative PPC.  I’ve personally been finding that while MSN delivers significantly less traffic, the QUALITY of their clicks is much higher.

- Some are quitting PPC altogether.  Their dreams of “Google riches” dashed, some are flocking to the next big thing or next big tool.  Adios, amigos…………and don’t let the door whack you in the ass on the way out.  Less competition is just fine by me.

Veterans in the PPC game are far too familiar with the fact that algorithm or major “rule” shifts occur at least twice a year at Google. 

The best and strongest players in PPC plan for this, and adjust accordingly.

And the best and strongest players in the Marketing game have long since diversified accordingly, so factors like a policy or algorithm shift in PPC don’t decimate their holdings.

Which camp are you in?

Ciao for now,

Mr. P