I always end up with a ton of open tabs in my browser. Here’s some of the things I’ve enjoyed, but won’t do a full-scale blog post about. You might have missed these the first time around:
- Mike Grehan noticed a Google experiment to let users suggest urls to Google for specific searches. If you repeat the search, your suggestion will show up at #1 for you. Google is always running a bunch of experiments; I just like the idea of users contributing suggestions to Google.
- I noticed two good articles about using AdWords well. The first one is from Amy Konefal. She walks you through separate bids for content vs. search ads; the ability to not show ads to sites you choose to exclude; Google’s Placement Performance reports, and how to check the return-on-investment (ROI) for individual sites; how to ramp up advertising using site targeting for sites that perform especially well; and how to mine Google’s new Search Query reports to find new keywords to bid on, or poorly performing keywords to exclude by adding as a negative keyword. You should really go read the whole post though; it puts some of Google’s ad tools in a nice historical perspective. It also drives home that Google provides a lot of tools for the advertisers that are willing to invest the time. I believe that the more familiar you become with AdWords, the better your ROI will be.
- The other AdWords article I enjoyed was by a post by Brad Geddes. Geddes discusses some of the same ground as Konefal from a slightly different viewpoint. Geddes additionally mentions geotargeting to improve your ROI, the fact that you can exclude IP addresses from seeing your ads, the fact that Site Exclusion allows you to block an unlimited number of sites, and Google’s invalid clicks report. That report tells you how many ad clicks were discarded by Google so you didn’t have to pay for them. Geddes points out that the invalid clicks report can help reconcile your analytics results with your ad clicks. Together these two articles cover a lot of AdWords tools. There are still a few other things you can explore, such as auto-tagging your ad clicks so that things like page reloads and back-button navigation don’t cause confusion.
- Walkscore takes an address and estimates how “walkable” that address is. It looks at things like where the nearest grocery store is, how far it is to the nearest bookstore, etc. It’s a pretty neat use of web APIs for maps.
- I’m normally not a sucker for Matt-baiting. I didn’t link to the Cartoon Matt doll (until now, I guess). But I have to say that I really enjoyed LOLCUTTS. Very creative, Michael. 
I’m surprised that you didn’t take advantage of some of my sillier photos.
- People have figured out how to compile and load native apps on the iPhone. One recent thing I’ve seen is an NES emulator for the iPhone. It’s not something I’d run, but I still like the idea of being able to run my own programs on the iPhone. Now if homebrew iPhone apps could read the tilt sensor well, maybe I wouldn’t have to carry a pedometer in my pocket.
{ 53 comments… read them below or add one }
Good morning Matt,
By any chance you are going to experiment with “suggest urls to Google for specific searches” on google.dk?
Matt,
I am so glad you enjoyed lolcutts.
It was one of those late night lack of sleep ideas that that actually still made me laugh when I woke up, thinking, “Wow, I really am a geek, huh…”
Thank you for the links to the other posts as well, especially the one by Brad Geddes. I was unaware of the invalid clicks report, when did they start revealing that data?
One really interesting option for ADWORDS – that should be considered, is to allow each user to choose between having a Pay Per Click or a Pay Per Impression Model for each of their ads individually.
In terms of placement, it could be randomized so that the PPIs have the same probability of ranking order as the PPCs.
Users Really should be given that option; there is no realistic way that any one could assure bidders for competitive keywords that a big chunk of the click thrus are NOT false. Especially those users who just happen to have the #1 organic listing for the same keywords they were buying the PPC for and were able to measure the STARK differences.
Another concern that has never really SINCERELY been addressed is:
How does Google * ETHICALLY * justify have Sponsor Links above the Organics?
Is it ethical to make the ENTIRE area hyperlinked?
And has the change in background colors from a pale blue to a beige actually helped click thrus?
There is no need to reply to these concerns expressed in this post
SEW
“Another concern that has never really SINCERELY been addressed is:
How does Google * ETHICALLY * justify have Sponsor Links above the Organics?”
I can’t see anything unethical in that. BOth the different colour of the background, plus the very clear sign: “Sponsorerede links” makes it very clear to searchers that those spots are AdWords which don’t belong to the organic search results
Matt..I always end up with a ton of open tabs in my browser.
Unrelated but what browser are you using.. The moment I have more than 10-15 sites in my Firefox.. it begins to crawl.. IE is even worse.
damn you Cartoon Doll Emporium.
There goes my work week
Hi Matt,
Long time lurker, first time commenter here.
If you like LOLCUTTS, you might like my rendition of you as a SEO GANGSTER
http://www.damndomainer.com/matt-cutts-is-a-seo-gangster/
Take care!
Wow, those LOLCUTTS are funny. And scary
Hi Matt
Possibly not for addition to the blog but perhaps worth a general comment from MC…we’re seeing a few “automated” SEO solutions starting to appear such as http://www.youramigo.com that claim to be “have unique technology that has solved all invisibility and natural search engine optimization challenges” yah-de-yah-de…
What do you reckon? Sounds full of hot air to me…
KP
Sounds like Google has a a number of good new ideas. The suggest-a-url is something I don’t see much value in. If a person has a URL they like to visit, why not just bookmark it?
Harith, you don’t spend enough time around non-techies. The vast majority of the time that I am asking someone, a “normie”, to look at the number one result over the phone and tell me what they see they have no idea what a sponsored result is and tell me that one instead.
I’m not saying it is unethical, just pointing out that you are wrong about regular people knowing the difference.
Mr. Cutts – I would think suggesting a better URL is a noisy signal right?
I can just see it now, Shoemoney will have contest, “Suggest me” and earn a free ringtone. Sad.
Michael
You might be right on that one. However as an advertising model, I see Google has done its best to make the top AdWords spots recognizable as ads.
Brad’s AdWords articles (and website) are a positive goldmine of information for every level of AdWords advertiser (and I don’t just say that because have the same last name – as far as we can tell we’re not related) I can’t recommend his seminars highly enough either – I thought I was more or less an expert, and I came away from it with all kinds of new and interesting information and ideas.
Matt, I would also be interested to know what browser you were using, just out of interest?
I always end up with loads of open tabs too.
Harith,
Well, I dunno about that. I’m not saying I blame them, mind you, but as far as the top slots go having the “Sponsored Links” in the right hand corner like that is a bit of a blind spot for most people.
Also, SEW, with the color change it does look like the entire area is no longer hyperlinked, at least when I look in IE6.
Matt – I appreciate the links on ad words. I use adwords quite a bit and I am always looking for information on how to utilize them better. Nice pictures for LOLCUTTS – Where is that sandbox Matt?
I like the idea too Matt, BUT, if would surely have to be all users or none? If not, wont it simply be a case of a noisy minority dictating their preference to a silent majority?
Or, as Aaron has stated, just opening up the back door for more ways to manipulate the SERPs?
Same place as always! In the imaginations of most SEO.
Hey Matt,
God, you’re such a busy guy Matt. A million Kudos to you!!! Through your blog I’ve discovered the Google Webmasters Console and Google Analytics. Analytics absolutely rules. I have some dedicated servers running CPanel and have been using the available stats packages such as Webalizer and Analog, but GA is definitely, hands down the most awesome invention for webmasters. I’ve been getting my hosting clients to switch over to Analytics because the data is perfect. Well, I’m sorry for praising you so much because those of us who are humble White Hats don’t take to praise.
btw, did you see my post about the WordPress plugin that allows you to ban commentors by IP or IP ranges. If you’re interested, just send me a message on my ABP blog and I’ll send you a list of IP ranges to block.
and, do you have a dog Matt? If so, please post a pic and I’ll do you right on my site loldawgz.com – our current theme is baseball… Are you a baseball fan? If so, it might be interesting to know who Matt’s favorite team is? I’d bet you’re a Dodgers fan… Just please don’t say you’re a Yankees fan or I’ll have to disown you
oh, btw, you know some kid unlocked the iPhone and got it to run on T-Mobile. I live in Southern Delaware in the summers and AT&T is not an option (horrible service up here). I have a T-Mobile and a Verizon phone (one for business one for personal) and I’d like to try the iPhone but I don’t like to sign service contracts. Call me cheap, but I own two homes mortgage free and I don’t use credit cards. My career at IBM put enough cash in my pocket that I only buy what I can afford and avoid monthly bills if possible. Jeez, I’d love a Sirius radio, but my wife says no, same to the Flatscreen TV and an iPod. At least she let’s me have the MLB baseball package and I’m actually going to get the NCAA football package again this year (early Christmas presents – last year my christmas present was a pressure cleaner
)
Matt
You need to go bald to pull of the Zombie Jeeves. I liked the look, even though it did remind me of a college professor I had…
SEW
“How does Google * ETHICALLY * justify have Sponsor Links above the Organics?”
Where should they go? Page 20 of the SERPs? The bottom of every page? If you are a successful SEM for your client, then the ROI justifies the placement of the ad because it’s a win for your client (cost vs conversion), win for Google (allows them to continue a successful ad network), but most importantly it’s a win for you because you have a happy client and check in your pocket.
If they made the backgrounds any stronger then people would probably be less likely to want to click on it because just about any internet surfer with a little bit of online savvy steers clear of blinkie or loud or obnoxious page elements.
Hey Matt,
This bug still is there:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%27hello%22+check
Matt,
Have you tried the FireFox add-on ‘Session Manager’?
If like me, you’ve got tons of tabs and suddenly need to turn your computer off or start working on something else its tres useful indeed.
Matt,
Btw, power to the friends at Google Search Quality Team for this one
I’m encouraged to see google experimenting with user suggestions. More and more I feel like the current “relevancy” of natural search results is losing meaning. It’s great that there’s a certain amount of transparency in how relevancy is determined – Meta Tags, on page content, Page Rank (in-bound links), etc., etc., – but for any given search term, doesn’t relevancy start to lose meaning when 1,000 sites have the term in meta tags and in on page content and it begins to boil down to who is a better online marketer.
Hello Matt
By any chance you are going to experiment with “suggest urls to Google for specific searches” on google.com.tr?
Good hint Matt
This is really a big question to keep or evan “remake” the natural search result so that it is relevant. I´m getting fedup with all theese spam sites that rank well on almost every search term.
Matt..
You look good with a shaved head..
Nice to see the quick improvements made in short period.
Hey Matt,
Are we ever going to see a page rank update again? I see people on the google forums trying to trade there first born for some green in the meter.
That’s exactly true Matt, the number of tabs in browser goes higher and higher from the start of the day and browser start slowing and hanging.
Being a cat fan Matt, I thought you might enjoy this video I found on Cattube
http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?docid=-565286190071652250
doc
Kenki,
Why NOT respect Matt’s request.
Wow, it’s going to take a while to check out all those links.
So you KEEP saying! When are actually going to do as you say though?
Seroiusly Kenki, the sooner Matt bans you the better off his blog will be.
Matt,
Long time no post!
I guess Matt is in Nebraska
Speaking of photos – hey Matt – is the guy on the right your brother? http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0764576100/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-3010929-5942243#reader-link
Aaron Pratt: I think that’s only for personal searches. It doesn’t apply on the actual engine (that everyone will search), but more for just personal use.
Correct Matt?
Wow, really it’s going to take a while to check out all those links.
im agree : )
We’ve found geo-targeting to be a great way to cut down on the looky-lous, at least as far as real estate campaigns go…
Matt,
I am also glad you enjoyed Locutts. Waiting on a pagerank update.
“Mike Grehan noticed a Google experiment to let users suggest urls to Google for specific searches. If you repeat the search, your suggestion will show up at #1 for you. Google is always running a bunch of experiments; I just like the idea of users contributing suggestions to Google”
Sounds interesting. Amazon always seem to be running similar experiments – things are often moving around the page and changing. I’d love to see some of the stats these types of experiments come up with.
I noticed Google have a new app to let you run similar experiments on your site, though there was a lot of Javascript used and it messed around with the site in a weird way.
Damn it, more stuff to get through and analise – thanks hough Matt
I really think URL suggestion for specific searches would be a great tool for Google to solicit feedback on search terms as opposed to the smiley faces that seem to have no true use whatsoever…or do they Matt? Do the smiley faces on the toolbar ever truly send and record info?
The article by Geddes covers some very pertinent points. Geotargeting really improves ROI. I use my website data to decide which geo area to target. Invalid click report appears interesting and I will explore it further.
Thanks for the interesting post.
Sanjay Johari
good useful information about adwords. sometimes just don’t know about adwords and eventually run out of money very fast!
Intreresting read…
“- Mike Grehan noticed a Google experiment to let users suggest urls to Google for specific searches. If you repeat the search, your suggestion will show up at #1 for you. Google is always running a bunch of experiments; I just like the idea of users contributing suggestions to Google.”
I read the article referenced along with other information and inferences from your blog on how Google wants to incorporate an increasing numbers of user feedback into their search results.
While anyone can obtain a number one listing on their personal page using the “+” sign , I am curious of the future impact that will have on the results that everybody sees. I am also curious, if such feedback is integrated, how Google plans to combat “+” sign submission spam that is certain to follow.
Good hint Matt
I always end up with a ton of open tabs in my browser.
Unrelated but what browser are you using.. The moment I have more than 10-15 sites in my Firefox.. it begins to crawl.. IE is even worse. http://www.tavex.org
I also end up with many in my firefox.But what keeps me going is the proper functionality of the browser.When i feel its getting out of hands i start clearing the tabs.
thanks. guzel site.