YouTube now offers more analytics

Want more info about how popular your YouTube videos are, and where your viewers are coming from? According to Nick Jakobi, a product manager at YouTube,

"Google Analytics enthusiasts, those of you who post videos to YouTube may be interested to learn about our new video analytics tool called YouTube Insight. Find out location data and relative popularity of your video, as well as over-time changes. Read about this new service on the YouTube blog."

Bravo, Youtube! Check out a screenshot:



Posted by Jeff Gillis, Google Analytics Team

CPC: Maximum, average and minimum. An earlier post re-visited

As the Inside AdWords blog approaches its three year anniversary we thought it would be useful to repeat a few reader favorites from our distant past, for those of you who have joined us only recently.

Today we re-visit a popular post from 2006, regarding the several ways in which you'll see 'CPC' mentioned in your account.

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Over the years, a specialized vocabulary has evolved around cost-per-click (CPC) advertising, and many newer advertisers find themselves a bit at sea until they've spent a good amount of time with their accounts -- and in the AdWords Help Center, where they'll find a helpful glossary of the most commonly used terms.

One particular area of confusion revolves around the three types of CPCs -- Maximum CPC, Average CPC, and Minimum CPC -- so let's take a closer look at these terms:

CPC is an abbreviation for cost-per-click, and refers to the cost that you will pay (per click) when a user clicks on your ad.

Maximum CPC is a maximum amount that is set by you, the advertiser, and defines the most you wish to pay for a click on a keyword. Keep in mind that you don't automatically pay this maximum amount because the AdWords Discounter will always reduce the amount you are charged to be just one cent more than the minimum necessary to keep your position on the page.

Average CPC (also seen as Avg. CPC in your account) is literally that: an average. Since each click you receive may have a different CPC depending on a variety of factors, we show you the Average CPC in your account to give you an effective overview. The Average CPC is determined by totalling the cost of all clicks and then dividing that total by the number of clicks.

Minimum CPC (more commonly known as the minimum bid) is an amount based on the keyword's Quality Score that is assigned to each keyword in your account. The minimum bid is the least amount you may pay per click in order for your keyword to show ads.

We hope this sheds some light on the subject - and invite you to do a little further exploring in the searchable Help Center, if you'd like a greater depth of detail.

Posted by Blake, Inside AdWords crew

Starbucks At it Again...

Greetings...

Spring is FINALLY starting to arrive in Ohio and I am SO looking forward to it. Spring usually means changes are coming and new growth is here...

To that end, my blog post today is about Starbucks. My friends at Customer Evangelists posted a unique discussion about Starbucks and their use of social media.

Many banks are beginning to dip their toe into social media. It has been documented about Chase's use of "virtual branches" in virtual world games, others using Facebook or MySpace to chart into unchartered waters with the millenial generation, however, not many people has truly used social media to help "fix problems." Starbucks has hit many potholes over the past year and their stock has taken the toll and their reputation has been faltering. Howard Schultz, their dynamic former Chairman, is back in charge. Recently, they closed ALL store locations for a 3 hour period for retraining and a brand promise recap for ALL staff across the world. An unprecedented, but very necessary, step to get the Starbucks "house" back in order.

So where do they go from here? What else do they address? What needs fixing? Well, this is the message of my post...they ASKED their customers! Most everyone has some sort of feedback mechanism for customer comments, either cards, emails or website sections. Starbucks launched "MyStarbuckIdea" that collects the ideas of customers (issues, concerns, new ideas, etc.) and puts them up for a discussion and vote (how democratic and revolutionary to truly find out the pulse of the customer base at large.)

As noted by Customer Evangelists, the true test of this concept will be in the follow-through by Starbucks. Will they actually implement voted ideas? Will they provide feedback? Will they actually make changes?

If they do...this could be the turning point for Starbucks...we shall see.

Stay tuned!

Cheers!

Bruce

Did that really just happen?

Last week I went to the bank in an effort to make a deposit into my savings account. I don't keep a register for my savings account, and I do nearly all of my banking online. So, on this particular sunny Colorado day, I walked into the closest branch of "my" bank, handed the teller my endorsed check, a deposit slip (that was not complete) and my ID, and admitted that I had NO IDEA what my savings account number was.

Tom T. Teller said the easiest way to find my account was with my Social Security Number. That bugs me...he wants me to rattle off my SSN right there in the lobby of the bank with another customer making their transaction at the window next to me. In that I didn't have the time to argue the idea, I very quietly rattled off the most important numbers in my life as Mr. Teller repeated them in what seemed like a shout but I am sure was more of a conversational volume. Still, did that really just happen? UGH!!!

Wait, it gets better!

So as we were finishing the transaction, I noticed that they are having a mortgage "sale." That mortgages new to the bank (even a refinance as long as the re-fi is from another institution) could qualify for up to .50% rate reduction! I was interested so I asked Tom Teller about it. He said, "That isn't really my job so I have no idea what that is all about. You should check into it and let me know if it is a good deal or not." We weren't talking about Happy Hour at Sonic (and yes, that's a good deal!!), we were talking about HIS BANK offing THEIR CUSTOMERS (ME!!) a discounted rate in a scary mortgage environment. He has no idea that I get it and that I know his job as well as he does (and I would argue that I even know it better!!!) He just had the opportunity to cross-sell me to the moon and decided that it wasn't really his job.

UGH! Did that really just happen too?

Do I really need to illustrate the moral of the story here? Assuming nothing...here goes: If you are going to roll out a marketing campaign that has the potential to increase the bank's profitability, cross-sell your customers, increase your loan portfolio, make sure your tellers understand that their job, at a minimum, includes being able to at least read the sign and understand who to the direct inquiring traffic to. That's all I ask.

Here's to training people to communicate better!

Happy Monday!
Jenna

Demographic bidding now available

In January, we invited AdWords advertisers to join a beta test of a new feature: demographic bidding. Many of you responded and helped make that test a success, and we'd like to offer our sincere thanks.

Today we're announcing that demographic bidding is now available for all AdWords advertisers.

What is demographic bidding? It's a feature that helps you target your ads to users of a particular age group (such as ages 18-24), by gender, or to combinations of those groups. You can use demographic bidding whether you are using contextual or placement targeting and with both CPC and CPM bidding. You can refine your reach based on users' gender and age on certain sites in the Google content network such as MySpace and Friendster, whose users provide that information about themselves. AdWords receives the data in anonymous and aggregate form from participating partner sites, which means that users can’t be personally identified.

Here's an example of how demographic bidding works: suppose you sell women's basketball shoes and want your ad to be seen by 18-24 year-old females. You could raise your bids to increase the frequency with which those users see your ads. You can also restrict your ads from certain users if you think they're not meeting your ROI goals. In the case of women's basketball shoes, you might find that the male, 18-24 year-old demographic is receiving a significant number of impressions but not clicking-through or converting well, and decide to restrict that group.

Overall, demographic bidding gives you more control over the demographic groups who see your ads. You can also use demographic reports, available in the AdWords Report Center, to get insight into how your ads perform for specific demographics. These metrics can help you decide how to adjust your bid modifiers and restricts to reach the audiences that give you the most clicks and the best ROI.

Lastly, it's helpful to know that demographic bidding and demographic site selection are two separate ways of targeting your ads. Demographic site selection, found in the AdWords Placement Tool, helps you find and target entire websites that, in general and based on comScore data, have the audience you're trying to reach. On the other hand, demographic bidding lets you modify your bids or restrict your ads' visibility based on the age and gender of the users viewing your ads on participating sites in the Google content network.

Ready to give it a try? Learn more and get started.

Posted by Trevor, Inside AdWords crew

Benchmarking Data Now Live!

On March 5th, we announced the rollout of our new Benchmarking reports. These reports provide context to your Google Analytics data based on industry verticals so that you can gain more insights for your own business. As of today, users should start seeing Benchmarking industry data populate in Google Analytics. The number of verticals and the quality of the data will likely grow as more and more customers enable this feature.

It is important to note that Benchmarking is opt-in only, so if you haven't yet enabled benchmarking in your account, but would like to, please do so now. Simply have your account's administrator login to the data sharing settings page and select "Share my Google Analytics data... Anonymously with Google products and the benchmarking service".

Posted by Christian Yee, Google Analytics Team

The Second Quarter

The second quarter of everything is important. In football, the team in the lead at the end of the second quarter often wins the game. In basketball, the second quarter makes a time when the players can push their abilities and stamina to the max, knowing that they have a break at the end.

In banking, the end of the second quarter also marks the half way point. So, before the year escapes us, take a minute as we wrap up the first quarter of the year to take a step back, evaluate our marketing plan and make sure we are on track to deliver. This blog will be short, but also very important! Here are three questions you should be asking:

1. Are we on track to execute the plan as written, on time, on budget and with the predicted results?

If everything is in line then you are good to go. Reality checks are the most difficult part of a marketing plan. And we like to consider marketing plans as more of a guideline to operate within. The plan is the ultimate goal to be reached barring any unforeseen circumstances. The best marketers have solid plans and execute them flawlessly, all the while understanding that the marketplace is a constant moving target. We must be prepared to evolve with our environment.


2. Has the marketplace changed?

Maybe a large company opened or closed its doors. Was there a significant event at the local university (big layoffs, a flu outbreak, etc). Did your budget change since you completed your marketing plan? These are all external factors that will play a role in how you execute your marketing plan. It's good to take a step back and make sure you are still on track to deliver. If there have been big changes around your, adjust your plan to meet the changing needs of your marketplace, but keep the goals the same.

3. Has phase one been completed (please say yes to this one!!!)?

Congratulations! Finishing the first phase of a marketing plan is worth celebrating! Calculate your ROI and share it with the world! OK, well not the world, but be sure to let your CEO, CFO and other key players in your organization know what a rock star you are. If you want your budget to increase more than the standard 3% then illustrate your value to those who don't "get it" like we do!

If you want a little help with the ROI part, post a comment here (or email me) and I will be more than happy to share the formulas with you!

Enjoy your week!
Jenna