Link Up 2007/05/29 -- Quality of Search, Video AdWords, Google Pack, and Blogger Ethics
My daily round up things both PPC and non-PPC that caught my eye and didn't have the time or excuse to talk about. You might have noticed that I haven't really talked about much today. Maybe I'll get in a few words later tonight.
HipMojo
Why Quality Matters in Search -- Froosh takes a stab at the industry in a way that hits a little too close to home for us. If he wasn't a personal friend and I didn't know that he had experience from working for Mamma.com back in the day, I just might have taken it personally and launched into a defensive tirade. I'll spare him the scathing, though. ;)
Inside AdWords
Click-to-play video ads available in three new formats -- We usually don't link a Google blog, but this was too interesting to let pass.
Case study: Using video advertising to engage your customers -- Again, we don't usually post about the Google blog, but they posted this a little over a week ago. In light of the above link: coincidence? I think not!
Marketing Pilgrim
Is Google Buying Companies to Add to Google Pack? -- Andy Beal offers the kind of insight into Google's recent acquisition craze that actually lends some of those conspiracy theories out there some currency. As far as I'm concerned, though, he's preaching to the choir.
ShoeMoney
Full Disclosure - Assume The Position -- Jeremy serves up some some common sense with a big ol' boot up your butt (I'm still not sure if I agree with him though).
Comments
Thanks for pointing out the Shoemoney link--Jeremy definitely has a point about full disclosure.
But consider this: if someone wanted to pay you for mentioning their product or service or site and you really didn't like their product or service or whatever then do you honestly think that you could write about or endorse it?
I definitely wouldn't endorse or write about something I didn't believe in.
Posted by: Bill Hartzer | June 5, 2007 4:59 PM
Bill,
What I liked most about Shoemoney's stance wasn't its position, per se, but how he presented. There's definitely something to be said for ethical blogging in terms of transparency, but especially in the case of an Affiliate Marketing blog, I don't think that it's unreasonable to expect the reader to take what's said with a grain a salt. This is why Shoemoney's resonated with me. After all, Affiliate Marketer bloggers are really only blogging for one reason.
It's like when an SEO blogger rails on personalized search. On the one hand, they are an experienced insider who knows what they are talking about. On the other hand, it's going to change the way that they have to do business, so you have to wonder what their motives are. Even though there's no direct compensation, they have an agenda.
Come to think of it, it's also like a newspaper championing Freedom of the Press. Without such freedoms, they couldn't operate and, therefore, make a profit.
Also, services such as PayPerPost are all about paying for a review. Whether or not that review is good or bad is another story altogether.
I myself practice transparency. I don't, however, expect it from all bloggers. It also reminds me of this post I came across today that discusses PR bloggers accepting compensation for their reviews. You should check it out: Is it bribery of just a really good PR tactic?
Posted by: CT Moore | June 5, 2007 11:55 PM