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Dear Sprinks Advertiser “Sprinks.com and Sprinks’ advertising program will be phased out over the next 30-40 days…”
It is now going to be Google Adwords.

Don’t fall out of your chair if some day you read the news to find out that Microsoft owns Google:

Microsoft and Google: Partners or Rivals?

Search Engine Chart
Here’s a new search engine relationship chart setup in Flash. This is a new format on a similar theme. But this one looks very good. And you can click on an individual engine and it will just show the relationships for that engine.

“From secondary directory to secondary pay-per-click engine, LookSmart has now solidified its position as the stepchild of search. ”

This is an article by Rocky we just put out. It discusses the life of LookSmart. We thought it was interesting to see all of the changes LookSmart has gone through in a relatively short period of time.

Analyzing Search Engines as Investments
This is an interesting read to understand what investors see in the future of search. One line really stood out for me, though:
“..on the advertiser side [of search], it is such a new industry and market that we have yet seen a true price appreciation to advertisers, which is great to advertisers who are getting a good bargain right now. That’s just another sign of the legs of this industry.”

Keep in mind of the “deal” you are getting today in search, because it probably won’t be long before the cost-per-click price is going to skyrocket.

Speaking Of Rfps… -> High Rankings Search Engine Optimization Forum
It’s not only Frederick Marckini who doesn’t like these things. Here’s a long thread from other search marketers that don’t care for them.

Why A SEM RFP Is A Mistake: Part I
Frederick Marckini puts together a very valuable article about the problems of a “Request For Proposal” in the search engine marketing world.

Google Web Search Features: “To see a definition for a word or phrase, simply type the word ‘define,’ then a space, and then the word(s) you want defined. If Google has seen a definition for the word or phrase on the Web, it will retrieve that information and display it at the top of your search results. “

Are you going to be in Chicago December 9th, 10th, and 11th? If so, you should consider going to the Search Engine Strategies Conference. You can come visit us at our booth. We’re a proud sponsor.
You can find more about it here:
Search Engine Strategies Chicago - December 9-11, 2003

We all know how allusive Google AdWords can be. Getting a campaign maximized for the exact key phrases that convert well for clickthroughs and then for sales is a delicate balance usually found after several weeks or months of trial, error, and analysis. For those that have found the Google sweet spot with campaigns containing broad matched phrases, Google has great news! You get to re-optimize all those accounts.

Google is expanding search exposure for broad matches in an effort to “improve ad relevance and build the best long-term experience for users and advertisers.” Some might debate it is more an effort to build the best long term profit from advertisers that aren’t paying attention to broad matched phrase clicks and conversions. But either way, if you have broad matched phrases, look for your clicks to run up and daily budget to run a little short.