Digital Mkting 4th ed ch 8 Advertising Online

CHAPTER 8  ADVERTISING ONLINE

further reading ...

The following links take you to content that supplements and updates this chapter of the book. Note that

I’ve included some articles that are a few years old  ... don't let their publication date put you off - they are

still relevant now. The most recent posts are at end of each section.


8.1 INTRODUCTION


Since the mid-1990s I have argued that unless a website exists to gain income from advertising, no website should have ads on it. Originally my argument was that the ads devalue the value of the site’s content. When programmatic ads appeared, they added to my argument because competitors could place ads on websites. An example comes from May 2020 in the UK when the Labour party placed ads condemning the ‘partygate’ story on the website of Conservative Home [conservativehome.com]. Furthermore, the ads stayed there for a while after the slip up [I’m being polite in calling it that] was revealed to the public.

 

In the SNIPPET on page 198 the issue of third-party cookies becoming a thing of the past … welllll, July 2022 saw Google announce that its ban on the cookies was being postponed until the second half of 2024. Watch this space.

 

In the book I try to differentiate the different types of online advertising Toward a lexicon for advertising in both directions is another version.


My experience is that I seem to be able to go for days without seeing an online ad that is relevant to me - it even comes as a pleasant surprise when I do see one. However, the author of  How many relevant ads do we see each day?  puts more effort into the equation.  Note that he refers to ads he sees - what he is really saying is ads that have been presented to him, he might have seen t hem subconsciously, but not consciously i.e. taking notice of them. I suggest that you take these numbers into account when considering the fraud issues presented in the next section.


The AdTech Book is a good intro to the basics of online advertising.


How Much Is Left Of A Marketer’s Dollar, After Digital ‘Leakage?’ offers a clear pictorial representation of where ad money might go.


Bob Hoffman On The Dangers of Tracking - as presented to the UK Parliament in May 2021.


More from Mr Hoffman in Interactivity: Advertising's Hidden Enemy he tells some more unpalatable truths.


If you can get past the fact that throughout its content 4 digital marketing pain points SMBs face today  refers to marketing when it means advertising, it does offers some good advice.


You might find ‘ATT has been an almost extinction event within the digital economy’  a little heavy going - but it is well worth the effort.


Bob Hoffman again - this time it's his March 2023 keynote talk to a group of Members and other interested parties at the EU Parliament in Brussels.


New to native advertising? 5 ways to adapt social media ads for native.


I think that if you're studying business and/or marketing the subject of Fighting The Astro-Turfing Of Culture, The Gravity Well Of Banality, And The Stifling Grip Of Pre-Packaged Thinking should be of interest - and, perhaps, concern - to you. I've included it here because towards the end the article considers the impact on advertising.


If I added a link to every story telling readers about a new form or type of advertising this section would go on forever. However, I've included Instagram unveils two new advertising channels simply as an example of just how much the practice changes and how online advertisers have to stay on top of the changes if they're to do their job properly.


How will Meta’s new targeting rules impact marketers? is another change that online advertisers will have to take onboard as they go about their jobs. And another change ... YouTube is removing individual ad controls on new videos.


8.2 OBJECTIVES AND MANAGEMENT


GO ONLINE *page 201* What marketers must consider before bringing programmatic in-house.


I don't totally agree with everything in Marketers,

misunderstand the two tasks of online advertising - but that isn't to say I'm right and the its author is wrong. Read it carefully and you'll see the basic premise of online ad objectives is very similar to mine.


PPC: When automation may not be the best option for retailers.


8.3 ONLINE AD FORMATS AND DELIVERY


In the book I mention the first online ad - here's its story told by the man who wrote it The first ever banner ad: why did it work so well?


Native advertising: debunking 3 common myths.


In the book I question whether the ads on Amazon are actually ads ... the author of  Retail, search and Amazon’s $40bn ‘advertising’ business has the same doubts.


The incredible shrinking podcast industry is not good news for those who use podcasts as a medium for carrying their ads.


8.4 NETWORKED DISPLAY ADVERTISING


GO ONLINE *page 209* The Evolution of Online Display Advertising.

 



 

GO ONLINE *page 220* Google's chief economist, Hal Varian explains – in basic terms – just how search ads rank and their cost. The video is a little dated, but it will give you a sound grounding in what is going on.

 

An extension of Retail media networks (RMN), May 2022 saw hotel group Marriott roll out its own media network that allows brands to reach customers on its apps and tv screens. More on RMN … Walmart Connect expands with TikTok, Snap.


The first paragraph of Why we care about retail media networks says 'Retail media networks are a hot new thing that’s been around for decades. Its roots go back to brands putting ads on store end caps and paying for placement in retailers’ weekly fliers. But, like everything else in marketing, digital took it into a whole different realm'. That's a very good start.


As retailers sell more ads, marketers’ frustrations and fears grow considers RMN from a broader business perspective.


Elon Musk’s purchase – and subsequent managerial decisions – of Twitter is a story told all media. Although it is a business story rather than digital marketing, it gets a mention here because Mr Musk’s actions saw advertisers such as General Motors, General Mills, VAG [VW, Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche and Ducati, Mondelez (Oreos, Cadbury, Ritz...etc) and Pfizer withdraw from the platform. So, for the digital advertiser, work was needed to re-allocate an advertising budget and prepare ads for other media. Or what about the business whose main source of income came from ads on Twitter. Or what if posting on Twitter was an integral part of your social media/content marketing efforts? The moral? Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.


Basically everything on Amazon has become an ad is about advertising - but the story is much wider than just that.


How PepsiCo is aligning its marketing teams around retail media.


Google and Meta are losing their edge as TikTok, Amazon, Instacart ads grow.


TikTok search ads are here adds to the online advertisers 'jobs-to-do' list.


I like that 5 reasons Amazon Ads is better than Google Ads for ecommerce also includes some negatives in using Amazon. It is also pleasing for me that e-commerce [with or without the dash] is now commonly accepted to mean 'online retail' as I have argued for many years.


YouTube is deliberately ‘suboptimal’ for people using ad blockers is perhaps not too much of a big deal - but I've included it here simply as an example of how online advertisers have to keep up with changes on the various platforms.


Here’s why PPC now looks more like paid social and what it means. The lines between PPC and paid social advertising are blurring.


From March 2024 ... In a privacy-first future, Google Ads is in trouble - here’s how it’ll impact marketers.


I've included Paid Social Ads Work Across the Funnel, Consumers Say as another example of reading the content and not just the headline. I suggest that you read the paragraph under the sub-header 'Purchase behavior based on brands' social posts'. But before you do that, compare the headline with the sub-header ... yep, one refers to Ads and one social posts - they're not the same thing. Ho hum.


8.5 SEARCH ADVERTISING


GO ONLINE *page 221* Google’s dynamic Search guide.

 

As I say in the book, Google is probably the best source of help and advice on advertising on its SERPs – here’s some more … Google launches Ad Creative Studio to customize video and display ads.


How to Use Competitors’ Names in Google Ads.


Google Ads Auto Applied Recommendations: Every setting, explained does what it says in its title. Note that it covers both Google search and display ads.


I find that Beginner’s Guide to Keyword Search Volume for Marketers  reads as if it is about choosing keywords for SEO - but it's about search advertising.


Search shopping ads: 4 experts on how to shape your strategy gives a good idea on how this is a full time – and complex – job. 


How to set up a Google Ads account - this guide walks you through the initial steps of account setup.


I have included Universal Analytics is officially replaced by Google Analytics 4 and 13 of the funniest reactions to GA4: The roast of Google Analytics 4 as an example of how SEO can change for those folk responsible for implementing it.


With Google laying the groundwork to phase out third-party cookies starting from mid-2024, experts discuss the impact on PPC and how search marketers can adapt... PPC trends: the ‘cookiepocalypse’ and its impact on paid search strategy.


8.6 LANDING PAGES


That I've come across so few articles on this subject suggests to me that it is not considered important ... that would be a biiiiig mistake.


5 tips for creating a high-converting PPC landing page.


Why retailers should create product landing pages for their shopable social posts.


How to create service pages that rank and convert is, sort-of, about landing pages - but considers the subject from a wider perspective.


8.7 LIMITATIONS OF ONLINE ADVERTISING


GO ONLINE *page 232* Waste Not, Grow Not and Rethinking John Wanamaker.


5 tips for creating a high-converting PPC landing page.

 

Do users like ads?

Sorry ... nothing new yet.


Does online advertising work?


Two stories on the same theme … I stopped advertising everywhere and nothing happened and A Positive Story About Digital Marketing - They Stopped Spending.


Don’t be put off by the title of Marketers should pay more attention to attention it’s Mark Ritson talking about the limitations of online advertising.


Inappropriate host websites


Twitter Placed Amazon, Snap Ads on White Nationalists' Profile.


Some of the problems with programmatic advertising ... Brand safety looms large over YouTube’s Brandcast pitch to advertisers as further crisis emerges and YouTube 'urgently' removing ads from inappropriate videos of kids as big brands freeze ad spend.

80% of people would avoid buying brands featured next to extreme or dangerous content.


Based on research October 1 to January 12 in the US, Over 1,000 brands ran ads alongside election misinformation.


Brand Safety is Advertisers’ Responsibility, Consumers Say.


Brands should care more about where their ads appear is the headline, but the sub-header ... marketers pay less attention to where ads are seen than their customers do is rather damning.


And still it goes on ...

Google served brand search ads through porn sites and other problematic partners, Adalytics finds and Lawsuit: Meta placed ads next to content sexualizing minors.


8.8 AD FRAUD 


GO ONLINE *page 234* The following links are what practitioners, observers and commentators have to say on ad fraud. Note that some of the data should be disturbing – and a warning – for online advertisers. One of the most out-spoken is Dr Augustus Fou who has a rather subjective view of the subject – not least that he refers to digital advertising as digital marketing. His opinion is respected in the anti-fraud community, and he makes very good, research supported, argument. Reading just some of his articles will give you a sound fundamental understanding of the subject.

 

Digital Ad Fraud Explainer For Marketers.

 

Fraud As Old As Time... Digital's The Perfect Crime.

 

My Q&A About Ad Fraud With A Skeptical CMO.

 

The Cost-Performance Paradox Of Modern Digital Marketing.

 

Digital (Money Laundering, Tax Evading, Terrorist Funding) Advertising.

 

The Gannett [owner of USA Today and news outlets in the US] ad scandal came to light in March of 2022. Ad-Tech Firms Didn’t Sound Alarm on False Information in Gannett’s Ad Auctions not only tells the story but also gives a ‘person in the street’ explanation of the problems with their programmatic advertising.


This Devious—And Mostly Legal—Ad Scam Is Bleeding Small Businesses Dry.


A guide to the different types of ad fraud Which Forms of Fraud Are Impacting Your Digital Campaigns? CPM, CPC, CPL, CPA, or all?

 

Marketers Give These Reasons For Buying More Digital Ads.

 

Digital (Money Laundering, Tax Evading, Terrorist Funding) Advertising.

 

How Two Small Businesses Beat Ad Fraud.


How Bots Corrupted Advertising.


A Brief History of A Decade of Ad Fraud - and one from history Leaked Document Shows How Big Brands' Ad Budgets Get Spent On Asian Porn Sites ... yes, folk were aware of ad fraud back in 2013.


Porn, Piracy, Fraud: What Lurks Inside Google’s Black Box Ad Empire.


Adult Google Ad Fraud Campaign Garnered Millions of Impressions.


Although some folk might argue this is inefficiency not fraud, but June 2023 saw stories of Google ads not being delivered on YouTube. These two articles sum up what was being reported at that time. Ad-Fraud Claims Could Force Google to Pay Billions. But Don't Hold Your Breath and Refuting Every Lie, Misdirection, and Non-Answer in Google's Response to YouTube Scandal.


If you've read the articles listed above, you might be as surprised as me that Most Enterprise Marketers Aren’t Too Concerned About Display Ad Fraud ... this kind-of depresses me as it reflects poorly on those doing the advertising, not least because the main concern - measuring accurate ROI and performance metrics - would be impacted by fraud.


CFOs and CEOs are stepping in.


75% of top brands fall victim to fraud in Google Search Ads.

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