The Uniqueness of Google AdWords and Google AdSense

Here I would like to explain the uniqueness of Google AdWords system and Google AdSense system.

Google AdWords system

Google AdWords system allows users to purchase space on Google’s search result pages to publish their ads. Without a Google sales representative, Advertisers bid on specific search keywords or phrases.

Google AdWords is special because users could choose when and where their ads would appear and they also have a control on their investment as there’s little minimal investment. By combing their ads with some specific key words or phrases, their ads would only be displayed to people who already have a big potential to be interested in their product or service. Moreover, users just need to pay for clicks on those ads. This Cost Per Click (CPC) model would guarantee a high Return On Investment (ROI).

How much the advertiser bid for the search keyword would have an influence on whether their ads will show up on Google’s search result page of that particular keyword. But that’s not the only factor. Google also calculates the Quality Score of that advertisement, which would also influence whether an ad would be placed higher or lower. A higher score suggests a higher tendency of generating clicks and popularity among users, thus the ad is tended to receive an elevated placement. Actually the disobeying of the regular rule -- “pay more and you are the winner”, demonstrates Google’s higher socialist tendencies over other advertising models, as well as their focus on users by giving them a vote on the ads’ placement.

Google AdSense system

Google AdSense is a system which provides a channel to anyone who owes a website or a blog to add advertising space to their own sites. If a website owner subscribes to AdSense, their website will be given an access to Google’s huge network of advertisers and Google would help it manage the placement of ads which are relevant and targeted to the contents of the web pages.

The idea of Google AdSense system is so original and unique as it provides web users a chance to earn extra money from what they already have -- their own web contents. And they don’t need to be professional in advertising or marketing. All they need to do is to update contents on their website as usual and make it more appealing so that more people would come to visit their website and there will be more probabilities of clicks on the related ads, which suggests more money they would make from those clicks.

Why Google AdWords & Google AdSense Provide Effective Advertising

Here I have a brief analysis about how Google's philosophical design for Google AdWords and Google AdSense is unified with the their belief about the criteria of effective advertising:

a. Google AdWords only displays ads related to your search words and Google AdSense displays ads related to the web content. Ads provided by both of the two programs are nothing like irrelevant pop-up ads which suddenly show up when you browse web pages. They usually take limited spaces and are displayed as static words, which would not interrupt you unless you feel interested and click on those ads. So we think AdWords and AdSense provide a non-interruptive user experience.

b. AdWords is designed as a mechanism through which ads will only be shown on the search result page for the search of some specific key words or phrases. The design for AdSense is also consumer-targeted by delivering relevant ads that target to the site’s content or audience. So both AdWords and AdSense provide targeted advertisements for users.

c. Through AdWords, ads would only be shown to users who are already interested in some certain product categories. For example, if a web user searches “swimwear”, there will be ads of swimwear on his search result page which he might probably think it useful. For AdSense, there is a match between the web content and the ads provided. For example, in a website about travelling, some ads of trip planning or hotel booking might be useful to consumers. So basically AdWords and AdSense are useful to consumers as they are precisely targeted.

d. Google uses a Cost Per Click (CPC) model for both AdWords and AdSense, in which advertisers just need to pay for every click on their ads instead of the impressions. This model guarantees advertisers a high return on investment, without wasting money on useless impressions. Additionally, both of the two programs have made efforts in reducing the influence of click fraud on the results. Therefore, AdWords and AdSense demonstrate accountability in terms of results.

e. The process of creating an ad using AdWords is not complicated. The user chooses a keyword to bid on and write a short ad copy for the link. In terms of AdSense, you just need to sign up for the program and set up your personalized ads. Users don’t need professional knowledge in advertising or marketing to make use of these two programs. So both of the two programs are easy-to-use for consumers.

3 Ideas about How AT&T Could Evolve to Meet the Changes

I must say AT&T has such a "general" market. It has no specific segmentation for a certain group of people. My suggestion to AT&T is line extension by "adding individual offerings that appeal to different market segments while remaining closely related to the existing product line". For example, they could build lines for students and businessmen exclusively with different levels in price and services. 

Moreover, among all those carriers that apply 4G mobile broadband, AT&T is not that competitive in 4G technology, speed, coverage, plans and devices. With Verizon having the fastest 4G speed and T-mobile having the largest 4G network, the price and service that AT&T provide are not that attractive to users. AT&T is facing a fierce battle in the future 4G market. (4G Comparison [Infographic] | 2011 Review)

AT&T was rated the worst wireless provider both in 2010 and 2011 by Consumer Reports. A recent presentation by Gregg Heard, who is the VP-brand identity and design for AT&T, told us that AT&T's new strategy is to win consumer love. They would evolve their original "Rethink possible" slogan to focusing on human experience.
Read this news: AT&T's Strategy to Win Consumer Love: Be Human
We will see what their next move is.

P&G's "Thank you, Mom" Campaign for London 2012 Olympic Games

How is P&G connected with Olymplcs? These two things sound so irrelevant.

The new P&G commercial features all moms of those athletes. It honors every little thing mothers do for their children, like cooking, washing clothes, dish washing, etc. It is those little things that make their children achieve progress while growing up. And P&G proclaims that being a mother is the hardest job in the world, but also the best job.

P&G's idea of this "Thank you, Mom" campaign is very smart to successfully involve their brands of consumer products to London 2012 Olympic Games. And the campaign also does a good job in its execution. With the same idea presented in various editions in different countries, this campaign has been able to spread their "thanking mom" idea worldwide.

Samuel L Jackson and Zooey Deschanel Commercial for iPhone 4s

Check out new commercials for iPhone 4s starring with Samuel L Jackson and Zooey Deschanel. Just wondering why Apple use stars in their commercials now. This is quite abnormal!

"Thanks Steve" Creator's New Design for Coca-Cola

You probably have seen this "Thanks Steve" logo which recreated the Apple logo. It was designed by Jonathan Mak Long, a then 19-year-old college student from Hong Kong.

His talent got the attention of Ogilvy China. And recently he created this new design for Coca-Cola, which now could be seen on bus shelters in Shanghai. Using a similar concept with the Steve Jobs apple-bite logo and embedding a topic of "sharing a coke", this succinct design is part of Coca-Cola's global "Open Happiness" campaign.

Relevant news on Ad Age:

Hong Kong Student Behind Steve Jobs Tribute Creates Coke Image

Facebook of Jonathan Mak Long

Coca Cola's Hug Machine Opens Happiness

Vending machines have feelings too?

Yes!

Using a hug, instead of money, you will get a coke!

Check out Coca Cola's new "open happiness" campaign in Singapore: