Ask.com is launching an updated version of the paid search ad system they purchased from LookSmart and implemented one year ago. Some nice features, but overall - a yawner in terms of improving ad performance. This system launches on Monday, October 2nd and includes the following “put you in control” features:
1) Daily budgeting. Used to be a monthly budget with daily averages, now it will be a hard daily budget.
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The Marketing Sherpa just released a report that highlights an issue that I have been focused on since the launch of Brand Digital almost 4 years ago (wow!). Small Businesses are getting squeezed out of the internet as a communication vehicle due to the fact that things are getting more complex not easier. The report is titled Special Report: State of the Search Marketing Agency Industry 2006 and focuses on search which is the primary driver for small business marketing dollars online. SEM agencies are requiring minimum monthly spend of $3,000 or more (in service fees) and of the 62 agencies interviewed - only 1 actually goes after the economy-value part of the market (small businesses). The focus is on mid-sized and larger firms that can support larger service fees.

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