YaHoo and Bing AdCenter Update

Below is the latest update as received on 9-30-10 from Bing / YaHoo merger transition team to my marketing department in regards to the recent YaHoo / Bing merger to become AdCenter.

"As you get ready to use adCenter to advertise on Yahoo! Search and Bing, you’ll be a step ahead of the competition if you get to know two things: the new features that enable you to better control where your ads are displayed, and the top tips for maximizing your ads’ visibility.

New adCenter features to help you control where your ads are displayed

Search network distribution
This feature gives you three distribution options, set at the ad group level, for your search ads:
• All Yahoo! and Bing websites and syndicated search partners (the default setting)*
• Only Yahoo! and Bing websites
• Only Yahoo! and Bing syndicated search partners*

*adCenter may discount clicks from the partner network by a certain percentage, depending on the quality of the traffic source, to help you meet your ROI goals.

Website exclusion
• Set at the ad group or campaign level, this feature enables you to select up to 500 websites from our partner network on which you do not want your ads to be displayed

Top tips for maximizing the visibility of your ads

Bid competitively, but keep ROI in mind
• Monitor bids frequently as more and more Yahoo! advertisers transition to adCenter
• Be prepared to adjust your bids if increased competition impacts
your position
• Enter a bid amount that meets your ROI goals, but expect some variability initially
• Set up separate ad groups based on your search network
distribution option

Enhance your ad’s “click appeal”
• Concisely describe the overall benefits of your product or service and give a single call-to-action
• Test and refine your ads with copy and keyword variations until you find what works best
• Remember that adCenter emphasizes conversions, so you may see your conversion rate go up, even if your overall click-through
rate is lower

Link to a highly relevant landing page
• Take users to a landing page that meets the expectations set up in your ad copy
• Prominently feature keywords on the page’s HTML text (rather than in images or animations)
• Be sure load times are quick, and back and close buttons
function properly

For more details, read the Ad Optimization article article.

Ad serving transition update
• Yahoo! ad serving is expected to gradually move to adCenter over the course of two weeks, beginning as early as October 11th.
• In advance of this, we will begin to increase our current testing percentage of 3.5%, to help ensure a smooth transition.

Important reminders
• Keep managing your Yahoo! Search Marketing account
throughout October
• Monitor your campaigns very closely once you begin using adCenter
• Make modifications as necessary to fine tune your results

We appreciate your business and look forward to helping you be successful on Yahoo! Search and Bing.

Sincerely,

Your search alliance partners at Yahoo! and Microsoft"


I will post more updates on this merger as they become available.
Anthony,
Your Website Marketing Partner at ProNetUSA