July 17, 2006
A decade ago, from the hallways of Stanford,
came a new way to find things, just using a keyword.
Two grads used their noodles,
built something called “Google.”
It’s a verb now in Webster’s -- who figured?
It was different, superior – a gem.
We bookmarked and embraced it back then.
Six colorful letters,
it really worked better.
“Do No Evil,” they said. We believed them.
In 2000 many web sites were dying.
But Google knew soon folks would be buying.
They launched a product called “AdWords,”
though pay-per-click then still seemed absurd.
Google knew it was a risk, but worth trying.
Of course AdWords went on to success.
With this tool we could build strong business.
Selling local or other nations,
stay-at-home moms or corporations,
we quit our day jobs to do this, no less.
But in the darkness something sinister lurked.
They monkeyed with something that worked,
and gave us “Quality Score,”
“user experience” it was for,
but clearly explaining it was something they shirked.
In selling and marketing we’re well-versed,
skills we needed to get rising click costs to reverse.
Sometimes we’d get by,
though we never really knew why,
but then in July of ‘06 things got much worse.
We went to bed without warning,
and awakened ripped from our mooring.
A terrible lurch
Our best words “inactive for search,”
what was a penny last night cost ten bucks in the morning.
So many found their campaigns in ruin.
Even hit those who knew what they were doing.
Not newbies, but veterans,
now addicted to acetaminophen,
which Google mails out if you boo ‘em.
Our reward for loyalty, millions spent?
We’re suddenly broke, can’t pay our rent.
We believed at the IPO,
but now live in Google Gitmo,
Without a clue as to why we were sent.
We plead, “Google, just tell us what to do.”
But the response is unhelpful and cool.
Their vague ramblings of a madman
belie “Quality Score” is no more than
a black box, contents shielded from view.
But perhaps most serious among this wreckage?
Google’s judging for itself what’s quality vs. garbage.
It’s the hallmark of ivory tower,
of a corporation drunk on its own power,
trying to reshape the web in its own image.
But assuming that Quality Bot’s airtight,
and for “user experience” it has insight,
please explain – and this is critical –
how it’s not plain hypocritical
that poor quality’s OK if the price is right?
Google, please put yourself in our shoes.
Say you bought a new car for your business to use.
It runs faithfully day and night,
then one morning, only turns right.
But to fix it, the dealer gives you only vague clues.
We understand selling’s risky, often dangerous,
but the tools that you sell us should be helping us.
Large and small business alike
saw loss of fortunes overnight.
If that’s not evil, than really, what is?
So the next step isn’t hard to construe.
We’re frustrated and angry with you.
Larry and Sergey might be deafened,
inside their 767,
‘cause that sucking sound is adCenter and Yahoo.
Don’t underestimate the web “marketeer,”
Whose resilience and spirit will persevere.
Big changes are underway.
Every Empire has its day.
But, Google, it’s not too late for you to reconsider…
We thought you were different, not like the rest
We trusted “…No Evil” I guess
And though naïve and extraordinary,
to fight corporations with poetry,
frankly, it’s all I’ve got left.
Our reward for loyalty, millions spent?
We’re suddenly broke, can’t pay our rent.
We believed at the IPO,
but now live in Google Gitmo,
Without a clue as to why we were sent.
I love that part - would make a good signature.
please explain – and this is critical –
how it’s not plain hypocritical
that poor quality’s OK if the price is right?
Really fantastic.
please explain – and this is critical –
how it’s not plain hypocritical
that poor quality’s OK if the price is right?
Let me ask you something, man--
Isn't choice better than a ban?
If it costs too much for your ads to linger
You can adapt and prosper (or would you prefer the finger?).
it seems to me that you don't understand the concept of a monopoly.
If your web hosting company contacts you and says "your monthly hosting rate just went from $30/month to $30,000/month", you can just find another web host.
When Google ups your advertising costs by 1,000%, you don't have the same amount of options. You're screwed. And Yahoo/MSN aren't viable alternatives for the volume, yet.
If people were on here complaining about their web hosting costs skyrocketing overnight, that's one thing.
When the 800lb gorilla of the internet with 50% or so of the searches puts the screws to you, it's ok to scream.
I get tired of reading snotty comments from the "take it like a man" crowd.
Last time I looked at your site, all I see is Adsense all over the place - doesn't that make you an MFA site?
Do you even buy Adwords?
Let me ask you something, man--
Isn't choice better than a ban?
If it costs too much for your ads to linger
You can adapt and prosper (or would you prefer the finger?).
So just give evey one the finger? While deep pockets continue to linger?
And their "high quality' sites can be full of #*$!e?
That gives your whole theory the finger!
EFV - You're not doing your credibility any favors you know.
If your web hosting company contacts you and says "your monthly hosting rate just went from $30/month to $30,000/month", you can just find another web host.
Except in my case I think I'd pay up!
My host played a big part on solving my Adwords price hike problem.
Anywhere else I'd still be explaining things via 'tickets' - and thats even if it would occur to me a problem like this was anything to do with a host.
Soon as I realised I had a problem thats where I went first. I did as I was instructed and had my normal prices back 30 minutes, one download and one visit to the registrar later. And they've stuck.
My host costs a fortune and its worth every cent.
[edited by: Alex_Miles at 8:45 pm (utc) on July 17, 2006]
I get tired of reading snotty comments from the "take it like a man" crowd.
Is it because truth hurts?
So the days of cheap advertising with Google are over, so what. You either learn to adapt, or you fail... that's the cost of doing business.
I've never spent a penny on ppc advertising, and don't need to. My organic search traffic is good enough... if and when that goes away, I'll move to Plan B... which it seems many folks don't have.
Not trying to be rude, but it's the reality of owning a business... change is inevitable.
Our largest vendor pulls the rug out, we're going to bitch. We know that's business. We know we need to adapt. We've come here to vent, figure out what the heck happened, and to find out what to do next.
"apdapt or perish"
"that's business"
...and other valuable insights from softcover self-help books.
... or from people that have been self-employed for the past 20 years. :)
Not trying to be rude, but it's the reality of owning a business... change is inevitable.
Change, yes. Occasional, unexpected and devastating change, even - yes.
However, most businesses do not operate in an environment where major aspects of their business change over-night on a regular basis. Oh, there are those who are in such businesses - and they are well-aware of the risks. Even so, when such risks are faced, most busineses (unless VERY large) hedge catostrophic risks with insurance, futures contracts, etc.
Google, now, has introduced catostrophic risk to a field that hasn't faced it up till now. Oh, a magazine or TV station might go out of business now and again, and an advertiser might have to scramble for an alternative if they've relied on out outlet too much. Few and far between, though. And perhaps an outlet will change policies such that they will no longer accept a particular class of advertising - leaving the advertiser out in the cold - but rarely without notice - and those in businesses that might be affected by such policy changes would probably be well-aware of this risk.
I feel for the Adwords Professionals, and others here who are providing Adwords-related services. How do you explain to a client that their advertising could dry-up over-night with no prior notice? But who among you would risk not disclosing this to a client now?
And what business in their right mind would choose to advertise with Google after being given that disclosure?
I've never spent a penny on ppc advertising, and don't need to. My organic search traffic is good enough...if and when that goes away, I'll move to Plan B... which it seems many folks don't have.
Bully for you, why are you posting in this forum? For many of us, adwords was our plan B.
Great poem, OD.
Bully for you, why are you posting in this forum?
Because Brett has been kind enough to allow all members to post where they'd like.
For many of us, adwords was our plan B.
If plan A didn't work, and you had to proceed to plan B... is there no C?
Would probably be best to have a D,E & F as well. :)
You seemed to learn this lesson here:
Last year I would be quite depressed by Google's fickle ways, but today, I count my lucky stars that I've diversified.
[webmasterworld.com...]
[edited by: bobothecat at 9:54 pm (utc) on July 17, 2006]
Guess I'll go post in the Flash forum and give them my advice. I don't write Flash and don't care for it on websites, but that shouldn't stop me.
[edited by: flobaby at 9:56 pm (utc) on July 17, 2006]
If you're the expert in your particular field, then it doesn't pay to let others push you around and tell you what is best. Sometimes it's inevitable, but most of the time it is unnecessary to "adapt or perish". Those are the words of a coward - and usually cowards perish first.
Right now google has the money - so they make the rules. However the money they have came from us. So if they continue their current behavior they wont be making the rules for long.
The point is not only that google raised prices, but they did so without warnings and will do so in the future. Its the UNCERTAINTY that this introduces that is poison to the advertising environment.
I can only believe that competitors to google will receive millions of dollars of advertising from advertisers that do not want to FEAR being dropped and who want no huge UNCERTAINTIES in their advertising campaigns. After all there are fixed and variable costs that are sunk due to projections in sales. How can you project a total loss of business in your business model, that google has now introduced.
The competitors of google now will have the money they need to advertise, innovate, and offer valid alternatives to google. The search engine market should not be dominated by one, but shared by many innovative companies. Its time for googles reign to end, and they just helped this along greatly with their UNCERTAINTY SCORE.
Hey thats our new catch phrase....UNCERTAINTY SCORE, not quality score, since it adds uncertainty to advertisers.
