Google To Begin Charging For Clicks On AdWords Directions

[engine]

Google To Begin Charging For Clicks On AdWords Directions [adwords.blogspot.com]

Many of you use location extensions to automatically show your business address and other information in your ads on Google. These ads also show directions to your business location, along with your address and phone number. By clicking on the directions, potential customers can map the quickest route from their location to your business.

We’ve observed that location extensions with directions are beneficial to users and lead to more interactions with your ads. In January, we launched a report in AdWords to help you measure these useful interactions.

Over the next few weeks, you’ll see performance metrics for directions alongside those for clicks and phone calls. We’ll also begin to charge for clicks on directions in the same manner as clicks on your ad’s headline or phone number. If your campaign has a high number of these clicks, this indicates that your customers are interacting with your ads to get directions to your business.

[wheel]

Ha! Charging you even when they don't send traffic to your website. That's Google innovation!

I suspect that organic ad growth on adwords is getting tapped out. Only so many advertisers willing to pay so much, only so many clicks on ads. I fully expect to see Google's growth going forward based not around ad growth, but on monetizing existing ads in new ways (i.e. same advertisers, paying more money).

[Edge]

Ha! Charging you even when they don't send traffic to your website. That's Google innovation!

And, somebody would click on the directions to your business because?

[lexipixel]

And, somebody would click on the directions to your business because?

(Playing Devil's Advocate here)

Maybe because they searched for a new business that opened next door or down the street from your business, e.g.- "new donut shop near Widgets R Us" ...and they need donuts, not widgets.

[J_RaD]

(i.e. same advertisers, paying more money).

great way to drive them away, its not like adwords is very advertiser friendly anymore.

[jecasc]

I wonder what's next. Probably:
We have observed that the display of your websites URL in Adwords Ads is benefical to your users. Many of them type the address directly in their browsers address bar instead of clicking on the ads. Therefore we have decided to charge you every time a user types your URL in the address bar.

[wheel]

And, somebody would click on the directions to your business because?

If you're paying to drive traffic to your website, then it doesn't really matter does it? Because now you're paying for traffic that doesn't come to your website.

Maybe the advertisers should have some input on this?

[J_RaD]

^ right, at this point you are paying to promote googles own internal products.

yea just get everyone used to not going to the users website...... just go to their google places page, google maps... see the trend

[dvduval]

Is someone getting desperate about their ad revenue growth?

[wheel]

Is someone getting desperate about their ad revenue growth?

Google's got a looming problem. Investors I believe are expecting not just profits, but excessive growth.

There's no place Google's ever managed to make any money other than adwords. So other products aren't going to do it.

There's about a dozen ad spaces on the front page. They're full for just about every search.

So how are you going to maintain 10% growth next year? Charge more from the same thing. That's what they're doing.

And thanks to their closed policy on everything, nobody ever really knows who's paying what - we just see money going in to Google and that's it. If they decide to bump the revenue up by 10% by doing something that people would scream about if they knew - who would actually know?

But that's the only option to them at the moment. Give it max 5 years - this model can't continue. (well, it can continue with profit, but it can't continue with growth).

[Planet13]

Google's got a looming problem. Investors I believe are expecting not just profits, but excessive growth... So how are you going to maintain 10% growth next year? Charge more from the same thing. That's what they're doing.

Exactly! Why invest in google when you can get 10% growth in Chinese, Russian, Indian and Brazilian stocks?

[walkman]

Google's got a looming problem. Investors I believe are expecting not just profits, but excessive growth... So how are you going to maintain 10% growth next year? Charge more from the same thing. That's what they're doing.

In part, but most of the 'growth' will come out of denying you and me the traffic by sending it to Google's own properties hoping they click there.

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

Charging you for something you never asked for but have to use since Google invented it, that's ingenious. Of course you don't HAVE to use it but Google knows that if you don't you're letting your competitors look prettier than you which gets them more clicks.

If you're willing to pay this is great news.

If you're not willing to pay you will get even less natural traffic.

Is it time to review what the Google envisioned roadmap of the internet looks like? Probably not, this is a minor change, but SO MANY MINOR CHANGES are really altering the landscape of late.

[bw100]

Why invest in google when you can get 10% growth in Chinese, Russian, Indian and Brazilian stocks?

There are some who would argue that since Google's accounting follows defined GAAP, while the financial reporting for BRIC companies, even specific to their ADRs, is more lax (and therefore possibly subject to more abuse), the safer bet is with Google. Short version: they are enforcably more accountable to their shareholders. Notwithstanding, of course, the multiple versions of "creative accounting" that all BIG business can afford to implement.

[MrFewkes]

Sgt_Kickaxe - "but SO MANY MINOR CHANGES are really altering the landscape of late"

Come on - (im saying that in a friendly way)

What do you mean "of late"?

This is exactly what they have been doing for the last 10 years.

Ive said it before on this forum - they eat away at us - they would NEVER have survived the backlash if they went from the way the behaved in 2001 to the way they behaved in 2009 for example in the space of a week.

Googles erosion of our profits will continue until we are either completely BUST or living on bread and water.

I fail to see why 1 person in business online would disagree with me. If they do disagree - then they will be next to go.

[outland88]

I suspect that organic ad growth on adwords is getting tapped out.

Since Google has confined it to two or three ads in most of the areas I traverse, to drive up prices, I would think that may be so in quite a few categories now.

I wonder what's next. Probably:
We have observed that the display of your websites URL in Adwords Ads is benefical to your users. Many of them type the address directly in their browsers address bar instead of clicking on the ads. Therefore we have decided to charge you every time a user types your URL in the address bar.

That one had me smiling. Don't give them any more ideas.

[arieng]

Associating these directions with your AdWords is still an option, right? You can turn it off if you don't want to pay for it?

I'm not usually one to defend Google's paid search platform, but in this case I think they're legitimately charging for quality inquiries.

[loner]

Yeah, opt out.

[weeks]

Is it time to review what the Google envisioned roadmap of the internet looks like? Probably not, this is a minor change, but SO MANY MINOR CHANGES are really altering the landscape of late.

I agree, except maybe the "of late." But what we are seeing at Google is a pretty standard formula in the big league publisher biz (i.e., NYT, WSJ, etc.). These folks never leave any money on the table. I doubt it is a sign of anything other than good business. No value to you? Opt out & move on. Watch G like a hawk. Which is why WW is worthwhile.