Overture Dumps "Bid Management" Listings

Changes in the Wind

[Robert Scott]

"Effective immediately, we can no longer list any sites or terms related to
software designed to manage Overture accounts. As a result of this change,
we have removed the following terms from your account:

bid management" ...etc

1st step in the expected move to in-house or preferred software. Expect some more announcements in the near future,

[IanTurner]

Robert Scott - or spokesman for Overture?

Does this mean that Overture is also following our discussions??

If so is this a good thing?

[Robert Scott]

I'm only a humble PPC advertiser with no connections to Overture. Just reading between the lines.

Here's another prediction - watch for other PPC's to follow the same path.

[Brett_Tabke]

If goto won't sell you an ad, I bet there are other engines that will.

[Robert Scott]

Overture have effectively banned and censored a whole segment of the software market. Where does it stop?

Sure we can advertise on other PPC's but how long before they follow? Anyhow, other PPC's just don't generate the traffic for specialised search terms.

[bird]

Why is that a surprise?

Overture is interested in customers who place high bids on their terms. Bid management software automates the task of the bidder to keep his bids as low as possible. It would clearly be counterproductive for Overture to help promote that stuff.

I predict that they will NOT promote in-house or preferred bid management software, because that would effectively reduce their total revenues. Why should they go and hurt their own business?

[littleman]

A couple of months ago when they came out with there own bid management software I knew this was around the corner. Everywhere you turn the corporations are chopping into the space of the promotion specialists. Better diversify.

[seoboy]

word is that they are considering licensing deals for these - ie. companies that want to offer tools have to pay overture to do so. anyone surprised that they're going to figure out how to make a buck off of other people's bid tools, too?

like it or not, its another reason why they're pretty much the only profitable ads-based business around these days...

[feeder]

Are these tools being moved in house or do you guys still recommend people use third-party bid management tools?

[bigjohnt]

I recently attended a roundtable with Overture. It was mentioned in passing that they are working on bid monitoring tools. They have their acts together, and are trying to ensure good ROI for advertisers, as well as good "user experience." Leave either out of the loop,and they will have nothing.
No I am not an Overture employee, nor do I play one on TV.