Google has rolled out a strong paid-search enhancement that brings click-to-call functionality to all mobile-triggered searches regardless of a users location through phone extensions.

Keith Vera
Client Services Manager

Last month we talked about the launch of the new AdWords click-to-call feature as Google rolled out the service to all paid-search advertisers. Now, Google has rolled out a strong enhancement that brings click-to-call functionality to all mobile-triggered searches regardless of a users location through phone extensions. Advertiser phone numbers can now appear as the last line of ad text, and can be applied to all existing or new campaigns.  Here is an example of what an advertisement utilizing the new phone extensions enhancement might look like:

Google AdWords Phone Extensions

We’ve been utilizing Google’s new Click-to-Call features for some of our clients and have a few suggestions if you would like to take your PPC ads to the next level and implement click-to-call utilizing phone extensions:

• Treat your click-to-call campaigns as separate programs from your traditional PPC campaigns, much as you would campaigns that focus on advertising on the content network.
• Focus on the more general terms around your brand or product at first, with the goal of capturing users who are actively searching for your company, products or services. These users are more likely to be your stronger target-audience segment, and further down your conversion-funnel.
• Test and optimize your mobile campaigns just as you would your standard PPC campaigns, be sure to check your mobile calls-generated statistics frequently.
• Finally, be sure that you have a system in place to handle the new inbound call traffic. If your call center doesn’t operate 24 hours a day,  day-part your click-to-call campaigns to only operate during hours you can handle calls.

Let us know what you think of this new click-to-call AdWords feature by commenting below…

The gold medal hockey game between USA and Canada during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games has shattered records for social media buzzing and online viewership. Canadians love their hockey…and Molson beer.

George Assimakopoulos
CEO & Principal Manager

By now we all know that Canada (once again) has won the GOLD Medal for Men’s Hockey at the Winter Olympics.  To my many friends up there in moose-land (and you know who you are) congratulations.  As I was watching the game today, I was amazed at the reaction of the audience watching at the arena.  I mean every shot, every block, and every hit was followed by a unanimous shout of glee that I have never seen in any sporting event.  I realize that, in Canada, HOCKEY is more than a national sport – in fact, to many it is almost a religion. 

In Canada, 24.2 million people watched the gold medal hockey game yesterday.  Why is this an amazing statistic?  Well – there are approximately 34 million people in total living in Canada – so that means that over 70% of the country watched the game.  During the actual game, Twitter reported over 172,000 tweets on the topic of “Canada vs USA Hockey Game”.  Even Justin.TV (unofficially) reported that more Canadians tried to broadcast this gold medal hockey game than any other Canadian sporting event ever  (I wonder if NBC knows about that stat).  Over the next several days, more statistical research will be released on the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games.  Regardless of the upcoming analysis, it is safe to say that the gold medal hockey game between USA and Canada has shattered the social media buzz and online viewership record-books for an Olympic winter event.

For more information on Olympic audience statistics across online channels and social media environments – visit these links:

• Olympic Twitter Tracker
• Nielsen Sports News Wire
• Mashable Social Media Guide

The International Olympics Committee has embraced social media as part of their marketing strategy for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Stefanie Berliant
Client Services Manager

As the 2010 Winter Olympics are coming to a close, there’s been some great coverage of these talented athletes on the air and online.  I must give kudos to the International Olympics Committee and NBC (http://www.nbcolympics.com/) for really making an effort and embracing social media. One page on the site is a dedicated Twitter tracker for the Olympians. There is even a section on staying connected with the games through mobile alerts, widgets and more. The Vancouver Olympics page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/olympics) has also contributed to their large social presence.  Nielsen released a study showing that more viewers were on Facebook while watching the Olympics opening ceremonies than on Google or Yahoo (http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/100222-002727).  Even Olympic sponsors have created social media marketing campaigns (http://www.youtube.com/visagoworld).  While some may view the IOC’s social media approach as too strict and centralized, I really commend them  for trying to harness social media and utilize it in the best way they know how by creating this strategy and being proactive in these social networks. It is nice to see traditional media outlets staying current with the new technologies and adjusting to new ways people communicate.

There has also been some criticism toward NBC over the tape-delay coverage as audiences can find real time search results before actually watching the event (http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/02/olympic-tape-delays-roil-fans-but-for-nbc-its-good-for-business/).  Since the world is so connected via the internet, this is to be expected. We’ll have to wait and see if NBC changes their strategy come the 2012 Summer Olympics.  Even so, there has been some great content coming from this round of Winter Olympic events, including Ed Olxyzk’s description of the US vs Canada men’s hockey game as “tremendously tremendous” which has memed its way through the internet (http://www.sbnation.com/2010/2/22/1320934/ed-olcyzk-tremendously-tremendous-hockey).

Either way, the internet and the Olympics go hand in hand. I feel like I need Google Translator to understand what curling commentators mean when they say “make sure the hammer gets past the hog line and into the house.”  Another good use of the internet: a resource for Olympic drinking games (http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-2010-womens-figure-skating-drinking-game).  Go Team USA!

Google improves the social experience in Gmail with the release of Google Buzz, giving users another avenue to communicate all within the same browser window.

Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator

Yesterday, Google announced the release of its new product, Google Buzz.  If you’ve logged onto your Gmail today you may have seen the announcement or if not, it’s coming very soon.  Whether you’ve realized yet, you’re also already following the people you email and Chat with the most.  Are you ready for the flood of real-time conversation?

With this tool, Google uses its expertise in organizing information to make an easy-to-use sharing experience.  Here’s what you’ll find as you check out the new tool:

-  Buzz integrates tightly with your Gmail inbox, so there’s no need to start from scratch with building a whole new network of friends.
-  Share anything from pictures, links, videos and updates either privately or to a restricted group.  Experience photos in high-resolution and full screen videos within the same window.
-  Messages about responses to your posts are sent directly to your inbox, where you can actually view the conversation live and in real-time.
-  Connect to other sites you use such as Picasa, Flickr, Google Reader and Twitter, so your friends can view all your updates in one place.
-  Google Buzz can also be accessed on your mobile phone, through Gmail.

Google Buzz seems worth giving a try.  However, where’s the integration with Facebook?  I find an uncanny resemblance between both the look and feel as well as the offerred functionality of the two.  I welcome Google’s attempt at improving how users can engage socially within their current products.  How do you respond to the Buzz?

Google Buzz