Competition is a good thing, not just for the consumer, but also for the producer. It tells the customer they have choices, and although they may still choose the leading provider, there are alternative solutions. It drives the providers to stay focused on building the brand and improving options.
That's why in the highly competitive pay-per-click, or PPC, arena, it is refreshing to see the underdogs, like Yahoo! and MSN, continue to vigorously battle for their spots in this lucrative, important Internet marketplace.
Today, PPC giant, Google, dominates the field; but the launch of Yahoo!'s Panama platform earlier this year has put them back in positive territory with PPC consumers. They are finding the platform a
viable option to expand and manage their PPC campaigns.
With nearly four months under its belt, Panama has proven a powerful ally for advertisers, allowing them to create multiple PPC ads and use more-robust geotargeting. Despite a few back-end quirks, the platform is faster and more streamlined than its predecessor.
For the average company reviewing its Internet performance, the platform is a big positive, offering:
-- the ability to target searchers within a specific area;
-- new conversion tracking;
-- reduced cost-per-click, or CPC, prices; and,
-- significant increases in local traffic.
For PPC campaign managers, the platform has many pluses, including:
-- improved reliability and speed on the Web site interface;
-- better organization and more-dynamic graphing tools on the front-end interface;
-- an overhauled back-end reporting tool that provides faster reports and improved data points; and,
-- dynamic positioning, which provides a real-time look at competition and placement.
Perhaps the most-significant improvement Yahoo! has made with Panama is its commitment to improving customer service. Long telephone wait times and delayed responses had kept many campaign managers away from the company. The new platform and initiatives have gone a long way to solving those issues.
Google has done all it can to build a wide gap between itself and its competition in the PPC market. But if Yahoo! stays focused on improving this new platform, they have a strong shot at closing that gap.
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