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Search Engine LandSearchCap: Google AdWords Bug, Algorithm Updates SEO VisibilityAdvertisers
Reporting Big Google AdWords Quality Score DeclinesThey Fooled Us All: Why Google May No
Longer Announce Major Algorithm UpdatesSearch In Pics: Google Cardboard Cubicles, Watch Store
The Founders In 1999How To Get Your Content In Front Of Millions Of EyeballsSearchCap: Google
News Mobile Algorithm, Mobile Queries Up, Product Ratings In AdWordsReport: Mobile Search
Queries 29 Percent Of Total But Growth ModestGoogle Expands Product Rating Stars In Google
Shopping Ads To UK, France, GermanyWSJ Report Suggests Intervention In FTC's Google
Investigation By White House5 PPC Testing Myths Mistakes: How To Avoid Them!
http://searchengineland.com Search Engine Land: News On Search Engines, Search Engine
Optimization (SEO) Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Fri, 27 Mar 2015 21:43:04 +0000 en-US hourly
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http://searchengineland.com/searchcap-google-adwords-bug-algorithm-updates-seo-visibility-217620
#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2015 20:00:49 +0000
http://searchengineland.com/?p=217620
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places
across the web.
The post SearchCap: Google AdWords Bug, Algorithm Updates SEO Visibility appeared first on
Search Engine Land.
]]
across the web.
From Search Engine Land:
Recent Headlines From Marketing Land, Our Sister Site Dedicated To Internet Marketing:
Search News From Around The Web:
Industry
Local Maps
Link Building
Searching
SEO
SEM / Paid Search

Search Marketing
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Search Engine Land.
]]
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4#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2015 14:47:29 +0000
Issue appears to be affecting accounts globally. Google has now announced a fix is rolling out.
The post Advertisers Reporting Big Google AdWords Quality Score Declines appeared first on Search
Engine Land.
]]
There are widespread reports from Google AdWords users that their keyword quality scores have
fallen significantly.
I'm seeing the same thing, with exact match brand keywords that previously had a quality score of
10 now are showing a quality score of 6.
From what I'm seeing, and others are reporting, some click prices may be affected, too, but it's hard

to say. Others I've spoken to haven't seen any increases, so it's unclear if it's just a reporting bug or
not at this point. Update: Google says it's a reporting bug only. See below for official statement.
It's not clear at this time how many accounts are affected. One advertiser posted on the forum that
they had confirmation from an AdWords rep that it's a widespread bug:
"Just spoken to someone at Google and this is a widespread issue/bug that has affected many
accounts in the UK. Their engineers are looking into it but they couldn't give a timeframe when it
will be fixed."
We have contacted Google for a comment and will update here when hear back.
Update 11:09 AM Eastern: A Google spokesperson issued this statement:
"We're aware of a bug that is affecting quality score reporting and are actively working to fix this.
Rest assured, the bug affects reporting only, not ad serving. We're expecting it to be fixed in the
next day."
Update 11:23 AM Eastern: Google says a fix is already rolling out. A spokesperson has
updated Search Engine Land:
"We're aware of a bug that is affecting quality score reporting and are actively working to fix this.
Rest assured, the bug affects reporting only, not ad serving. We're currently rolling out fixes and
expect all accounts to see normal reporting by tomorrow."
The post Advertisers Reporting Big Google AdWords Quality Score Declines appeared first on Search
Engine Land.
]]

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http://searchengineland.com/fooled-us-google-no-longer-announces-major-algo-updates-217494
http://searchengineland.com/fooled-us-google-no-longer-announces-major-algo-updates-217494#com
ments Fri, 27 Mar 2015 14:31:39 +0000
Google's investment in artificial intelligence does more than just create better search results; it
allows Google's engineers to make constant algorithm changes right under our noses. Columnist
Nate Dame explains.
The post They Fooled Us All: Why Google May No Longer Announce Major Algorithm Updates
appeared first on Search Engine Land.
]]
Has anyone else noticed that we've been seeing fewer algorithm update announcements from Google
in recent years? That Google's PR campaigns about changing search results has been quieting
down?
If you have, rest assured: you're not crazy.
I scrolled through Moz's Google Algorithm Change History recently and graphed the number of
changes by year (an imperfect study, probably, but a pretty good general standard).

Since a dramatic peak in 2012, the number of update announcements has been dropping. (That low
number for 2015 is my own projection, based on what we've seen so far and on what you're about to
read.)
Why?
Two Reasons For Fewer Google Algo Update Announcements
I don't think that Google will ever kick back, put up their collective feet, and stop updating. So why
the drop?
1. Mind Control: Google Wants To Change SEO Behavior
First, Google doesn't make those big announcements just to ensure sure that all their friends in the
SEO community are on the same happy page. They announce algorithm updates because they want
to change SEO behavior.
The war on links is a great example. Google doesn't want its bots fooled by spammy backlinks, so
along comes Penguin. They could have released the algorithm change, and all its subsequent
updates, without a word; but, in addition to actually devaluing bad links, they also want black hat
SEOs to just stop it already.
In that regard, fewer updates means Google sees less of a need to change our behavior. Have they
beaten the SEO world into submission? Whipped us into shape? Or just stopped caring if we're on
board?
2. Conditioning: Google Wants To Switch To Constant, Imperceptible Updates
Second, at the risk of sounding like a dramatic sci-fi narrator: artificial intelligence. Google is

already releasing algorithms that learn. The latest, dubbed "DQN," is learning and mastering Atari
games all on its own.
Google search results are always gettings smarter. The changes in results are becoming deliberately
more subtle and more intuitive, such that most users hardly notice them at all. If Google's algorithms
are in the early stages of learning, they can easily make small, undercover changes on the fly.
The number of unnamed and unconfirmed updates bears this out. Just last month, SERP-trackers
and webmasters noticed some major shifts in search results, but Google has yet to officially confirm
the update. Are those relatively minor updates unannounced because they're not worth the PR
effort, or because Google didn't intend for us to notice?
If it weren't for tools like MozCast and other SERP-tracking utilities, many of those updates might go
unnoticed. On the other hand, the MozCast might make these sneaky updates even easier for
Mountain View engineers - even they can watch the MozCast to make sure their changes stay just
below the radar.
This begs the question: How many changes do go unnoticed? Are we catching them all? Is Google's
future in AI learning machines that can make quiet, invisible updates day in and day out?
Google Is Investing Heavily in AI
It's no secret that Google has a lot of skin in the game when it comes to artificial intelligence. Google

has been slowly collecting researchers and developers, scattering the purchase of various
departments over continents and years... probably in hopes that no one would notice. Oh, we
noticed.
March 2013: Google acquires DNNresearch, a neural network startup out of the University of
Toronto, and gets the team refocused on expanding traditional search algorithms.
January 2014: Google acquires DeepMind and sets up the artificial intelligence team to work directly
with the Knowledge team on Google's search algorithms. (They also, almost immediately, set up an
AI ethics board - presumably, to save the human race from AI-wrought extinction.)
September 2014: Google expanded research surrounding quantum computing by hiring John
Martinis and his research team out of UCSB.
October 2014: Google acqui-hires two teams of AI researchers from Oxford (and announces a
partnership with the University) to "enable machines to better understand what users are saying to
them."
Google has put up a pretty penny to build a team of researchers that can push machines to the very
edge of artificial intelligence.
Google Is Already Smarter Than We Realize
The new development may not impose dramatic changes on Google search right away, but not
because it's not applicable.
The truth is, soft AI is pretty much everywhere these days, and Google has been employing machine
learning techniques since the Panda update (and probably further back still). Google's own super-
smart Knowledge Graph is friendly enough to inform us that machine learning is, in fact, a type of
artificial intelligence.
Is it possible that the reason we have only seen one major update so far in 2015 (and an unnamed
update at that) is that Google no longer needs to launch major algorithm changes? If its AI bots are
busily making small, under-the-radar updates every minute of the day, Google might never have to
launch (and therefore announce) another update ever again.
The Future Could Get Even Weirder
That the future of algorithm updates is up in the air is somewhat unsettling, but it may only be the

beginning.
Google already curates its own medical information, in part to protect us from misinformation I'm
sure. (Has anyone else noticed that medical keywords are some of the most expensive keywords
AdWords has to offer?)
Next, it might be checking facts for us to determine rankings. No matter where you land on the
political spectrum, there is a valid concern that this type of algo could stifle bold new voices in the
scientific community.
It could make it more difficult for bright young people to bring about the next revolution in science.
After all, most of today's established science came about because someone challenged the herd
mentality of yesterday.Jim Purtilo, Associate Professor of Computer Science at U of Maryland
What's A Marketer to Do?
Will Google's search algorithms soon be driven primarily, or completely, by artificially intelligent
machines?
Even though Google's tactics are changing, their endgame is not. That means the intersection of
SEO and content marketing is still the sweet spot for marketers to focus on:
Identify specific, measurable attributes of high-quality content, and put them into practice. Google's
algorithm updates may be more like ninjas than Goliaths from here on out, but the goal is the same.
Keep your eye (and your SEO) on the prize.

Think user intent, not just keywords. The later are still valuable, but only in the context of the
former. Keep improving how you talk to your audience, not how you talk to search engines.
Kill the silos and blend SEO into your broader marketing efforts. SEO is marketing, and marketing
needs SEO. Welcome to the future.
It also may be a good idea to understand Google's Knowledge Graph, as it is probably the harbinger
of what is coming.
The Certainty Of Change
The future of search is simultaneously settled and uncertain. Google wants to deliver the best user
experience possible, but how they do it and what it looks like on SERPs is (still) constantly changing.
And until you can beat its high score on Space Invaders, it doesn't have to tell you about updates if it
doesn't want to.
The post They Fooled Us All: Why Google May No Longer Announce Major Algorithm Updates
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999-217564#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2015 13:56:02 +0000
In this week's Search In Pictures, here are the latest images culled from the web, showing what
people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, who they meet, where they speak, what
toys they have, and more. Google Co-Founders, Larry Page Sergey Brin In 1999: Source: Google+
Google Android Statues: Source: Google+ [...]
The post Search In Pics: Google Cardboard Cubicles, Watch Store The Founders In 1999 appeared
first on Search Engine Land.
]]
In this week's Search In Pictures, here are the latest images culled from the web, showing what
people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, who they meet, where they speak, what
toys they have, and more.
Google Co-Founders, Larry Page Sergey Brin In 1999:

Source: Google+
Google Android Statues:

Source: Google+
There Is A Life After Google Lego Sign:

Source: Google+
Google Cardboard Cut Outs Cubicles:

Source: Google+
Fake Google Turkey Watch Store:

Source: SER
The post Search In Pics: Google Cardboard Cubicles, Watch Store The Founders In 1999 appeared
]]
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http://searchengineland.com/get-content-front-millions-eyeballs-216577#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2015
13:45:53 +0000
Columnist Stoney deGeyter presents this beginner's guide to marrying great content with strong
SEO to maximize search visibility.
The post How To Get Your Content In Front Of Millions Of Eyeballs appeared first on Search Engine
Land.

]]
What's more important than writing great content? Making sure people can find it!
While search engine algorithms are getting better at discovering and ranking new content on the
web, there are still a lot of things you can do to influence that process. Publishing content to a blog
is only the first step in the promotion process. Doing only that doesn't guarantee anyone will see it.
You have to go the extra mile to get your content in front of eyeballs!
Balance Great Content With Quality With Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is more than just adding keywords to content, though that is
certainly an important part of it. SEO is about seeking out and fixing any roadblocks that might be

preventing your content from being found. This includes "hidden" site architectural issues,
navigation issues, usability issues and, yes, keyword/content issues.
Whether you are engaging an outside SEO consultant or firm, or you're handling the SEO yourself,
you need to make sure you invest appropriate resources (time and money) into uncovering content
findability issues. A good SEO practitioner will run your site through a number of tools on a regular
basis, looking for things that might cause the search engines to either bypass your content or rate it
lower than it deserves.
As you invest the time into proper keyword research and optimization, you will discover that your
content is being found more often by searchers looking for what you offer.
Write Compelling, Optimized Title Tags
One of the key elements of optimization is your blog post title tags. The title tag is usually the
clickable link that appears in the search results, and you only have a limited amount of characters
(50-70) to convey your message. Search engines give these tags significant weight when
determining how pages should rank, making the title tag the single most important piece of
optimizable real estate on a single web page.
The Importance Of
Title Tags
That's not to say it's a magic pill to top rankings. Many other page elements can weigh a good title
tag down. But on well-optimized pages, a strategic change to a title tag can often have a near-
immediate impact on the page's ranking.
The title tag is also often used, by default, as the headline when sharing a page socially. These social
titles can usually be edited independently of the title tag, and many times it makes sense to do so.
However, most people who share your content won't edit the title before sharing, making the title
tag an even more important part of the optimization arsenal.
Ultimately, the title tag has to work for both search engines and visitors. When crafting your title

tag, don't just think in terms of keywords. Think in terms of reader value.
Make Sure Your Content Uses Keywords Properly
When it comes to keyword integration, the content of your blog posts must align with the optimized
title tag. If you title a blog post to target a specific keyword, your content should focus on that topic.
As such, using the keyword throughout the content would seem natural. But it's not just about
working your keywords into the content. It's about producing content that is authoritative to the
topic you are addressing.
Yes, by creating authoritative content, you'll use your keyword(s) - but that doesn't mean you repeat
them ad nauseum. Search engines want more than keyword repetition. They want to see that you
have a firm grasp and understanding of the topic. That means liberally incorporating other words
that are frequently found on authoritative documents of the same topic.
If you want to write an authoritative piece on dog food, you'll do more than keep repeating the words
"dog food" throughout your text. Obviously the words "food" and "dog" will be used throughout, as
will "dog food." But so will the words "pet," "nutrition," "health,"etc.
Look beyond a single keyword phrase when optimizing and think about the topic as a whole. Then
work all of this into your content, headings, and even use them in your blog categories and tags. This
will give you more authority points and more opportunity for top exposure.
Optimize Your Images Alt Attributes
Don't forget about images! These can be an important avenue for both drawing in traffic (via image
search and social shares) and keeping the reader engaged.

The most common way to optimize your images is to add Alternate Text (aka "alt text" or "alt
attribute"). The alt attribute is contained within the HTML code of the image and is often used when
you mouse over the image or displayed if the image doesn't load. However, the search engines also
use this alt text as a signal for the image's content.
You can also add an image title, a caption, and even a description, as well as using appropriate
keywords for the image file name. All of these elements can give both visitors and search engines
more information about what your image is. Of course, it makes sense for the images to visually
reinforce your content. As such, the content you use in these areas should do the same.
Often neglected, images can be a powerful reinforcement for your on-page optimization. The same
for any video or other content that you add to the page. Look for opportunities to optimize this
embedded content to provide a richer experience for both the visitor and the search engine.
By following these simple techniques, you can help ensure that the content you work so hard to
create actually gets seen.
Note: This information was part of a larger presentation. You can view the entire slide deck here:
The post How To Get Your Content In Front Of Millions Of Eyeballs appeared first on Search Engine
Land.
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ings-in-adwords-217535#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2015 21:00:34 +0000

across the web.
The post SearchCap: Google News Mobile Algorithm, Mobile Queries Up, Product Ratings In
AdWords appeared first on Search Engine Land.
]]
across the web.
From Search Engine Land:
Recent Headlines From Marketing Land, Our Sister Site Dedicated To Internet Marketing:
Search News From Around The Web:
Local Maps
Searching
SEO
SEM / Paid Search
The post SearchCap: Google News Mobile Algorithm, Mobile Queries Up, Product Ratings In
AdWords appeared first on Search Engine Land.
]]
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7501#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2015 20:06:36 +0000
Search query percentages don't line up with overall usage trends.
The post Report: Mobile Search Queries 29 Percent Of Total But Growth Modest appeared first on
Search Engine Land.
]]

Earlier today comScore released its latest "Digital Future in Focus" compilation of key stats for the
US market. Most of the material has been previously exposed in one form or another. However for
the first time comScore released search volumes for mobile.
The following chart from the report compares search queries on the PC, smartphones and tablets in
Q4 2013 and 2014. The graphic shows that for the compared quarters, overall search volume grew
while PC query volumes were slightly down.

According to comScore, mobile search queries (smartphones + tablets) were roughly 29 percent of
total search volume. Smartphone search volumes were just over 2X tablet volumes. There are many
more smartphones in the market so this makes sense.
What would be interesting to know is number of queries per user per device. Those data were not in
the report. However, one can do a calculation based on the data and the number of devices/users.
Interestingly, tablet search is growing faster than smartphone search. Perhaps because (at least
larger) tablets are closer to PCs than smartphones. Also growth is necessarily going to be larger
from a smaller user/usage base. But the comparatively modest year over year growth of smartphone
search must be of concern to Google, unless the company is seeing something quite different
internally.
In contrast to these data, Google has said that it expects overall search queries on mobile devices to
exceed PC volumes this year. Accordingly non-US data may well look very different than US figures
in terms of relative volumes.

Mobile devices -- smartphones in particular -- dominate digital media time (60 percent vs. 40 percent
for the PC). Ad revenues are not commensurate with that usage discrepancy, though some forecasts
expect that gap to closely fairly quickly. Even so much of the monetization is expected to come
outside of search (e.g., in apps).
The quick takeway, assuming these data are accurate, is that Google search revenues may have
essentially peaked on the PC. Google thus either has to take share from rivals on the PC or boost
mobile search revenues to maintain growth.
It can also grow video and display advertising but the company faces much more competition in
those categories.
The post Report: Mobile Search Queries 29 Percent Of Total But Growth Modest appeared first on
Search Engine Land.
]]
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e-germany-217464#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2015 13:30:48 +0000
Star ratings for specific products appear in product listing ads.

The post Google Expands Product Rating Stars In Google Shopping Ads To UK, France, Germany
]]
Building on last September's introduction of product ratings on Product Listing Ads in the US,
Google is rolling the stars out to ads in UK, France and Germany this week.
The five-star rating system shows rating and review data for specific products aggregated from
sources including merchants, third-party review aggregators, editorial sites and Google users.
To qualify, advertisers must share all of their product reviews with Google directly or through
an approved third-party. PowerReviews, Bazaarvoice, Trustpilot and eKomi are among the review
aggregators working with Google. You can find the complete list of approved partners here.
Seller ratings, which appear on text ads in Google search results (shown in the screenshot above),
are not affected by this program. Keep in mind that product ratings can appear on products with any
number of stars (1 to 5), unlike seller ratings which require at least 30 reviews at an average of at
least 3.5 stars.
Google says it will continue to roll out product ratings to more countries.
The post Google Expands Product Rating Stars In Google Shopping Ads To UK, France, Germany
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use-217440#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2015 13:23:47 +0000

Article asserts Google lobbying affected agency's decision in antitrust case.
The post WSJ Report Suggests Intervention In FTC's Google Investigation By White House appeared
]]
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that, during a "critical phase" of the Federal Trade
Commission's (FTC's) antitrust investigation of Google, the company had a series of regular
meetings at the White House. According to the WSJ's report, these meetings occurred roughly once
a week:
Google's access to high-ranking Obama administration officials during a critical phase of the
antitrust probe is one sign of the Internet giant's reach in Washington. Since Mr. Obama took office,
employees of the Mountain View, Calif., company have visited the White House for meetings with
senior officials about 230 times, or an average of roughly once a week, according to the visitor logs
reviewed by the Journal.
The article thus suggests Obama Administration intervention in the FTC's decision-making process.
Accordingly, it prompted the agency to respond in an unusual and defensive press release.
The question of any impropriety in the outcome of the investigation is sensitive, given the release
earlier this week of a scathing 160-page internal report by the FTC's Bureau of Competition. The
report, via the WSJ, is embedded below.
The Competition Bureau report contains numerous alleged examples and findings that Google had
abused its market position, and recommends litigation against the company to prevent potential
similar "abuses" in the future. However, in January 2013, the FTC formally decided to settle and

close its antitrust investigation, demanding only marginal or minor changes in Google's operating
practices.
In its press release responding to the WSJ article, the FTC said that, based on the totality of
evidence reviewed, "the Commission's decision on the search allegations was in accord with the
recommendations of the FTC's Bureau of Competition, Bureau of Economics, and Office of General
Counsel."
Reacting to the report about Google's frequent White House meetings, the FTC said that there was
absolutely no connection between these meetings and its ultimate decision in the investigation:
Today's Wall Street Journal article "Google Makes Most of Close Ties to White House" makes a
number of misleading inferences and suggestions about the integrity of the FTC's investigation. The
article suggests that a series of disparate and unrelated meetings involving FTC officials and
executive branch officials or Google representatives somehow affected the Commission's decision to
close the search investigation in early 2013. Not a single fact is offered to substantiate this
misleading narrative.
The WSJ article goes further to suggest some sort of quid pro quo between the Obama
Administration based on presidential campaign contributions. "During Mr. Obama's 2012 re-election
campaign, Google employees were the second-largest source of campaign donations to his campaign
by any single U.S. company, trailing only Microsoft," the article states.
The Rupert Murdoch-owned, editorially conservative Wall Street Journal may have its own reasons
for pushing a "conspiracy theory" against the Obama Administration. However, the combination of
the internal FTC report and the disclosure of the White House meetings does create at least an
appearance of a politically-driven outcome.
The post WSJ Report Suggests Intervention In FTC's Google Investigation By White House appeared
]]
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http://searchengineland.com/5-ppc-testing-myths-mistakes-avoid-215623#comments Thu, 26 Mar
2015 13:17:46 +0000
Columnist Mona Elesseily has run a lot of landing page tests over the course of her career -- and
seen a lot of these mistakes repeated over and over again.
The post 5 PPC Testing Myths Mistakes: How To Avoid Them! appeared first on Search Engine Land.
]]

Tons of new ads are created each year worldwide, so how do you know yours will make the grade?
The answer is to test, measuring your ad copy/design against possible alternatives to determine
which iteration produces the best results.
But there are lots of myths and mistakes being made when it comes to testing PPC ad copy and
design. This article will bust some of those PPC myths/mistakes and help you improve your overall
PPC revenue. If you're super smart, you'll also incorporate winning test data into other aspects of
your online marketing like SEO, website copy, Facebook advertising and more.
You can be a winner at PPC advertising if you take heed and avoid the pitfalls of A/B testing below.
Myth #1: You Should Test Everything All The Time!
It's true that you should do lots of testing - but it's very important to take your time and develop a
testing plan!
Many folks feel the need to get a running start and to test every element they can come up with, and
this is exacerbated by the availability of inexpensive testing tools. Their mantra is "Start testing
right away!" or "Test everything all the time!"
My advice is slow down and plan out your testing. The goal is to really consider what you're testing
and why you're running a test. Here are some examples of what I track for each test (I do this in an
Excel spreadsheet):
Testing Goal. What is the goal of this particular test? An example might be to determine the most
valuable free shipping threshold offer.
Testing Execution. What elements am I going to test to achieve my testing goal? For the free
shipping example, you might test alternative threshold values and the messaging of the free shipping
offer.

Technical Level Of Execution. How much technical work will this test require? The folks responsible
for the landing page can directly make comments on this part of the spreadsheet.
Creative Level Of Execution. How much creative work will this test require? The folks responsible
for the creative could add suggestions here.
Test Executed? This lets folks know the test was deployed.
Test Evaluation. What were the results of the test? How did the test version fare against the
baseline? Following our example above, you might note that there was an increase in conversion
rate with no negative impact on shipping costs.
Iterated Upon? We'll talk more specifically about iteration later in this article.
Without a plan, you may be able to periodically hit the "testing ball" out of the proverbial park, but
your testing efforts will not be forward-moving and iterative. Another big mistake is that companies
don't keep track of their tests and often run the same tests. A solid testing protocol or system
prevents this.
Myth #2: A Large Majority Of Tests Kill It!
The sad reality is that most people spin their wheels when it comes to testing, and the deck is
stacked against them from the get-go.
Based on my own research and experience, I would say that tests are more likely to fail -- that is,
have no meaningful impact at all, positive or negative. Furthermore, of the small minority of tests
that do have a notable result, about half will negatively impact the bottom line!
To add more salt to the wound, very few tests with a positive impact really "knock it out of the
park." The deck is stacked against testers that don't know what they're doing!
Myth #3: Move Along From Loser Tests Fast!
Given that many tests don't yield positive results, it's important to iterate these tests. You've
probably learned something -- it's just a matter of uncovering what. Don't completely disregard the
info learned from the test and throw the baby out with the bathwater. Keep tweaking your tests and
you'll find a winner.
Here are some suggestions on how to find gems in tests that don't move the needle:
Run a focus group, and ask folks what they expect from a particular page, from your company, from
your advertising. There's huge insight in talking to folks. Not all info/insight is in the data that we
collect.
If working with clients (you are a consultant or work agency side), it's a good idea to get their ideas
related to products, as they know their goods and audience best. Then, work to put your marketing
twist on it.
Myth #4: Boring Pages Don't Convert!
Wrong! Boring pages actually convert better.

Never, never include any "flash whiz-bang" elements on your page. It sounds obvious, but you'd be
very surprised how often this happens.
In the image below, I've highlighted some of the best elements to test on a page.
These are some of the page elements I really like to include (and test) on landing pages:
Headline. This should tie into the keyword terms you're targeting in the account. In this case, it's
"soundproof windows."
Company Info. Tell folks who you are and why they should buy from you. In this example, the text
says, over 20,000 windows installed in 5000 homes and businesses.
Image. This relates to the product or service that you're selling.
Benefit Statements. These should be in bullet list form. People often don't read pages, but
rather scan them -- so bullet points are more easily absorbed by your visitors.
CTA (in this case, a form). One call-to-action (CTA) per page. Don't do this type of thing:

You'll notice that the page above presents many options for visitors: download data sheet, visit our
blog and subscribe to our newsletter. There's even the option to see the page in French for gosh
sakes!
Select a single conversion event and have the event relate a little more directly to the sale of your
product. In this case, it would have been better if the advertiser had included a lead form on the
page for interested folks to leave their contact details, and have a sales rep call them back.
Testimonials. It's great to show that you've had some satisfied customers and to reinforce your
overall value propositions. In this example, the testimonials reinforce that the company's custom
window work (value prop) is bar none.
Credibility Indicators. These provide "street cred." In this case, the sources are NY Magazine and a
very popular report written in the window industry.
Myth #5: But So-And-So Ran The Test And It Worked!
This is the biggest sin of them all, and I hear it all the time when I'm speaking at conferences. Run
fast if you hear things like this to justify testing:
I absolutely know this works as I've seen our major competitor do it!
A credible blog and/or source wrote about it, so it must work!
My friend who's been in the industry for 5 years runs the test all the time!

I'm the target market and I truly understand what people are looking for!
My colleague tried it and it did super well!
I went to Harvard and I know this is right test to run!
Generally speaking, the above mentality leaves companies with a long list of testing ideas, but no
idea if they're focusing on the "right" tests. If they happen to have a "right" test, they don't know it
and are unable to prioritize it. To avoid this, use the pointers in this article.
The big takeaway is to have a testing spreadsheet. This way, you'll continue to move forward without
leaving anything out, and you won't waste time rerunning the old tests you've run before. And you
won't be as tempted to go down the "so-and-so ran the test" perilous path.
The post 5 PPC Testing Myths Mistakes: How To Avoid Them! appeared first on Search Engine Land.
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