FaceBook Ads Crush Google AdWords for the Founder Conference

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7 points·alain94040··4 comments

Google is keyword-based (as in, 20th century technology)

That's my beef with AdWords, particularly for targeting the content network. Using keywords works for search, because someone looking for "los angeles web designers" makes their intentions clear. Using keywords to target specific websites is a flawed approach, because even someone who writes a blog specifically for and about "los angeles web designers" rarely uses those keywords on the page. I'm frankly surprised that Google hasn't come up with a better system of targeting.

I imagine a journalist or blogger writing about "los angeles web designers" probably would use those terms. They would at least use terms like "web design" which the advertiser can target and then geo-target the campaign to only show ads to users in the LA area. It actually works pretty well. If you spent more time learning how to use it or work with someone who does then it then you might find success.

noel, I tried sending you an email .. at least, whatever your private WHOIS email said your address was. Your noel churchill .com web site has been compromised - there's an malicious injected <script> tag on your page.

Nick Fox (Google's AdWords Product Manager) broached the topic of a keywordless ad system in late 2009, and there is word that some larger advertisers have been invited to private alphas. I think Google is acutely aware that a keyword based system is only scalable to a certain point. AdWords is already so complicated that it's really difficult for beginning and occasional users to get a lot out of it (as was the case with this author.) That being said, AdWords is where the volume and intent is; and it will always come out ahead of contextual/demographic ads like Facebook when used properly.

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