Blue Fountain Media Finds That Advertisers Use Microformats to Stand Out Online
As more and more advertising moves online, advertisers try to find ways to stand out to viewers without being obtrusive. Web design and marketing firm Blue Fountain Media has found that small businesses are using microformats to add content to their Google Adwords ads -- without inconveniencing users.
(Vocus/PRWEB ) June 12, 2009 -- Online ads have always clamored for attention, and with the economy in the doldrums, the competition is fiercer than ever. Google's Adwords program remains one of the most popular ad platforms, but the company tries hard not to let advertisers display anything too flamboyant. Blue Fountain Media (www.bluefountainmedia.com), a fast-growing web design firm with a large number of small business clients, has performed extensive research on the increasing emphasis on using microformats to stand out in Adwords and other advertising formats.
An Adwords result that uses microformats to deliver additionial relevant content
Google grew its marketshare by having a sparse, minimal design. Instead of blaring banner ads and cramped text, Google's search results used significant whitespace, with ads clearly delineated. This has had a strong influence on every website design firm active today.
Google's clean, usable look is great for visitors, but many of their advertisers have trouble adapting. Online advertisements often feature blinking text, vivid pictures, animation, and even games & so how can those advertisers work with a small text box and minimal formatting? One answer is to run a managed pay-per-click campaign, whcih is an integral part of SEO web development. This involves crafting ad copy that maximizes clicks, as well as selecting the right keywords and implementing a high-ROI bidding strategy.
Although that's one long-term way to juice the returms from a pay-per-click strategy, there are some other methods that can help an ad stand out. Google doesn't allow advertisers to directly add visual elements to an ad, but they do insert extra content under the right circumstances.
How can you get Google to set your ad apart with icons? Use microformats in adwords! These are changes to the way information is presented on the site the ad links to, which shows Google that viewers might want to see some of the content. In one case, a search for digital cameras actually showed photos and prices from Newegg.com's store!
In other cases, Google will insert a Google checkout badge showing that an advertiser uses Google's payment solutions on their site. Google's internal research shows that this small, colorful badge increases ad clicks by 10%.
Getting a 10% larger audience for the same cost is a good deal -- and there's even more potential as Google includes more product pictures and information in their ads. Using other microformats, including hCards, creates a richer site experience for visitors and searchers. It's no wonder more and more small businesses are asking: how much information can we embed in our content? And how much new revenue will it bring us?
Blue Fountain Media is a web design firm in New York. The company works with a range of clients, including small startups, Fortune 50 firms, and nonprofits. With a focus on high turnaround and customization, the firm has grown rapidly in recent years.
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