Comments on: Is Yahoo Search Marketing Stealing Your Money?

By: Yahoo Search marketing Defends "Optimization" | MMM

Yahoo Search marketing Defends "Optimization" | MMM — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:16:02 +0000

[...] Is Yahoo Search Marketing Stealing Your Money? (marketingpilgrim.com) Related Items: Starting a Yahoo! Business For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance)) Affiliate Millions: Make a Fortune using Search Marketing on Google and Beyond Popularity: 3% [?]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “Yahoo Search marketing Defends “Optimization””, url: “http://www.montysmegamarketing.com/yahoo-search-marketing-defends-opt imization” });Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to get the feed or sign up below to get it via e-mail and receive “Secrets of Web Traffic Overdrive” as a FREE bonus. Have you seen our Master CPA List? Follow me on Twitter. [...]

By: DHT

DHT — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:25:36 +0000

Apparently their “valued search partner” sites that you can’t opt out of, and have nothing but ads on a single page site (but amazing 80% clickthru rates on my ads) weren’t blatant enough of customer robbery, so they decided to up the ante a bit.

By: Yahoo Angers Advertisers After Terms & Conditions Update Notification

Yahoo Angers Advertisers After Terms & Conditions Update Notification — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:18:02 +0000

[...] In fact, there have been rumors that Yahoo has been doing this since early 2006. Then there were more recent reports last month of this [...]

By: jason kuiper

jason kuiper — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:18:56 +0000

I just went and checked my account, and by golly it is happening to me as we speak. unacceptable!

By: Bill M

Bill M — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:35:55 +0000

I use adwords vs. YSM. Did not notice if adwords do the same Bill M's last blog post..Automakers and UAW! What’s Next?

By: AIDS Drugs

AIDS Drugs — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:52:26 +0000

I really like yahoo but I really hate how often you have to opt out of features which they know piss us off by using email instead of your account manager.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:17:13 +0000

Drivelocity wrote: “Yahoo is not alone in this… Google has also added features to Adwords/Adsense that were opt-out.”

I think Drivelocity might be referring to new “Automatic Matching” feature which Adwords advertisers were automagically opt-ed into (in late Feb-June). If you didn’t want to participate in Automatic Matching, you had to opt-out. “Automatic Matching” was enabled on my account *overnight* by Google, without my permission. Google put a notice inside my Adwords account. You logged in, and you suddenly realized that you were advertising on keywords that you didn’t specifically include. Including keywords that didn’t convert. The notice inside my account (describing Automatic Matching) said:

For example, If you sold Adidas shoes on your website, Automatic Matching would automatically crawl your landing page and target your campaigns to queries such as: “shoes” “adidas” “athletic”, etc., and less obvious ones such as “slippers” that our system has determined will benefit you and likely lead to a conversion on your site. Be assured that automatic matching will try to never exceed your budget.”

I think all advertisers should keep a close eye on their accounts (logging in periodically), and watch the Adwords and YSM blogs to stay on-top of any new changes. I feel sorry for small business owners who know very little about SEM and must constantly stay on top of it all.

By: drivelocity

drivelocity — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:24:30 +0000

It might be a good idea to make sure your account bills a credit card rather than a debit card so you can do a charge back if they hit you with unauthorized charges. drivelocity's last blog post..Top Commentators Plugin

By: Franck

Franck — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:39:12 +0000

They seem to be in need of cash…
There has been something similar with my account, a message of “it seems your account ZZZ has been inactive for a long time”. They must have made changes, because I suddenly received clicks for an account that had had nothing during YEARS, furthermore they have unilaterally decided to cash 595€ in advance (when consumption was well below 50$ a month). I’ll try and cancel this payment and have written them to ask for some answers…

I do not believe it is ethical, whatever the fine print, to make changes in our policies, without asking first a POSITIVE answer, not a <>…

If we are lots of us asking them to reconsider, I’m sure they will see the light and agree… Count on me in case of need if some collective action is to be undertaken…

By: JT

JT — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:56:42 +0000

I rather go for adwords, thanks

JT’s last blog post..Zen and PPC campaigns

By: drivelocity

drivelocity — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:44:51 +0000

I'm having trouble remembering specifics about Google, but on the Adsense side, they've opted everyone into an ad layout or design that many people didn't want and we were forced to opt out. On the Adwords side, they've deactivated keywords/phrases with no competition and raised the rates. If there's little to no competition, we should, per their terms, be allowed to bid the minimum amount. They, apparently don't agree with their own terms and turn off ads at will. At least AFA the Adsense issue, it was just a matter of going in and unchecking a box... drivelocity's last blog post..Top Commentators Plugin

By: Andy Beal

Andy Beal — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:53:12 +0000

@Al – it shouldn’t be this hard to opt-out of something your never wanted to start with.

By: Jen London

Jen London — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:41:45 +0000

Wow. How hard is it to just leave the account alone?!

Suggestions are fine, but their implementing the changes for you is akin to your mother tying your shoe laces. I think we’re all smart enough to know how to handle our own Yahoo! accounts.

After all, everyone in SEM knows that the industry dictates what you do with an account — not the general “SEM” knowledge that Yahoo! no doubt professes to have.

By: Dan London

Dan London — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:34:32 +0000

“why you would not want this valuable service.”

1. how do they know your goals?
2. how do they know your marketing budget?
3. what is tha value they provide? If the optimize YOUR site and the site of YOUR compeitor, isn’t that a conflict?

For you…

1. what is your spend range?
2. where is the opt-out section?

To be fair, I have had a good experience with Yahoo!, and they have asked me about optimization before they did anything. I specified that I wanted to approve all changes before they did anything. They did a great job helping me, but I did go in and make some changes, just as I do when Google does any work for me.

I do hope that the issues above are isolated and were an oversight done due to a workforce reduction and new hires overstepping their bounds.

Dan London’s last blog post..Google Voice Mobile App for the iPhone

By: Al Scillitani

Al Scillitani — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:23:25 +0000

Reply #2 from Yahoo- "We attempted to reach you at the number on file to clarify your request however we were unable to do so. We were hoping to get more details as to why you would not want this valuable service. In addition we wanted to confirm that we had received your request that we not make any optimization changes in the future, we will note this in your record and make every effort to not optimize your account at a future date." "we will make every effort not to optimize your account?" Huh? Al Scillitani's last blog post..Yahoo Is Stealing Your Money

By: Dan London

Dan London — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:24:01 +0000

Google's changes, that will impact bidding, cost, etc come with a fair warning, but what Al is having an issue with is YAHOO! went in and made changes to his ads, bids, keywords, etc without any authorization. I have seen Google offer SUGGESTIONS for optimization, but I get to decide to implement them or not. Dan London's last blog post..Google Voice Mobile App for the iPhone

By: Al Scillitani

Al Scillitani — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:19:02 +0000

Drivelocity, Correct me if I am wrong, but Google's is different. I did get contacted from Google a few weeks ago. Yes, they did go into the account and looked around (which I still disagree with), but the big difference was this - Google emailed me recommedations after looking at my account. I was in total control whether or not I decided to add these changes or not. Yahoo actually went in and made the changes, then told me about them. Al Scillitani's last blog post..Yahoo Is Stealing Your Money

By: drivelocity

drivelocity — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:59:23 +0000

Yahoo is not alone in this... Google has also added features to Adwords/Adsense that were opt-out. Usually, if you're active on webmaster forums you'll learn about a change like this the day it's implemented and can take the measures to resolve it. drivelocity's last blog post..Black and Decker Thermal Leak Detector

By: Al Scillitani

Al Scillitani — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:43:33 +0000

FYI- Just got this reply from Yahoo... We apologize for any inconvenience the automatic account update has caused you. Per your request, we've opted your account out of any future automatic keyword and creative additions. We are sorry that this program did not work out for you, but we have seen beneficial results for our advertisers and hoped that we would be able to improve the performance of your account. Nonetheless, you may take advantage of our content development services at any time if you would like us to create keywords or ads for your account. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or comments. Al Scillitani's last blog post..Yahoo Is Stealing Your Money

By: Bapun

Bapun — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:07:09 +0000

Well, it's quite funny. Yahoo Ads are still in beta stage. And the big daddy Google Adsense is still rulling. So, it's the time to provide some additional features, instead of taking these kinda steps. Hopefully, they will do something about this in near future. I have heard that they are lunching Yahoo Publisher worldwide by the end of 2009. Lets see if this nhappens. Bapun's last blog post..Top Blogging Secrets To Success