ChasNote

In his SearchInsider column for MediaPost today, Bill Wise discusses Google’s new daypart targeting for keyword ad campaigns: “This is good news for search: it is bound to greatly heighten advertisers’ precision, and eliminate campaign waste.”

Now I know I’m out of synch with most traditional marketers when I say this, but I just don’t get why anyone should care about dayparting online — especially with respect to CPC marketing. If your prospective customers are doing their research or shopping at 2 in the morning, why would you turn off your ads then just because more of your prospects shop during lunchtime?! Instead tell your IT team to expect spikes in certain dayparts, but keep the ads in front of relevant prospects whenever they are reading relevant content.

Dayparting on TV makes sense to me, at least in the pre-Tivo, pre-iPod days. The good shows air in primetime, and that’s where you want your ads. Since the crap, re-runs and infomercials are on late night, daypart your ads to avoid the weak programming that doesn’t attract your audience. Nowadays if, say, 24 is the best program on TV with the most desirable audience, associate your ads with that programming and don’t worry when those great viewers tune in. Keep your ads away from junk content, no matter when people view it.

The same approach should apply to online marketing: Seek out the quality publications and sites, avoid the rest, and don’t worry when your customers log on. By adding daypart targeting, perhaps Google is admitting that advertisers across their sprawling AdSense network of sites have begun to complain that their ads aren’t consistently landing in quality environments or reaching high-value customers.