ChasNote Team Replaced By Google Bots!
As reported at Donna Bogatin’s blog at ZDNet:
“Google believes it is in the best interests of all to displace ad sales execs with Google ads. For Google CEO Eric Schmidt, a ‘targeted ad’ is better than a ‘targeted sales person.’”
Granted, I’m biased. But disagree with two aspects of Schmidt’s comments. First, I still see a lot of evidence that the Google bots aren’t nearly as good as they promise at delivering advertising relevance (see ChasNote 8/12/06). Two, while paid search is certainly a boon to direct marketers, it’s still not delivering to publishers even half the revenues (in rates per thousand pageviews) as those old-fashioned targeted sales people. According to the CPM numbers included in the Sept 1 Business 2.0 cover story, teeny tiny Federated Media (my employer) — with its mere 3 targeted sales people on staff in Q2 — delivered $8 average CPMs for its network of blog sites. Gawker Media does about the same (between $8 and $10), while “CPM rates on Google AdSense and competing automated systems are estimated at anywhere from 50 cents to a few bucks.”
Bots vs. Sales Bodies
Until bots can communicate and share passion - bots lose. Until bots can buy a prospect a cocktail - bots lose. Until bots can send a birthday card, thank you card or ask about a client’s family - bots lose.
As longs a humans are on one side of the buying equation - humans will be tough to replace on the other side.
This just in… robots to replace humans. News at 11.
Seriously though… when all you have is a hammer.
I would agree with them except their ad targeting is absolutely pathetic.
hm… tailrank is a news site! I think I’ll show another “slap the monkey” ad! Oh! and maybe an ad for M&Ms! That’ll work!
Give me a break!
Of course FM can certainly do a better job with Tailrank too… HINT HINT!
Kevin–Hint taken! FM’s inventory report for Tailrank has been updated & the sales team is back on the case. On the humans v. bots discussion: You’re absolutely right. Pitching advertisers on another news site (ie, talking about the content & the context alone — bot style) is a dead-end street. Instead, helping them understand how self-regulated / community-regulated systems like Tailrank gather, organize and disseminate news (for the Tailrank audience and across the wider internet) — launching a conversation — stirs up major interest. Because they understand the unique, powerful marketing proposition that’s available at Tailrank, they’re much more willing to pay premium advertising prices, too.