The Google Content Network Rises From the Ashes

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Once upon a time, advertising on the Google Content Network was like playing Russian roulette – it was impossible to know whether your campaign was going to be massively successful or deadly. As a result, most marketers were extremely wary of investing much money or time on Content. Click fraud was rampant, targeting tools non-existent, and predictability thrown out the window.

I suspect that many of you out there – once burnt by Content – haven’t bothered to try Content again for fear of the same wallet-draining pain, but I’m here to tell you that it’s time to give Content a second chance. Google has completely revamped Content, and you can now make your Content campaigns as profitable – and dependable – as your most successful Search campaigns.

The Google Content revolution is the result of four major changes. First, Google changed bidding from cost per thousand (CPM) to a choice of either CPM or cost per click (CPC). This reduced the incentive for publishers in the Content Network to serve ads way below the fold or to serve too many ads on one page. Publishers now need to think about clickthrough-rate (CTR) and serve ads more prominently on their pages. The result: better placement and more clicks for advertisers.