In theory, the advertising model makes perfect sense. Internet users download a toolbar, either the ((toolbar name removed)), or ((toolbar name removed)), to help simplify the Internet users’ online life. Once either of the toolbars are installed on your computer, the software has the ability to manipulate Internet searches performed through Google, Yahoo, MSN, and about eight other search engines, by placing an I-frame at the top of your browser when a search result is returned for a specific Keyword term or phrase for which they have an advertiser.
We tested three keyword terms over the period of about 3 months; SEM, PPC Management, and Google Adwords. Just through Yahoo alone, there were over 35,000 searches last month for those specific keywords. With a reported network of around 10 million users, you’d figure we’d see some action.
I think where the problem lies is that Internet users are not downloading and using the toolbars. Which is totally understandable, we downloaded the ((toolbar name removed)), on a machine running Windows XP w/ Internet Explorer and couldn’t get the toolbar to even show up. We then downloaded the ((toolbar name removed)), on a brand new machine running Vista, same result. Although we did manage to get the ((toolbar name removed)), on another machine, it was extremely unstable resulting in numerous reboots
((company name removed)) does provide SEP to help their clients achieve some traffic, but this is done to protect their guarantee more than anything else.
Which leads to the other major problem with their business model, they sell this service based on a set guaranteed amount of “unique visitors”, when in fact, they’re calculating and counting “impressions” or “hits”. Seeing that every time your Billboard ad displays, which is actually your website, it returns or counts as a “hit”, which is just an opportunity for someone to visit your site. If you’re selling people unique visitors and giving them impressions or hits, you’re going to run into problems. Not to mentoion it’s unethical, immoral, and flat out wrong.
If they fixed the glitches in the software so it actually worked and they increased their user network, it could be a viable advertising and marketing model for the Internet. However, with various offices scattered throughout the US using various different company names, and using Independent Contractors as employees, I can’t see these changes coming anytime soon!”
[ Message was edited by: bhartzer 03/29/2007 12:02 pm ]
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