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Yesterday, Sergio Gor of Americans for Limited Government asked me to get the word out to the D.C.-area New Media community that there would be a special party in Washington to launch a new online initiative. But apparently, the folks at the ALG office got a big laugh when they clicked onto the site, because this is the screen-shot that Sergio sent me:
One doesn't want to appear judgmental or anything, but I'm kind of wondering if what you might call the "conversion rate" -- from page-impression to click-through to final sale of the product -- is really sufficient to justify that.
If the client believes there is an untapped market of potential Larry Craigs and Mark Foleys lurking on conservative blogs, well, OK. But if somehow the Google A*d*s*e*n*s*e algorithm is miscalculating based on certain distinctive phrases in my content (e.g., "blogger in a Speedo") then perhaps I should contact someone at Google to suggest they fine-tune their content/placement formula.
On the other hand, for all I know, Google has its algorithm so fine-tuned as to microtarget users, based upon the individual blog-reader's own Web browser history. That is to say, if you have been surfing through Republican-leaning political blogs, then it will show you an a*d for Ann Coulter's new book. And if you frequently visit hunting sites, you'll see an a*d for the NRA. So why is Sergio seeing an a*d for "Sexy Gay Singles"? Hmmmm . . .
I thought the obvious liberal agenda of Google was common knowledge.
ReplyDeleteWe're talking about a company who leaked identities of dissidents to the Chinese government, and sleeps comfortably at night while the dissidents rot in jail.
I think it's a simple case of HTML mis-management. This particular arrangement does a poor job of connecting the idea that there is a Vast Left Wing Conspiracy with the idea that it is comprised primarily of gay singles.
ReplyDeletePreview, preview, preview. (The post, not the singles.)
I do not know if Bucky was kidding about the "liberal agenda' bit, but during the election, there was a campaign among lefties to flag blogs that criticized Obama has hate speech.
ReplyDeleteOne assumes said blogs are still on a list somewhere at Google even if the flagging was found to be without merit.
I note the gay singles ad is always the first, but the second ad rotates and is always more relevant.
As much as I hate to sound like a loyal member of the Tinfoil Hat Brigade, Google looks like it is taking a jab at certain conservative blogs.
Either that or Excitable Andi (AKA, Milky Glutes) has been stopping by and patronizing often.
ReplyDeletehence, causing them to pop up again more frequently.
Now Google Ads is running a Progressive (insurance) ad on your blog. They have you pegged.
ReplyDeleteNow I see an ad for arranged Hindu marriage on here.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they're just a little too clever and combine the liberal disdain for conservative blogs with their usual homophobia (always denied, but then who're the ones calling people they don't like "homos" and "fags") by deliberately placing gay ads on conservative sites.
ReplyDeleteThere used to be a tool from Google to show you how they see your site. You may need to submit a sitemap protocol.
ReplyDeleteAnyhoo PageRank grades your page based on links from other sites. In fact I suspect this gem from instapundit is responsible for most of it.
Try this for an incompatible match-up of blog and advertisement!
ReplyDelete(Yes, I'm trolling for traffic, in the finest McCain tradition.)
Never attribute to conspiracy that which can be explained by incompetence.
ReplyDeleteAdvertising has always been a hit or miss proposition. Even the fine tuning theory is crap since what I search for today may be something I never search for again (it may be for a present for someone; which explains why my most recent Amazon greeting page is full of books aimed at 13-year-old girls along with classic rock music my iconoclastic 17-year-old is interested in.)