Google’s latest attempt to simplify AdWords for small business owners hinges on the appeal of color.
A great post from Marketing Pilgrim’s Frank Reed (Google Gives SMB Market Something to Look Forward To) explains a project Google is beta-testing in the Houston market. For $25/month Google will: 1) attach a “yellow flag” to all Adwords listings (an additioanl cost to the money paid for the actual advertisement); and 2) highlight organic search results in a similarly eye-catching yellow color.
The projected benefit: the splash of color will attract additional clicks by making the listing or search result stand out, and the links to pictures, video, coupons, or store directions that are housed in the yellow tag will encourage more visitors.
Issues to consider:
1) At that pricepoint, so many small businesses could buy in that a vast majority of organic search results will be highlighted, diminishing the importance or appeal of highlighting.
2) Does evidence exist to support an initial hypothesis that color will actually attract more clicks? (I honestly don’t know – anyone? Bueller?…)
3) Only one in every six Google search users click on Google ads. Is that because it’s an ad, and people online in 2010 just don’t respond to old-school interruptive marketing? (My gut says yes.) Segue into potential result: Could highlighting organic search results lead to a similar thought process? “Oh – that’s a Google manufactured result. It’s not genuine. I’ll go to the next one.”
If I’m a small business owner, and I’ve optimized my site, consistently create great content, rank number one for my chosen keywords, and about 50 percent of searches click on my listing, I would be hard-pressed to roll the yellow-tag dice until I see more hard numbers.
Granted, Google is in the data-gathering stage right now, so the statistics they release (or don’t release) will be very telling.
But then again, it’s only $25/month, and those yellow tags could lead to increased click-through. What’s your price for innovation?
