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I was just putting together a Google AdWords buy for a client, using the AdWords Offline Editor (which is a fantastic tool that I recommend for anyone in the SEM biz), and as I ran a check to make sure my ads were valid, I got this message:

Google’s policy goes on to ban the use of more than one exclamation point anywhere, repeated question marks, and, best of all, SMS shorthand like “U” for “you.” These sorts of things are my pet peeve, and I’m glad to see that Google’s running a “stupid filter.”

Compare that to the practices of many banner ad servers: the more annoying the better. Case in point (animation removed for everyone’s sanity):

Does this signal a generational shift in the culture of advertisers? Google Ads are designed to work be as relevant to your content as possible, and Google works with their advertisers to increase clickthroughs, creating a sort of reverse revenue share with their content scores.

Banner ads, on the other hand, are often irrelevant to the story, and don’t really ad value to the reader - they’re the cost of doing business for a free internet. Yet for all the different ad blocking software out there, I haven’t seen this kind of zeal for blocking adwords (though if you really want to, here’s a client-side way).

As both an advertiser and an internet user, I’m hoping we’ll see the web move in a more SEM-style direction here. Providing value to your users rather than annoying them into looking seems to be a solid strategy for everyone, and I hope the market will come to reflect that.

Beaconfire VP Michael Cervino, Felicia Carr, Director of Online Communications for the National Parks Conservation Association, and Vinnie Wishrad, Director of Membership & Community at Conservation International joined forces to present a session on microsites and landing pages at the recent Bridge Conference.

Michael led a packed room through a brief review of the differences between microsites and landing pages.  A microsite is a separately promoted part of a larger Web site that is designed to meet separate objectives and has a separate URL.  A landing page is designed to incite one particular action via a specific, measurable offer.  His presentation included a decision matrix to help participants figure out which might be the best approach for their particular projects.  He also quickly discussed the potential risks and benefits of each approach before turning the floor over to the case studies.

Felicia Carr then walked us through NPCA’s Elect Teddy campaign, which was launched to encourage the 2008 presidential candidates to make public their positions on NPCA’s centennial initiative and protecting the health of our national parks system.  Although some of the secondary goals of the site were not achieved, Barak Obama, John McCain, and Hillary Clinton each submitted complete answers to all NPCA questions for publication on the site.

• Check out NPCA’s Elect Teddy site.

Vinnie Wishrad then presented Conservation International’s Lost There Felt Here campaign, intended to help prevent deforestation.  The campaign, which was designed to be viral, was supported by a PSA featuring Harrison Ford that was distributed through YouTube, and was, by all accounts, a smashing success.

• Check out CI’s Lost There - Felt Here PSA on YouTube.

Audience members, Vinnie, Felicia, and Michael wrapped up the session discussing the best applications of microsites versus landing pages and the decision criteria Beaconfire uses to help our clients make that choice.

• Download Michael Cervino’s slides (PDF).
• Download Vinnie Wishrad’s slides (PDF).
• Download Felicia Carr’s slides (PDF).