Bigmouthmedia reports on Google shake up of UK digital marketing
sector
Released
on: April 4, 2008, 9:08 am
Press
Release Author: Bigmouthmedia
Ltd
Industry:
Marketing
Press
Release Summary: Bigmouthmedia reports on Google shake up of UK
digital marketing sector
Press
Release Body: Google has unveiled radical changes to its Trademark
policy that could cost Britain's major companies millions as they
struggle to protect their brands online.
In
a move that is sending shockwaves throughout the digital
marketing sector, Google's controversial decision to allow
anyone to bid for trademarked keywords is set to have a major
impact on the industry. Tipped to send prices skyrocketing, the
decision could leave the search giant open to legal challenges
from the major UK brands likely to lose millions as a result.
"This
is an incredibly bold move that has taken most of the sector by
surprise. It will certainly lead to a big change in the way that
advertisers and agencies manage their search campaigns. It could
also have an impact on the UK digital agency landscape with agencies
running on pure performance deals taking a big hit"
said Lyndsay Menzies, Managing Director of bigmouthmedia
UK.
Lyndsay
further commented, "Our international offices have been
working with such a system in the US for years and we know how
to deal with it, but the news is likely to precipitate massive
changes in the market as brands move budgets about within digital
channels to maximise return."
Bringing
the UK and Ireland into line with its North American business,
which has operated such a policy since 2004, from May 5th Google
will allow open keyword bidding on all terms. This means it will
now be possible for more than one advertiser to appear in the
list of sponsored links that appears after a user has typed in
a search query using a trademarked term.
While
bad news for major brands, the move is likely to be good news
for smaller competitors looking to close the gap, although a question
mark now hangs over what effect it will have on the millions invested
every year in keyword bidding. Industry commentators believe that
some major price comparison sites and aggregators could see advantages,
while the change is likely to further fuel industry rumours that
Google are planning to make a bid for Expedia.
This
announcement is also likely to have a profound effect on all affiliate
partners, with the ability to bid on competitor keywords greatly
increasing the scope and range of their operations.
"Google's
revised rules for UK and Ireland will add new layers of complexity
to the search landscape. Look at affiliate
marketing and PPC:
many brands restrict their affiliates from brand bidding but these
policies now need to be reviewed," said Andrew
Girdwood, bigmouthmedia's Head of Search.
He
continued, "It may now make sense to let affiliates brand
bid, compete using trade names against brand competitors and bring
a stable cost-per-acquisition model to the auction market that
Google has just made volatile."
Notes
to Editor:
About
bigmouthmedia
Founded in 1997, bigmouthmedia are leaders in
digital marketing, with a team of over 200 staff across 13 offices
in 10 countries on 3 continents the company maximizes return and
exposure for major brands online through a variety of fully integrated
digital marketing channels: Search - PPC and Search
Engine Optimisation, Display Advertising, Affiliate Marketing,
Social Networking, Brand Monitoring, Online PR and Web Analytics.
Bigmouthmedia
services big-brand customers globally including: Adidas,
Hilton, British Airways, Tesco, Aer Lingus, BP, Barclays, Castrol,
Conrad International, Dorling Kindersley, Early Learning Centre,
easyCar, Fasthosts, Jumeirah, Canon, Samsung, Starbucks, Top Man,
Debenhams, Which?, Lacoste, Euler Hermes and Wall Street Institute.
Bigmouthmedia
is a Deloitte Fast Growth winner and a 2007 FT Best Place to Work.
2007 saw the company celebrate its tenth anniversary and global
CEO Steve Leach celebrated a unique hat-trick of major business
awards; UK Entrepreneur of the Year title at the National Business
Awards and National Business Awards for Scotland and UK as well
being named European Entrepreneur at a recent ceremony in Paris.
Web
Site: http://www.bigmouthmedia.com/
Contact
Details: Press Contact (UK):
Emily Thorpe
Marketing Manager (International)
Bigmouthmedia Ltd
51 Timberbush
Leith
Edinburgh
EH6 6QH
Tel: (+44)131 561 2179
Fax (+44)131 553 6800
www.bigmouthmedia.com