1. Quality Score

This is always a favourite for discussion given that it has such an impact on campaign performance. It’s also complex and therefore susceptible to misinterpretation. Brad Geddes does a good job of explaining quality score.

2. New Adwords features – Top Ad Placement

The one that caused the biggest debate ahead of implementation would have to be the changes to the formula for top ad placement. Bloggers and forumites jumped on the idea that it would unfairly drive adwords costs up. Most commentators didn’t even bother to read the announcement properly or stop and think about it but jumped on the bandwagon once the consensus of opinion was reached. I’ve seen hardly any feedback since it was launched.

3. Most Maligned Adwords Feature – Expanded Broad Match

Expanded broad match would have to win the prize for the most hated feature. Here are a couple of “expanded match is EVIL” forum threads.

4. SEO versus PPC

The best posts on this were those describing how they work well together rather than one being better than the other but maybe I’m biased. Here’s a recent post from Dave Naylor with an example of organic and ppc working well together.

5. Pricing Models

How you charge for PPC services is always a favourite for debate. Alan Rimm-Kaufman shared his agency’s model and rates in a bid to open up the secrecy about pricing and structure.

Comments

First, though, comes a recap of the strange event that caused the mass departure: it seems that these companies’ ads were being shown on the British National Party’s Facebook page.  And yes, that sounds innocent enough, but you must stop to consider that the BNP is “committed to stemming and reversing the tide of non-white immigration . . .”

Naturally, no one wanted to be associated with that sort of thing.  Hence the advertisers’ exodus.

But losing that revenue – and, quite possibly, getting a lot of questionable press – just wouldn’t do, so “Facebook has added a tweak to the site so that advertisers can opt out of the groups section entirely,” according to the Guardian Unlimited’s Jemima Kiss.  Facebook has also “emailed all its UK advertisers and agencies to point that out.”

Because of this development, it’s probable that most (or all) of the advertisers that left will return.

Lastly, for a bit of fun, we’ll check back in on a couple of Facebook groups.  “A Chief Export of Chuck Norris Is Pain” now has 12,747 followers, while the “The British National Party”’s got about 1.7 percent of that with 217 members.

“First Direct, Vodafone, Virgin Media, the AA, Halifax and the Prudential have all withdrawn ads,” according to the BBC.  And according to Wikipedia (I don’t feel like giving the official BNP site any traffic), the BNP is “committed to stemming and reversing the tide of non-white immigration . . .”  I’m not sure what to say to that – perhaps a scream would be appropriate?

Anyway, considering that this is still fresh news, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if other companies also pull their advertisements.  That would leave Facebook in a precarious situation; those organizations aren’t going to come back unless some assurances are made, and the social network will lose money for every day that passes in the meantime.

Oh, and here’s one last BNP-related tidbit that should make you think better of humanity: as noted by The Register’s Chris Williams, “Two Facebook groups representing the crypto-racist organisation have clocked up 150 and 31 members respectively.  By comparison, the non-aligned group ‘A Chief Export of Chuck Norris Is Pain’ has 12,550 members.”