Google Sneak Peek # 4: Comparison Ads
Posted on | December 7, 2009 | 2 Comments
Wrapping up my series on new stuff from Google, I’d like to share with you a subject close to my heart…
Google Comparison Ads
Google comparison ads are a really interesting feature and I was excited to stumble across them. This search feature is only available in the mortgage industry for now, but lets users compare rates against each other.
“If you’re looking for a mortgage, you really care about a specific offer. You want to know the APR and based on your specific circumstances, which is something that AdWords doesn’t provide today,” said Nick Fox, director of business product management for AdWords at Google.
In the new system, those who search for “mortgage” or “refinance” or related terms may see a special ad from Google itself inviting them to view offers, like this:
Clicking on the ad takes you to a comparison page like this:
The service is currently only offered in the US and even there, not for every state. The service is rolling out slowly.
Ads are sold on a cost-per-lead basis. When someone clicks to receive a quote, the advertiser is forwarded the information and billed. The advertiser also receives no personal information about the person. In fact, they don’t even get the person’s real phone number. Google provides a temporary bridging number that connects the advertiser to the customer. After that, it’s up to the customer to provide their own “real” number if they want follow-up, Fox said.
This search tactic can certainly be expanded into other categories in the future, and is a hint for what’s in store.
Well, I hope that you enjoyed this post and those earlier in the chapter. I enjoyed being your guide.
If you missed any of the first three installments of my Google Sneak Peek series, you can find them here:
Google Sneak Peek # 1: Ad Sitelinks
Google Sneak Peek # 2: Enhanced Google News
Google Sneak Peek # 3: Enhanced Music Search
Paul Mosenson
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December 7th, 2009 @ 10:29 am
Thanks Paul for your post. I didn’t know about Google Comparison Ads. I heard it first from you and I immediately researched it because it seems to be really interesting. I also learned that the system also uses IP detection to automatically guess at your area.
December 24th, 2009 @ 6:56 am
Hello Paul, your blog is very interesting. Regards from Germany!