Google Checkout Gets Even More Annoying (can we opt out?)
When Google Checkout first came out and I found out that advertisers who accepted Google checkout on their site would get a cool little logo in their AdWords ads I thought "great, better get on this quick to get some additional sales." Problem is, from what I've seen all you get from having the little Google shopping cart icon in your ads is more clicks...which at least in the accounts I've seen have not lead to increased conversions like I thought it would. As I started making the rounds this morning in the SEM blogs/forums I read I came across this at the Google Checkout blog:
"An important part of Google Checkout since we launched last summer has been helping users find convenient, secure places to shop through tight integration with AdWords, the advertisements on our search results pages. Merchants who decide to offer Google Checkout as a checkout option on their sites are identified by a shopping cart when their ads are displayed on Google. Today we're updating the shopping cart with a better image:"
Go check out the "better image".
Sorry, but the only people that win here are Google. Those checkout images do not lead to increased conversions, just increased clicks.
Advertisers that accept Google Checkout should be able to opt out of including this image in their ads. Can they?
More coverage:
Google Checkout Button on Google.com Take Over Page Real Estate
Google Ads Getting New Google Checkout Badges
New incentive for using Google Checkout.
Labels: adwords, google checkout
comments: 1 so far
posted by: Jeremy Mayes
permanent link: Google Checkout Gets Even More Annoying (can we opt out?)
1 Comments:
Although I do agree with your article above totally, i'm not sure its a particularly bad thing.
I have google checkout at my site ClassicMovieStore and also use google adwords. This is a similar effect to bidding higher and ranking number one in the sponsored ads, as you get more 'junk clicks'. However just getting this because you have the badge is the same, but you haven't bid higher.
I also think that in a world that is dominated by the monopoly called paypal we need to support google so we can all get better service from these giants. They need competition...as anyone that has tried to use paypal customer service will tell you..
I wish google the best of luck with this.
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