Nov

7

Google AdWords to implement quality score “update” on content network

Filed Under Google, SEM | 2 Comments

Google’s at it (again). An ominous warning on the Inside AdWords tells us Google is on the verge of implenting its use of “quality score” to set minimum bids on web sites in its content network. The post reads in part: 

In the next few days, we will be making two changes to how AdWords evaluates landing page quality. First, we’ll begin incorporating landing page quality into the Quality Score for your contextually-targeted ads, using the same evaluation process as we do for ads showing on Google.com and the search network. Advertisers who may be providing a poor experience on their site will notice that their traffic across the content network decreases as a result of this change. Second, we’re improving our algorithm for evaluating landing page quality and incorporating landing page content retrieved by the AdWords system.

Last July, Google wreaked havoc on search marketers by setting new minimum bids for advertisers whose landing pages it deemed to be of low quality. Though the notorious Made For AdSense sites and friends deserved, in my view, what they had coming, Google’s actions didn’t pass the smell test.

For one, the timing was suspicious as it came on the heels of Google’s testing of a cost per action model, to the detriment of many of the affiliate marketers their update was squeezing out of the market.  And if Google was really concerned about landing page quality then why allow these advertisers to pay a ransom and have their ads remain active? And why deactivate the offenders on Google’s site only but allow the ads to be syndicated across Google’s network of third party content sites?

This week’s upcoming update addressed at least the last point, by treating ads on both networks in the same manner. How you been affected by the quality score update? What, if any, changes did you make to your site as a result?