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  • Google Launches ‘Search Network with Display Select’ Ad Campaign Type

    Google has launched a new campaign type called Search Network with Display Select, which lets advertisers get in front of users on Google itself and other sites.

    “Search Network with Display Select extends the reach of your search campaigns to the Google Display Network (GDN),” explains product manager Ahmad Anvari in a blog post. “The GDN reaches 90% of the global online audience (Comscore September 2013) and includes 2 million publisher sites, like weather.com. Upgrading existing search campaigns to Search Network with Display Select is easy. In a few steps and without extra work, you could gain 15% more customers by showing your ads at the right moments across search and the web.”

    Google says the new type offers better results on the display network than the old Search & Display option.

    “Search Network with Display Select uses improved signals and methods of predicting when and where your ads are likely to perform best, and sets a higher bar for when to show them,” says Anvari. “That means your ads are more likely to be shown to a smaller number of prospective customers, who are more likely to be interested in your offerings. Compared to the old campaign type, initial tests show that advertisers, on average, could see a 35% higher click-through-rate, and a 35% lower cost-per-customer purchase on the display portion of their Search Network with Display Select campaigns.”

    Google does suggest that if you are running Search and Display campaigns separately, you should keep them separated for better bidding, budgeting and targeting.

    Google will remove the old Search & Display Networks campaign type over the course of the next several weeks in favor of the new type.

    Image: Google

  • Instagram Ads Are Finally Here, For Real

    Instagram Ads Are Finally Here, For Real

    About a month ago, Instagram finally pulled the trigger and announced that the photo-centric social network was finally getting ads – er, Sponsored Posts. It shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone. Facebook surely didn’t buy the company for close to a billion dollars to let it sit around not making money.

    And last week, Instagram gave us a preview of what the ads will look like by running an ad via the official Instagram account in everyone’s feed.

    Today, they’re here. Users in the U.S. will most likely see this ad from Michael Kors in their feeds at some point.

    Just like Instagram promised, the post is clearly labeled as sponsored and you can hide it if you want.

    Instagram is launching the sponsored posts slowly, partnering with a handful of big names like Ben & Jerry’s, Burberry, Levi’s, Macy’s, PayPal, and Lexus. But they’re here. Get used to it.

    Image via Michael Kors, Instagram

  • Netflix Targets Kids In UK With New Ad

    Over the past year or so, Netflix has been greatly increasing its focus on kids. This continues with a new ad the company has just released targeting kids in the UK, called Netflix Kids Takeover:

    In the ad, Netflix plays up titles like Cloud With a Chance of Meatballs, Up, iCarly, Mars Needs Moms!, Oscar’s Oasis, Austin & Ally, The Princess and the Frog, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Wall-E, Rango and of course, Mako Mermaids, its recently launched original series.

    Last year, Netflix launched the Just for Kids offering, and has since added a ton of kids-oriented content. It recently announced major deals with Dreamworks Animation and Disney, which will see a plethora of popular kids titles on the way.

    We can probably expect a great deal more original kids content from Netflix as well. Mako Mermaids is likely just the beginning, with the company planning to double its investment in original content.

    Kids have been a focal point for Netflix’s marketing here in the U.S. as well.

  • Bing Hero Ads: Microsoft’s Answer To Those New Google Branded Search Ads?

    Last week, there was a lot of talk about a new ad format Google is testing that essentially places a banner-like graphic near the top of a search results page when the user searches for that brand.

    While Google indicated that this was only a small test at this point, many immediately began criticizing Google for breaking a promise it made eight years ago to never have banner ads on search results pages.

    Not to be outdone, Bing has a new very visual ad style that it reportedly announced today at a Bing Ads event. The format is called “Bing Hero Ads”.

    Wordstream’s Larry Kim shares some pics from the presentation. Here’s one (click over to see the others):

    Bing Hero Ads

    It looks like these go well beyond what Google is doing with a software-like interface for what appear to essentially be sitelinks.

    “The pilot project is currently limited to searches conducted in Windows 8.1 in the US,” says Kim. “No word yet on if this will make it to the Web version of Bing Search. The test is being run with a limited number of big brands. If you don’t see them, it’s because they’re only show up on a subset of branded searches. Organic search listings appear on the next page, which is accessible by swiping the screen.”

    I would imagine we’ll be hearing more about these from Microsoft soon.

    Update: Here’s a post from Microsoft.

  • Instagram Use Among Top Brands Skyrockets

    According to a report from social media analytics company Simply Measured, Instagram is fast becoming one of the hottest networks around for major brands to engage with customers.

    As of now, 71 of the top 100 brands are using Instagram. By comparison, 98% of the top 100 brands are on Facebook and Twitter, and 73% and 74% of on Google+ and Pinterest, respectively.

    While total Instagram adoption among top brands is still the lowest among these 5 major social networks, the rate of adoption has spiked dramatically. In just one year, the number of top brands using Instagram has increased by 55%, from 40% adoption last October. Simply Measured says that makes it the fastest-growing platform for marketers, worldwide.

    And the majority of brands aren’t just on Instagram, but they are using it frequently. 57% of the top 100 brands are posting at least once a week. Last year, only 38% were posting that regularly. Over a third of these brands now have over 10,000 followers, and 19% have a whopping 100,000 followers or more.

    Because of this blitz, user engagement is also on the rise – so it appears their efforts are paying off.

    The volume of posts by these top 100 brands has increased 70% in the past year, leading to a 350% increase in total engagement (likes and comments).

    With such results, who in their right mind isn’t using Instagram?

    “Which top brands aren’t on Instagram? Mainly B2B financial services companies and several FMCG companies. These brands don’t have visually stunning offerings and struggle to find their audience on the network. However, the ones who’ve found creative ways to get involved have found success,” says Simply Measured.

    Automotive brands enjoy the best fan engagement on the network, with Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Audi controlling the 1st, 3rd, and 5th spots, respectively.

    As brand use increases, Instagram just rolled out its first-ever ads on the site. In the coming weeks, you’ll begin to see some sponsored posts in your Instagram feed. For more on how those will work and what they’ll look like, check here.

    Images via Simply Measured, Nike, Instagram

  • Google Takes An Hour To Explain How To Use Remarketing Lists For Search Ads

    Google hase released the recording of a new webinar about remarketing lists for search ads (RLSA).

    “Remarketing lists for search ads (RLSA) is a powerful new feature that brings together intent, context and audience to help you get more sales and leads with great ROI,” says Google. “With RLSA, you can modify bids, ads, and keywords for past site visitors. In this video, you’ll get a feature overview, learn about usage strategies, walk through the set-up, and hear tips and tricks on how to be successful with RLSA.”

    If you have about an hour to spare, and think your own campaigns can benefit from RLSA, you may want to check it out or mark it as a “watch later”.

    Google launched RLSA out of beta back in June. The product shares the same Google Remarketing Tag and list management tools with remarketing on the Google Display Network. More on RLSA here.

  • E-Cigarette Ad Pops Up Inside Kids iPad Game

    If you asked the world’s second-largest tobacco company about their new marketing strategies, I’m going to assume that they wouldn’t include running ads in kids apps in their response.

    Nevertheless, an ad for Vype, the first e-cigarette marketed by British American Tobacco, recently appeared as an in-app advertisement in a kids iPad game.

    The ad was spotted and tweeted out by author and Learning Without Frontiers founder Graham Brown-Martin:

    The in-app e-cig ad was then retweeted by the Twitter account for E-Cigarette Forum, the biggest online forum devoted entirely to e-cigarettes.

    British American Tobacco quickly responded, tweeting that they had yanked all online advertising for their Vype product.

    Swift move, still, the question remains – just how in the hell did this happen?

    Image via Graham Brown-Martin, Twitter

  • Here’s What an Instagram Ad Will Look Like

    They’re coming. Sponsored posts, or as you and I like to call them, “ads,” are on the way to your Instagram feed. Baby’s gotta monetize, and the Facebook-owned Instagram is finally pulling the trigger.

    Today, the company is giving us a sneak peek at what the ads will look like when they finally start hitting your feed. Check it out:

    Instagram ad

    Not bad, really. Not only do the ads resemble everyday Instagram posts, but they have a very large indicator at the top right (where the timestamp should be) that lets users know that they are, in fact, looking at an advertisement.

    That “…” button that you see at the bottom right-hand corner of the post allows you to hide the ad, if you so choose, as well as provide feedback to Instagram on why you hid said ad. Instagram says that providing feedback will allow them to show you better, more relevant ads in the future.

    “Our focus with every product we build is to make Instagram a place where people come to connect and be inspired. Building Instagram as a business will help us better serve the global—and ever growing—Instagram community, while maintaining the simplicity you know and love. As always, you own your own photos and videos. The introduction of advertising won’t change this,” says Instagram.

    As far as that last bit is concerned, it seems like every announcement Instagram makes these days comes with that reminder at the end. Nobody wants a repeat of what happened last year.

    You’ll probably see this test ad from Instagram is your feed at some point soon. Following that, expect to see sponsored content from a select group of partners like Ben & Jerry’s, Burberry, Levi’s, Macy’s, PayPal, and Lexus start trickling in.

    Images via Instagram Blog, About Ads

  • Google Gives Businesses New Offers Creation Tool

    Google has announced the launch of an updated tool for businesses in the United States to quickly and easily create offers for Google Offers, and get them live on Google Maps and other Google products.

    The tool allows businesses to choose the kind of offer they want to launch, and assign a budget to it.

    “Unlike traditional promotions or coupons, Google Offers will show your offer to customers based on their location, what they like, and what they’re looking for,” says Google Offers director of product management Gayathri Rajan. “You’ll only pay when a customer saves your offer, and you keep the full value of the sales you make.”

    Offers creation

    “With this launch, your offer can reach customers on Google Maps when they are searching for places nearby or looking for local businesses like yours,” Rajan adds. “Your business will be prominently displayed with a blue tag icon next to it, alerting customers to your offer.”

    Offers Creation

    When your offer is saved, the user will get reminders when they’re near the business and when the offer is close to its expiration date. Google alerts users through email and mobile notifications.

    The tool is rolling out over the next week.

    This follows increased Google Offers integration in Google Maps, announced in July when it partnered with brands like Michaels Stores, RadioShack, Red Mango, Red Robin, Ulta Beauty, Toys”R”Us, Sports Authority, BJ’s Restaurant, Macy’s, Disney Store, and Payless Shoesource.

  • Is This A Promise Google Should Be Breaking?

    Brands may soon be getting even more love from Google as the company is reportedly testing big banner-style imagery on ads on brand-specific search results pages.

    Do you think these visually-branded ads on search results pages would improve the search experience? Let us know what you think in the comments.

    Synrgy shares what it looks like in a tweet:

    Search Engine Land has confirmed with Google that the test is legit, but is only a small test in the U.S. There’s no telling if this will amount to an actual feature. Google conducts 20,000 of search experiments every year.

    Google reportedly told Synrgy that the experiment was only happening with about 30 advertisers and showing for less than 5% of queries. They also learned that only the banner itself is an add, while all the sitelinks are just part of the organic results.

    If it does become a wide-reaching feature, however, it obviously adds a tremendous amount of branding to the search results page. If it does expand to an available ad format, it will be interesting to see if it stays limited to brand-specific queries. As we’ve been seeing, Google has been giving brands some extra visibility even on generic queries.

    In some cases, they’re recommending specific brands with the “see results about” feature when the users enters generic queries. Here’s an example showing a search for “travel insurance,” which suggests you search for the top advertiser on the page.

    Travel insurance

    But back to the banner-style ads in question. Google is taking some flack in the press for going back on a promise it made years ago. Google said this in 2005:

    There will be no banner ads on the Google homepage or web search results pages. There will not be crazy, flashy, graphical doodads flying and popping up all over the Google site. Ever.

    I think this probably qualifies as a graphical doodad on a search results page, so it would seem that “ever” was a bit of a stretch. That said, the above quote was made in context with a partnership between Google and AOL when they announced a global advertising deal. The statement was also made by Marissa Mayer, who is obviously now at Yahoo.

    Google had invested $1 billion for a 5% stake in AOL, and expanded a strategic alliance to make more of AOL’s content available to Google users. The companies had first partnered three years before that. Google would continue to provide search technology to AOL, and the AOL Marketplace was created with white labeling of Google’s ad tech, enabling AOL to sell search ads directly to advertisers on AOL-owned properties. It also extended display ads throughout Google’s network and made AOL’s content “more accessible to Google web crawlers.”

    You can see the full announcement here.

    What Mayer was saying in the post, which was aimed to clear up “misconceptions” about the partnership was that the deal would not result in Google putting banner ads on its search results. And it didn’t.

    But things have changed a lot with Google in the past eight years. Google doesn’t even have the same CEO anymore.

    Still, she did say “ever.”

    But again, it’s just a small test. Who knows if it will even become anything more?

    In related news, Google added ad extensions as a ranking factor in Ad Rank, while also giving Ad Rank itself more weight.

    Would you like to see Google push out these banner ads to a bigger group of advertisers? To all advertisers? Let us know what you think in the comments.

  • Bryan Cranston’s First Post-Breaking Bad Gig Is…an iPad Air Ad

    “It’s an extremely simple tool, but also extremely powerful. It can be used to start a poem, or finish a symphony. It has transformed the way we work, learn, create, and share…it’s used by scientists, artists, and scholars, and students…”

    Meth. It’s meth.

    Nope, it’s the iPad Air. Apple’s first ad for the new device comes with narration from none other than Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston.

    Is this the thinnest, lightest, most revolutionary iPad ever made?

    Image via YouTube

  • Now Google Ad Extensions Will Have A Direct Impact On Rank

    You now have another reason to use ad extensions on your AdWords ads. Google revealed that it is now taking them into account in Ad Rank, which determines the ordering of ads on search results pages.

    Ad extensions already made ads more useful to consumers by giving them reasons to click or interact (as with call extensions). That’s precisely why Google is using them in ranking. After all, the more useful the better, right?

    Historically, Google has only taken max CPC bid and Quality Score into account with Ad Rank. The expected impact of the ad extensions and formats that you use will be used as a third ranking factor. If two competing ads have the same bid and quality score, the extension factor could be the tie breaker.

    In case you’re wondering how Google determines “expected impact,” it considers relevance, CTR, and prominence of the extensions or formats on the search results page.

    Additionally, Google has increased the importance of Ad Rank itself for determining whether an ad should be displayed with with extensions and formats. Google says you might need to increase your Quality Score, bid or both for extensions and formats to appear.

    “In each auction, we’ll generally show your highest performing and most useful combination of extensions and formats among those eligible,” explains Google software engineer Chris Roat. “So there’s no need to try to guess which extensions will help improve your clickthrough rate the most.”

    “You may see lower or higher average CPCs in your account,” adds Roat. “You may see lower CPCs if your extensions and formats are highly relevant, and we expect a large positive performance impact relative to other competitors in the auction. In other cases, you may see higher CPCs because of an improvement in ad position or increased competition from other ads with a high expected impact from formats.”

    The changes only affect ads that appear on Google search (for now).

    Image: Google

  • Yahoo Microsoft ‘Search Alliance’ Encounters More Friction

    More friction between Microsoft and Yahoo regarding the two companies’ “Search Alliance” has been made public thanks to court documents obtained by Reuters.

    The two companies have been having a quiet legal battle about rolling out Microsoft’s Bing search technology on Yahoo in Taiwan and Hong Kong – the last two of sixteen markets – which are supposed to make the transition this month.

    Yahoo apparently is uncertain about the direction the alliance is going to go in under new leadership at Microsoft, and wants to hold off until it determines that the next CEO is dedicated to the partnership.

    Steve Ballmer’s retirement from the role was revealed in August, and Microsoft reportedly wants to have him replaced by the end of the year.

    The deal between the two companies was for a decade, but could end sooner, though Microsoft doesn’t intend to let Yahoo pull out without a fight, should it choose to try.

    The partnership was implemented before former Googler Marissa Mayer was running Yahoo, and she has been critical of the results since she took over.

    Either way, according to Reuters, a judge ruled on Monday that Yahoo has to go ahead and adopt Microsoft’s technology in the two remaining countries. The news organization shares a statement from Microsoft on the legal matter:

    “We had a narrow disagreement regarding the Search Alliance rollout in Hong Kong and Taiwan. We have unwavering plans to continue investing in the Search Alliance, now operating in more than 20 countries, and the Bing platform, which is central to our latest products.”

    Ahead of Yahoo’s earnings last week, Microsoft put out some numbers pertaining to the partnership.

    On a quarter-over-quarter basis, click-through-rates are up 6.8 percent, while cost-per-acquisition is down 13 percent, according to David Pann, general manager of the Microsoft Advertising Search Group, citing research from RKG.

    RKG also found thatt advertiser spend on the Yahoo Bing Network continues to grow compared to Google. It’s up 39% year-over-year, while Google is up 18%.

    Pann wrote in a blog post, “A lot of that is driven by non-brand click growth, which is up 45 percent on Bing Ads due to investments in our marketplace algorithms. In addition, CPCs fell 2 percent overall as Bing Ads continues to drive improvements that benefit our advertisers. The report says ‘advertiser ROI has improved on Bing Ads even as the platform has been able to deliver big traffic increases with better ad-matching technology.’”

    Image: Bing

  • Facebook Launches Video, CPA Bidding For Mobile App Ads

    A year ago, Facebook launched mobile app install ads, and today, they get video support and the ability for developers to set cost per action bids.

    Video ads will appear in the mobile news feed when the user clicks the play button. They can then view video featuring the app, which gives developers the chance to try and sell them on it.

    “Video creative has proven to be an effective way to drive engagement in News Feed, and we look forward to helping developers use their video creative to find new app installs,” says Facebook’s Radu Margarint in a blog post.

    He shares the following quote from John Clelland, VP, Interactive Marketing at DoubleDown Casino, an early test partner for video mobile app ads:

    “In our early tests, we found that using video in our mobile app ads resulted in increased install rates and decreased costs per install. We’ve seen tremendous success with mobile app ads and are looking forward to using video to make them even more engaging with rich media like video.”

    Videos in mobile app install ads

    In the past, Facebook has only let advertisers bid on cost per click or optimized cost per impression, but now, they can set a cost per action bid, so they’re only charged when a user downloads and installs their app.

    According to the company, this drives a 20% lower cost per install compared to CPC (on average, based on internal testing).

    Both video creative and CPA buying will be rolling out over the next few days.

  • Apple’s Gold iPhone 5s Ad Is Heavy on the…Gold

    If you were watching NFL football yesterday, you may have seen a brand new ad from Apple. The company unveiled its first ever ad for the new gold iPhone 5s during the broadcasts, called “Metal Mastered,” and it’s heavy on the gold.

    That song in the background? It’s “Ooh La La” by Goldfrapp. Clever.

    Before Sunday, Apple had put the majority of its ad focus on the cheaper, plastic iPhone 5c. Reports indicate that may be the right focus, as iPhone 5s sales have dwarfed iPhone 5c sales by a margin of 2 to 1.

    And though the gold iPhone was jokingly referred to as “The Kardashian Phone” internally, there’s no sign of a Kardashian anywhere in Apple’s new ad. Shame.

    Image via Apple, YouTube

  • Google Changes Location Targeting For International Search

    Google announced some coming changes to location targeting in AdWords, particularly for international searches.

    Beginning November 11th, advertisers using the default or “location of interest” setting will be able to show ads to people by taking into account the location they’re searching from as well as the location they’re searching for.

    Location targeting already works like this within countries, but the functionality will be expanded to international queries.

    “For example, let’s say you own a hotel, and you are currently targeting Paris with the keyword ‘Paris hotels,’” says AdWords product manager Nicholas Boos. “Previously, only people searching on Google.fr or Google.com from France could see your ad. Starting the week of November 11, your ads will be eligible to show to people searching for ‘Paris hotels’ from anywhere in the world — for example, someone who lives in New York City who is booking a vacation in Paris.”

    “These improvements help you share your message with more customers who have expressed interest in your business and deliver a better set of results to people who are searching with locations in their intent,” adds Boos. “Most advertisers will find that this change improves the reach of their ads with no action needed.”

    Advertisers can still narrow their location settings using advanced location options, and exclude locations to prevent ads from being shown in certain places.

  • Google Partners With Facebook On Advertising

    Google Partners With Facebook On Advertising

    Google announced today that it has partnered with Facebook to add DoubleClick Bid Manager to Facebook’s FBX real-time bidding exchange.

    This comes a little over a year after FBX left beta.

    “Partnership has been key to Google’s success as a rising tide lifts all boats,” says Google’s Payam Shodjai.

    “DoubleClick Bid Manager (formerly Invite Media) has been helping agencies and advertisers buy ad space on sites across the web for years,” Shodjai adds. “We help clients access dozens of private and public exchanges in more than 75 countries, and continue to see double-digit quarter-over-quarter growth in spend – last quarter was our biggest ever. We’re continuing to invest significantly in our technology (you can read some of what we’ve been up to here) to help advertisers and agencies buy programmatically across all devices and formats.”

    It’s unclear exactly when Double Bid Manager will be available in in FBX, but Google says it is coming in a few months. At that point, clients will be able to buy inventory with the product on FBX.

    Earlier this week, Facebook announced the ability for its advertisers to target people who have visited their websites or mobile apps, but said that advertisers with a lot of products that advertise to multiple audiences are better off using FBX.

  • Google Says Its New Mobile PLA Style Will Drive More Traffic To Retailers

    Google Says Its New Mobile PLA Style Will Drive More Traffic To Retailers

    Google announced that it is changing the way the mobile PLA (product listing ads) ad unit looks on Google.com. The update is designed to help shoppers browse and discover merchandise more easily while using their mobile device.

    “People are increasingly turning to their mobile devices as shopping assistants at home, in stores, and on the go, and constant connectivity is helping shoppers find the products they want, whenever they want,” Google Shopping group product manager Jennifer Liu said in a blog post. “Google Shopping connects people looking for products with the best places to buy both online and in local stores, and there are big opportunities for retailers to connect with mobile shoppers using mobile Product Listing Ads (PLA), particularly as we head into the holiday retail season.”

    Here’s what mobile PLAs will look like going forward:

    Mobile PLAs

    With the new style, users can swipe through products without having to leave the search results page. Product images and titles are also larger than before.

    As a result of the new style, more businesses have a chance of hitting the initial search results page. Google says that it is driving more traffic to retailers, based on early tests.

    In the blog post, Google shares a couple examples of retailers who have benefited. REVOLVEclothing.com, Google says, grew mobile PLA campaign clicks by 371%, conversions by 537% and mobile return on ad spend by 77%. There’s a case study here.

    Image: Google

  • Google Earnings Are Out, Revenue Up 12% To $14.98 Billion

    Google has released its earnings report for the third quarter with revenues of $14.98 billion, an increase of 12% year over year. GAAP operating income was $3.44 billion.

    The company has once again managed to beat Wall Street expectations.

    CEO Larry Page said, “Google had another strong quarter with $14.9 billion in revenue and great product progress. We are closing in on our goal of a beautiful, simple, and intuitive experience regardless of your device.”

    Page said he won’t be doing any more of these conference calls for a while. His voice has continued to sound weak as it has since last year, as the result of vocal cord issues.

    Google segment revenues were $13.77 billion. Google-owned sites revenues were $9.39 billion. Network revenues were $3.15 billion. “Other” revenues were $1.23 billion.

    You can check out the earnings call live below. It’s scheduled to begin at 4:30 (Eastern).

    During the call, Page said noted that over a billion Android devices have been activated. He said he’s excited about Chromebooks, and talked up the new HP Chromebook 11, Chromecast and the Moto X.

    He said almost 40% of YouTube traffic comes from mobile, up from 6% two years ago.

    “Our momentum in voice search is tremendous,” he said, noting the additional language support Google has been adding.

    In the last six months, the accuracy has caught up quite a bit, Page said of voice recognition. “I think we’ve made tremendous strides, and we’ll continue…but I think they’re already super useful.”

    He also said to “prepare to be amazed” by Google+ photo search if you haven’t tried it yet.

    CFO Patrick Pichette said that advertising policies implemented earlier this year have had a short-term negative impact, but they think they’re the right move for the long-term.

    Google’s employee head count by the end of the quarter was roughly 46 thousand full-time employees.

    “On the ecommerce side, i think google’s been used for ecommerceo for forever, and we’re really excited about doing a better job of that. we want to remove friction when people are buying on line or the real world,” said Page. This was in response to a question about structured data and the Knowledge Graph, so not much of an answer there.

    The investment in things like Calico (Google’s “anti-death” company) is significant, Page said, but not significant for Google. In other words, it’s a lot of money, but not a lot of money for Google. This is a subject that always comes up during investor calls with concern from investors that Google is not focused enough on its real money makers.

    It sounded like Page implied that he wishes he could invest more in stuff like Calico.

    Here’s the release in its entirely:

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – October 17, 2013 – Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2013.

    “Google had another strong quarter with $14.9 billion in revenue and great product progress,” said Larry Page, CEO of Google.  “We are closing in on our goal of a beautiful, simple, and intuitive experience regardless of your device.”

    Q3 Financial Summary

    Google Inc. reported consolidated revenues of $14.89 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2013, an increase of 12% compared to the third quarter of 2012. Google Inc. reports advertising revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting traffic acquisition costs (TAC). In the third quarter of 2013, TAC totaled $2.97 billion, or 24% of advertising revenues.

    Operating income, operating margin, net income, and earnings per share (EPS) are reported on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis. The non-GAAP measures, as well as free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, are described below and are reconciled to the corresponding GAAP measures at the end of this release.

    • GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2013 was $3.44 billion, or 23% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $2.74 billion, or 21% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2012. Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2013 was $4.34 billion, or 29% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.76 billion, or 28% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2012.
    • GAAP net income including net income from discontinued operations in the third quarter of 2013 was $2.97 billion, compared to $2.18 billion in the third quarter of 2012. Non-GAAP net income in the third quarter of 2013 was $3.64 billion, compared to $2.96 billion in the third quarter of 2012.
    • GAAP EPS including impact from net income from discontinued operations in the third quarter of 2013 was $8.75 on 339 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $6.53 in the third quarter of 2012 on 333 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2013 was $10.74, compared to $8.87 in the third quarter of 2012.
    • Non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin exclude stock-based compensation (SBC) expense, as well as restructuring and related charges. Non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS exclude the expenses noted above, net of the related tax benefits, as well as net income or loss from discontinued operations. In the third quarter of 2013, the expense related to SBC and the related tax benefits were $886 million and $207 million compared to $706 million and $155 million in the third quarter of 2012. In the third quarter of 2013, restructuring and related charges and the related tax benefits were $12 million and $3 million, compared to $313 million and $67 million in the third quarter of 2012. In addition, net income from discontinued operations in the third quarter of 2013 was $15 million, compared to net income from discontinued operations of $18 million in the third quarter of 2012.

    Q3 Financial Highlights

    Revenues and other information – On a consolidated basis, Google Inc. revenues for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 were $14.89 billion, an increase of 12% compared to the third quarter of 2012.

    Google Segment Revenues – Google segment revenues were $13.77 billion, or 92% of consolidated revenues, in the third quarter of 2013, representing a 19% increase over third quarter 2012 Google segment revenues of $11.53 billion.

    • Google Sites Revenues – Google-owned sites generated segment revenues of $9.39 billion, or 68% of total Google segment revenues, in the third quarter of 2013. This represents a 22% increase over third quarter 2012 Google sites segment revenues of $7.73 billion.
    • Google Network Revenues – Google’s partner sites generated segment revenues of $3.15 billion, or 23% of total Google segment revenues, in the third quarter of 2013, compared to $3.13 billion of Google network segment revenues in the third quarter of 2012.
    • Other Google Revenues – Other revenues from the Google segment were $1.23 billion, or 9% of total Google segment revenues, in the third quarter of 2013. This represents an 85% increase over third quarter 2012 other Google segment revenues of $666 million.

    Google Segment International Revenues – Google segment revenues from outside of the United States totaled $7.67 billion, representing 56% of total Google segment revenues in the third quarter of 2013, compared to 55% in the second quarter of 2013 and 53% in the third quarter of 2012.

    • Google segment revenues from the United Kingdom totaled $1.39 billion, representing 10% of total Google segment revenues in the third quarter of 2013, compared to 11% in the third quarter of 2012.

    Foreign Exchange Impact on Google Segment Revenues – Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the second quarter of 2013 through the third quarter of 2013, our Google segment revenues in the third quarter of 2013 would have been $41 million higher. Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the third quarter of 2012 through the third quarter of 2013, our Google segment revenues in the third quarter of 2013 would have been $135 million higher.

    • In the third quarter of 2013, we recognized a benefit of $22 million to Google segment revenues through our foreign exchange risk management program, compared to $62 million in the third quarter of 2012.

    Reconciliations of our non-GAAP international revenues excluding the impact of foreign exchange and hedging to GAAP international revenues are included at the end of this release.

    Paid Clicks – Aggregate paid clicks, which include clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our Network members, increased approximately 26% over the third quarter of 2012 and increased approximately 8% over the second quarter of 2013.

    Cost-Per-Click – Average cost-per-click, which includes clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our Network members, decreased approximately 8% over the third quarter of 2012 and decreased approximately 4% over the second quarter of 2013.

    TAC – Traffic acquisition costs, the portion of revenues shared with Google’s partners, increased to $2.97 billion in the third quarter of 2013, compared to $2.77 billion in the third quarter of 2012. TAC as a percentage of advertising revenues was 24% in the third quarter of 2013, compared to 26% in the third quarter of 2012.

    The majority of TAC is related to amounts ultimately paid to our Network members, which totaled $2.22 billion in the third quarter of 2013. TAC also includes amounts ultimately paid to certain distribution partners and others who direct traffic to our website, which totaled $755 million in the third quarter of 2013.

    Motorola Mobile Segment Revenues – Motorola Mobile segment revenues were $1.18 billion, or 8% of consolidated revenues in the third quarter of 2013, compared to $1.78 billion, or 13% of consolidated revenues in the third quarter of 2012.

    Elimination and Other – Beginning in Q3 2013, Google and Motorola segment revenues are impacted by intersegment transactions that are eliminated in consolidation. Additionally, segment revenues associated with certain products were recognized this quarter in the segment results, but deferred to future periods in our consolidated financial statements. Such intersegment revenues and deferred revenues were $63 million in the third quarter of 2013.

    Other Cost of Revenues – Other cost of revenues, which is comprised primarily of manufacturing and inventory-related costs, data center operational expenses, amortization of intangible assets, and content acquisition costs, increased to $3.44 billion, or 23% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2013, compared to $3.19 billion, or 24% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2012.

    Operating Expenses – Operating expenses, other than cost of revenues, were $5.04 billion in the third quarter of 2013, or 34% of revenues, compared to $4.61 billion in the third quarter of 2012, or 35% of revenues.

    Amortization Expenses – Amortization expenses of acquisition-related intangible assets were $281 million for the third quarter of 2013, compared to $287 million in the third quarter of 2012. Of the $281 million, $153 million was as a result of the acquisition of Motorola, of which $116 million is included in Google segment results and $37 million is included in Motorola Mobile segment results.

    Stock-Based Compensation (SBC) – In the third quarter of 2013, the total charge related to SBC was $886 million, compared to $750 million in the third quarter of 2012. We currently estimate SBC charges for grants to employees prior to September 30, 2013 to be approximately $3.29 billion for 2013. This estimate does not include expenses to be recognized related to employee stock awards that are granted after September 30, 2013 or non-employee stock awards that have been or may be granted.

    Operating Income – On a consolidated basis, GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2013 was $3.44 billion, or 23% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $2.74 billion, or 21% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2012. Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2013 was $4.34 billion, or 29% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.76 billion, or 28% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2012.

    • Google Segment Operating Income – Google segment operating income in the third quarter of 2013 was $4.64 billion, or 34% of Google segment revenues. This compares to segment operating income of $3.95 billion in the third quarter of 2012, or 34% of Google segment revenues.
    • Motorola Mobile Segment Operating Loss – Motorola Mobile segment operating loss in the third quarter of 2013 was $248 million, or -21% of Motorola Mobile segment revenues. This compares to segment operating loss of $192 million, or -11% of Motorola Mobile segment revenues in the third quarter of 2012.

    Interest and Other Income, Net – Interest and other income, net, was $24 million in the third quarter of 2013, compared to $65 million in the third quarter of 2012.

    Income Taxes – Our effective tax rate was 15% for the third quarter of 2013.

    Net Income – Consolidated GAAP net income in the third quarter of 2013 was $2.97 billion, compared to $2.18 billion in the third quarter of 2012. Non-GAAP consolidated net income was $3.64 billion in the third quarter of 2013, compared to $2.96 billion in the third quarter of 2012. GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2013 was $8.75 on 339 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $6.53 in the third quarter of 2012 on 333 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2013 was $10.74, compared to $8.87 in the third quarter of 2012.

    Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures – Net cash provided by operating activities in the third quarter of 2013 totaled $5.08 billion, compared to $4.0 billion in the third quarter of 2012. In the third quarter of 2013, capital expenditures were $2.29 billion, the majority of which was for production equipment, data-center construction, and real estate purchases. Free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. In the third quarter of 2013, free cash flow was $2.79 billion.

    We expect to continue to make significant capital expenditures.

    A reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the GAAP measure of liquidity, is included at the end of this release.

    Cash – As of September 30, 2013, cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities were $56.52 billion.

    Headcount – On a worldwide basis, we employed 46,421 full-time employees (42,162 in Google and 4,259 in Motorola Mobile) as of September 30, 2013, compared to 44,777 full-time employees (40,178 in Google and 4,599 Motorola Mobile) as of June 30, 2013.

    WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

    A live audio webcast of Google’s third quarter 2013 earnings release call will be available at http://investor.google.com/webcast.html. The call begins today at 1:30 PM (PT) / 4:30 PM (ET). This press release, the financial tables, as well as other supplemental information including segment results and the reconciliations of certain non-GAAP measures to their nearest comparable GAAP measures, are also available on that site.

    We also announce investor information, including news and commentary about our business and financial performance, SEC filings, notices of investor events and our press and earnings releases, on our investor relations website (http://investor.google.com) and our investor relations Google+ page (https://plus.google.com/+GoogleInvestorRelations/posts).

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include statements regarding our investments in areas of strategic focus, our expected SBC charges, and our plans to make significant capital expenditures. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted include, among others, unforeseen changes in our hiring patterns and our need to expend capital to accommodate the growth of the business, as well as those risks and uncertainties included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 and our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 which are on file with the SEC and are available on our investor relations website at investor.google.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will also be set forth in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2013. All information provided in this release and in the attachments is as of October 17, 2013, and we undertake no duty to update this information unless required by law.

    SEGMENT RESULTS

    In addition to consolidated results, management reviews financial information for the Google and Motorola operating segments. The presentation of segment results is a required disclosure in accordance with GAAP as part of our consolidated financial statements, and in accordance with GAAP, segment results are consistent with what is provided to the chief operating decision maker (CODM) for purposes of making decisions about allocating resources to the segment and assessing its performance. Certain items, including stock-based compensation expense and restructuring and other related charges, are not reflected in our segment results because this information is not reviewed by the CODM when assessing the performance of our operating segments. Similarly, revenues resulting from intersegment transactions that would be eliminated on consolidation, and revenues from certain product sales whose recognition would be deferred in our consolidated financial statements, are included in our segment results because this information is reviewed by the CODM when assessing the performance of the operating segments. Because of the eliminations, the sum of the two segment results will not equal the consolidated results unless the eliminations are taken into account. For more information on segment results, please see the table captioned “Reconciliations of selected non-GAAP financial measures and segment results to the nearest comparable GAAP financial measures,” which shows the adjustments to our consolidated results for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 that we have made in presenting our segment results, included at the end of this release.

    ABOUT NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

    To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we use the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP EPS, free cash flow, and non-GAAP international revenues. The presentation of this financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned “Reconciliations of selected non-GAAP financial measures and segments results to the nearest comparable GAAP financial measures,” “Reconciliations of non-GAAP results of operations to the nearest comparable GAAP measures,” “Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow,” and “Reconciliation from GAAP international revenues to non-GAAP international revenues” included at the end of this release.

    We use these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision-making and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. Our management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance and liquidity by excluding certain expenses and expenditures that may not be indicative of our recurring core business operating results, meaning our operating performance excluding not only non-cash charges, such as SBC, but also discrete cash charges that are infrequent in nature or relate to restructuring activities. We believe that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our performance and when planning, forecasting, and analyzing future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management’s internal comparisons to our historical performance and liquidity as well as comparisons to our competitors’ operating results. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors both because (1) they allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in its financial and operational decision-making and (2) they are used by our institutional investors and the analyst community to help them analyze the health of our business.

    Non-GAAP operating income and operating margin. We define non-GAAP operating income as operating income excluding expenses related to SBC, and, as applicable, other special items. Non-GAAP operating margin is defined as non-GAAP operating income divided by revenues. Google considers these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful metrics for management and investors because they exclude the effect of SBC, and as applicable, other special items so that Google’s management and investors can compare Google’s recurring core business operating results over multiple periods. Because of varying available valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types that companies can use under FASB ASC Topic 718, Google’s management believes that providing a non-GAAP financial measure that excludes SBC allows investors to make meaningful comparisons between Google’s recurring core business operating results and those of other companies, as well as providing Google’s management with an important tool for financial and operational decision making and for evaluating Google’s own recurring core business operating results over different periods of time. There are a number of limitations related to the use of non-GAAP operating income versus operating income calculated in accordance with GAAP. First, non-GAAP operating income excludes some costs, namely, SBC, that are recurring. SBC has been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant recurring expense in Google’s business. Second, SBC is an important part of our employees’ compensation and impacts their performance. Third, the components of the costs that we exclude in our calculation of non-GAAP operating income may differ from the components that our peer companies exclude when they report their results of operations. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from non-GAAP operating income and evaluating non-GAAP operating income together with operating income calculated in accordance with GAAP.

    Non-GAAP net income and EPS. We define non-GAAP net income as net income excluding expenses related to SBC and, as applicable, other special items less the related tax effects, as well as net income (loss) from discontinued operations. The tax effects of SBC and, as applicable, other special items are calculated using the tax-deductible portion of SBC, and, as applicable, other special items, and applying the entity-specific, U.S. federal and blended state tax rates. We define non-GAAP EPS as non-GAAP net income divided by the weighted average outstanding shares, on a fully-diluted basis. We consider these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful metrics for management and investors for the same reasons that Google uses non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin. However, in order to provide a complete picture of our recurring core business operating results, we exclude from non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS the tax effects associated with SBC and, as applicable, other special items. Without excluding these tax effects, investors would only see the gross effect that excluding these expenses had on our operating results. The same limitations described above regarding Google’s use of non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin apply to our use of non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS and evaluating non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS together with net income and EPS calculated in accordance with GAAP.

    Free cash flow. We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. We consider free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by the business that, after the acquisition of property and equipment, including information technology infrastructure and land and buildings, can be used for strategic opportunities, including investing in our business, making strategic acquisitions, and strengthening the balance sheet. Analysis of free cash flow also facilitates management’s comparisons of our operating results to competitors’ operating results. A limitation of using free cash flow versus the GAAP measure of net cash provided by operating activities as a means for evaluating Google is that free cash flow does not represent the total increase or decrease in the cash balance from operations for the period because it excludes cash used for capital expenditures during the period. Our management compensates for this limitation by providing information about our capital expenditures on the face of the statement of cash flows and under the caption “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. Google has computed free cash flow using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter and year to year.

    Non-GAAP international revenues. We define non-GAAP international revenues as international revenues excluding the impact of foreign exchange rate movements and hedging activities. Non-GAAP international revenues are calculated by translating current quarter revenues using prior quarter and prior year exchange rates, as well as excluding any hedging gains realized in the current quarter. We consider non-GAAP international revenues as a useful metric as it facilitates management’s internal comparison to our historical performance.

    The accompanying tables have more details on the non-GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to GAAP financial measures and the related reconciliations between these financial measures.

    Image: ZeitgeistMinds (YouTube)

  • Bing Talks Up Yahoo Bing Network Ahead Of Yahoo’s Earnings

    Yahoo will soon release its earnings report for the third quarter. Microsoft is taking the opportunity to provide an update on what’s happening with the Yahoo Bing Network.

    David Pann, general manager of the Microsoft Advertising Search Group, has written a blog post discussing recent features they’ve added to Bing Ads, performance updates and research from RKG.

    As noted, they’ve recently launched better local extensions, call extensions, Bing Ads Express and compatibility with Enhanced Campaigns.

    On a quarter-over-quarter basis, click-through-rates are up 6.8 percent, while cost-per-acquisition is down 13 percent, according to Pann.

    The aforementioned RKG research finds that advertiser spend on the Yahoo Bing Network continues to grow compared to Google. It’s up 39% year-over-year, while Google is up 18%.

    Pann writes, “A lot of that is driven by non-brand click growth, which is up 45 percent on Bing Ads due to investments in our marketplace algorithms. In addition, CPCs fell 2 percent overall as Bing Ads continues to drive improvements that benefit our advertisers. The report says ‘advertiser ROI has improved on Bing Ads even as the platform has been able to deliver big traffic increases with better ad-matching technology.’”

    Stay tuned for Yahoo’s numbers.

    Image: Bing

  • Google Adds Review Extensions To AdWords

    Google is making big moves to lend more credibility to AdWords ads, whether that be in the form of endorsements from people users know and trust or testimonials from respected brands.

    In June, Google announced the beta release of review extensions, which allow advertisers to include said testimonials right in their ads. After testing with select partners, Google is now making the feature available to advertisers in general.

    Review Extensions

    “Seeing a review from a reputable source gives users valuable information that builds trust in your business,” says Google in a Google+ post. “We’ve already seen an enthusiastic response to review extensions and many of the advertisers who have implemented them have seen impressive results.”

    They share an example from airline El Al, which claims to have seen a 10% increase in click through rate using the extensions.

    The feature will become available to AdWords advertisers over the coming days. To use it, click the Ad Extensions tab, select Review Extensions from the View menu, click +Extension, and choose the appropriate campaign. You’ll need to specify if it’s a paraphrased review or an exact quote. Google will have to approve the text. It will take a few days.

    This comes after Google made changes to its terms of services enabling it to use users’ profile pictures and names in ads (and other products). Similarly, Google expects this to add more credibility to ads, as people are more likely to trust their friends.

    Image: Google