For all those of you who spend money on SEM (search engine marketing including Google ad-words), I'm about to ruin your day.
Google is now encouraging people to NOT have ads served to them.
We're talking about a new subscription service called Google Contributor. It's still in a beta mode of sorts, and at this point appears to be a relatively small experiment.
Here's how it works. Users pay between $1 and $3 per month to remove ads from partner sites on both desktop and mobile.
What goes in the space that had been occupied by an ad? A simple "thank you" message from Google.
Personally, I'd pay $10 a month to replace them with pictures of bacon. Or Megan Fox. Who is equally as delicious.
Actually, make that $25 per month.
Oh stop it. My wife knows that Megan Fox is my hall pass.
I digress.
Among the 10 online publication sites that Google is testing this concept with are The Onion and Mashable.
There are free services you could use such as AdBlock. But the idea is to give publishers some cash through this subscription model. It's not their first move in this direction. Earlier in November, Google rolled out a subscription-based YouTube plan that allows users to access music without being forced to watch ads.
How To Target Customers With Advertising
As customers, we're all a bunch of hypocrites. We all say privacy is a top priority and that we don't want to be served up ads targeting us based on our shopping or buying habits. We cry foul and stir up a media storm when we hear about advertisers encroaching on our privacy.
How DARE they!
Wait a minute...when I bought that computer on Amazon, I forgot to get a wireless mouse? And it's only $9.95? SOLD.
We're hypocrites because we say we hate it...but we love it. Yes, you. Don't you look at me in that tone of voice.
But what we need to take note of here is that when trying to target consumers, we need to get the right message to the right person at the right time. And we need to do it in as unobtrusive fashion as possible.
We also need to understand that what's worked for years won't work forever.
Yes, I'm talking to all those of you still advertising in newspapers or on television or radio.
If Google recognizes this and the bulk of their BUSINESS MODEL is focused on a model that won't last forever...perhaps it's time for us to understand the same thing.
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