Search Marketers: Keep Calm, Carry On

Everybody loves progress, but nobody likes change. This adage is particularly true any time Google announces major upgrades to AdWords. If recent comments on Twitter are any indication, Google this morning was gearing up to pull your hair, throw sand in your face and take your lunch money. None of this is true. The Sky Is […]

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Everybody loves progress, but nobody likes change.

keep-calm-and-market-on

This adage is particularly true any time Google announces major upgrades to AdWords. If recent comments on Twitter are any indication, Google this morning was gearing up to pull your hair, throw sand in your face and take your lunch money.

None of this is true.

The Sky Is NOT Falling

For whatever reason, search marketers seem to have some sort of an inferiority complex. A lot of us are always on the lookout for new ways that Google is going to screw us over.

Seriously, it’s like a laundry list of insecurities:

As Google’s announcement today demonstrated, it’s high time that search marketers learned to embrace change, stop worrying and love the bomb. Sorry, Google.

Think about it. When most technology companies announce a major new product or service, consumers hang on every word in eager anticipation of what it could mean.

Not so with search marketers and Google. Whenever Google makes an announcement, most search marketers go into full-on panic mode — running around, flailing their arms, desperately looking for fire extinguishers or stockpiling bread and bottled water.

This is a waste of time, and it makes us look silly.

Google doesn’t have it in for search marketers. What would Google possibly have to gain by making our lives harder? Today’s announcement is a perfect example of why many search marketers should probably switch to decaf:

  • A completely optional, non-destructive update
  • Some genuinely innovative and very cool features that could help many advertisers manage increasingly competitive campaigns
  • Improved functionality for advertisers managing huge campaigns

Why is everyone freaking out, again?

Learning From Mistakes

Remember the whole “Keyword Not Provided for Paid Search” debacle? Of course you do — and search marketers are still complaining about it and tweeting about how Google “screwed them over.” However, we know that there are ways around this in the Search Query report. If Google is so intent on ruining our lives, why would they leave a loophole open big enough to drive a Mack truck through?

This isn’t the first time that some pretty out-there conspiracy theories have surfaced about AdWords updates. Remember when people were saying that Enhanced Campaigns was an underhanded way to secretly raise the average CPC of mobile ads? When you say stuff like this out loud, doesn’t it sound completely ridiculous?

Of course, some media outlets are just as guilty of spreading misinformation about AdWords and Google’s “nefarious schemes.” In the wake of the Enhanced Campaigns announcement last year, everyone from Adobe to Covario were ready and waiting to jump on the doomsday bandwagon and start selling bottled water — but none of it panned out. The Search Agency went as far to claim that CPCs rose by more than 21% between Q1 and Q2 last year, when they actually fell by 6%.

Turns out you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet.

Remember: Google Is Your Friend (Unless You’re Kenshoo Or Marin)

Earlier today, Jerry Dischler told search marketers that, “We at Google are here to help you.” Trust isn’t easily earned, and yes, some search marketers are still licking their wounds after Enhanced Campaigns.

You know what, guys? It’s time to get over it. Don’t break up with Google; give them another chance. Don’t be that guy at the party — you know, the one who constantly complains about how his ex-girlfriend treated him when he’s supposed to be getting on with his life and moving on.

Today’s announcement wasn’t the show-stopping revelation that many search marketers were expecting, but that doesn’t mean these new AdWords features aren’t good news for advertisers and marketers. Sure, interactive reporting tools may not sound very sexy, but a drag-and-drop Excel for AdWords feature? I’d bet most search marketers can’t wait to get their hands on it.

Of course, today’s announcement wasn’t good news for everyone, but you can’t please everyone all of the time — and Google doesn’t have to. All Google has to do is provide users and advertisers with a satisfying (and profitable) experience, which is exactly what these improvements to AdWords will do.

Seriously, stop crying over spilled milk. Take a deep breath, calm down, and let’s get to work. :)


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Larry Kim
Contributor
Larry Kim is founder and CTO of WordStream, provider of the AdWords Grader and 20 Minute PPC Work Week.

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