SearchEngineUpdate with Vanessa Zamora - 07-08-2008 Part II
Abstract: 1. Microsoft To Provide adCenter Ads For Rodale Health, Fitness Sites, 2. Google Maps Tests Walking Directions, 3. Language Software Maker Rosetta Stones Claims It's Victim Of Piggbacking
Vanessa Zamora
Video Content Producer, SearchEngineWorld
9:27 pm on July 8, 2008 (utc 0)
Transcript
Tuesday July 8, 2008
Microsoft To Provide adCenter Ads For Rodale Health, Fitness Sites
Microsoft it teaming up with media company Rodale to provide relevant contextual and paid search advertising to Rodale’s portfolio of branded health, wellness and fitness Web properties, including MensHealth.com, RunnersWorld.com and WomensHealthmag.com. The deal means Microsoft will be the exclusive provider of ads through its adCenter platform. The partnership will help advertisers connect with health-conscious consumers in more effective ways by matching placements of text-based ads with Rodale’s editorial content, and also expands Microsoft's ad portfolio, which already includes MSN, Windows Live, Xbox Live, and Live Search, as well as third party sites, such as Facebook. Microsoft is hoping to make gains on Google in paid search advertising, in which Google currently holds about 70 percent of the market.
Google is testing a new form of directions for its Google Maps service, now providing walking directions to accompany its current driving and limited transit directions. Google does suggests to "use caution when walking in unfamiliar areas", since the "walking directions are in beta". The service is in a private beta test form, and not yet available to the public.
Language Software Maker Rosetta Stones Claims It's Victim Of Piggbacking
The practice of what is called piggybacking is when a company uses a major industry brand name or other trademarked word in the text of paid search advertisements to divert Web surfers to their own site, and it’s a growing problem for some companies. This time its language software maker Rosetta Stone which is suing Rocket Languages and others and for using the words Rosetta Stone, which are trademarked, and other similar variations as "keywords" in several Internet advertising services, including Google's AdWords and Yahoo's Marketing Solutions. The problem, as is the same with other similar cases, is that in order to win the suit Rosetta Stone must prove there is a substantial likelihood that a significant number of consumers are going to think Rosetta Stone is somehow affiliated with the ads. Large companies, such as Rosetta Stone, which used to go after the search advertising services alone, are now increasingly taking it up with the companies responsible for using trademarked words.
9:27 pm on July 8, 2008 (utc 0)