Web analytics, web metrics, and how to use them to track and improve conversions

Opening Panel at Alwayson NYC on Tuesday Morning - January 30th, 2007 -

Tuesday, January 30, 2007
8:30 am – 9:30 am: Panel: Are There Chinks in Google’s Advertising Armor?
        Moderator: Bambi Francisco, Marketwatch
        Larry Braitman, CEO, Adify
        Gurbaksh Chahal, CEO, Blue Lithium
        Lance Podell, CEO, Seevast
        Mike Yavonditte, CEO, Quigo 

Are there Chinks in Google's Armor?   Not the right question.  Google is a fantastic company but no single company will dominate the entire internet inventory.  Also Google is great (AdWords/AdSense) for 10% of the audience that's ready to buy but what about the 90% that are researching, etc.

Someone else thinks there are Chinks in Google's Armor - ie: Publishers are beginning to see Google as a threat because Google is selling all kinds of advertising and could be seen as a competitor to some publishers.

But one thing that sets Google apart is they are aware of their own Chinks and they have have a brigade of people looking at Google's Chinks; on the other hand, if there was a Chink, I don't think they'd be advertising it here.

Search Inventory, Search Queries are not going to be as dominant in the future as they have been in the last 5 years.   How do you stay one step ahead of Google?

Google is just part of the environment and there's plenty of other opportunities beyond Google.  Why was Google successful?  People made money on it - they spent 100 bucks and got 150 bucks back.   In the last 2-3 years companies have spent a lot of money and energy into developing their technologies around Search and Online Advertising - because it works.

What is the innovation around Video?   We're working on syndicating content and rights - also being able to serve content in multiple formats and on multiple devices.

Even distressed "inventory" for one advertiser can be "prime" inventory for another advertiser (IE: financial advertising for late night - not good - but great for sleep drug products, etc).

It's interesting to see Google into other media, Google is the only one looking at to benefit from the digitization of media. Google is very intelligently moving into other media and it's surprising no others are following this direction.

Video brings the emotional connection that no other media can offer.   But everyone can create videos (ie: user generate).  SpotSer (create videos for small brands for the Web).

Google's 4Q performance will be announced on Wednesday - tomorrow - we're all waiting for that.  However this is where the opportunity and Google's weakness is:  Search can only do so much - and when Search becomes too expensive...then what happens?

Google vs. Behavioral Advertising - Google has not had that much success with Brand advertising - whereas Behavioral Advertising can match customers with brands.

Is Google getting Cable?  

Yes - absolutely - because they're into getting into every advertising channel - and Google's Motto will end up being changed from "Organizing all the World's info" to "Organizing all the World's ads".

Google's biggest Chink? 

As the platform shifts....... Google bought YouTube because they thought YouTube would be the winner in Video Advertising.   This year will be crucial to see how that all plays out.

Will Google be the place to Search even 3 years from now?  WikiPedia is actually a better experience today, based the way information is organized.  But Brand matters and Google will still be dominant - and they can buy anyone that gets in the way - but they may loose market share on the way.