A few months ago, Google added a new reporting feature to Adwords called Search Query Data.    We’ve created this post mostly for a reference for our clients as we have mentioned this “search query data” in our reports over the past few months.  Our PPC search engine management team wanted to make it easy for our clients to have a reference point and access a bit more detail.

So, what is this new feature?
Search query data is the actual search terms used by Google visitors that are triggering your ads.  While this analysis is nothing new, it’s much easier than going through your raw logs to see what generated search traffic. We still do however recommend looking at your raw logs for this data.

Why is it useful?
1. It makes it easier to see what keywords are performing that might not be in your list.  This allows you to augment your current keyword list by identifying additional keywords that are being used as search queries.

2. It also allows you to identify possible negative match keywords for your account.

If you’ve got questions or comments on ppc search engine management or this new feature, please let us know by contacting us or commenting below.

One thing that the internet has lacked for a long time is real accountability. At first, anonymity was hailed as this bastion of freedom that would allow people to really express who they were online and that this was truly a great thing. Then this happened:

No one really knew what to do. Early and enthusiastic adopters said to hell with anyone uncomfortable with it, and let them know in the comments. Over and over again we found women journalists or bloggers threatened with death and rape online as if it were ok and just ‘part of the joke’. You can bet your ass this would be a different story if people were held accountable for the things they say online.

Now some might say that being held accountable for everything you say and do online would be a horrendous invasion of privacy, and it is. But it’s becoming true. If you google my name, and more importantly, my most commonly used nickname, you are going to scoop up a lot more information than I would otherwise like you to know. But it holds me accountable.

Long ago I found out that what I say and do online isn’t anonymous, no matter what kind of efforts I make. I can’t just be a huge ‘dickwad’ and get away with it 100% of the time. All it takes is getting caught once and you suddenly realize your vulnerability. It’s like those who scream and ‘road rage’ in traffic as if they’re invulnerable inside their car, until someone pulls out a weapon.

Being exposed online is rough at first, but eventually one becomes habituated to the voyeurism. As my generation matures, businesses will become accustomed to the reality of having access to much more of an employee’s life than before. Suddenly, having those unfortunate pictures of your self online will become a commonplace and accepted burden. Employers will not judge you as harshly for your indiscretions, and because they have access to your full employment history (LinkedIn anyone?) they will suddenly become more realistic about what a real resume and employment history look like.

I really hope that eventually accountability becomes paramount. Scoble has written about how right now, commenting is so horrible that it scares off all but those with an axe to grind. Only those willing to spit venom get heard, and that is just ridiculous. What kind of speaker/audience relationship is that?

This sudden availability of information is scary right now, but eventually it will be commonplace and we will laugh at our former conservative selves. More importantly, we will relish how much nicer it will be to be online when everyone can be held accountable for what they say. I would imagine Godwin’s Law wouldn’t have to be invoked so often:

“As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.”

New company profiles on LinkedIn – controversy created?  LinkedIn subtly announced company profiles back in March 08.  And as I read and researched yesterday to find out how to add mine for Liberty Interactive Marketing, I realized that you can’t just create a profile for your company.  You have to have been “one of the chosen ones.”

A select group of 160,000 companies were chosen to be included on LinkedIn’s company profiles.  I stumbled upon a former employer of mine (privately held company) and what I found absolutely astounded me. Here’s the list:

a. Career path for XYZ employees after they left XYZ company (a listing of competitors)
b. What other companies these XYZ employess were most connected/associated with (another list of competitors)
c. Key statistics included but were not limited to: company size, top schools, median age, and percentage of male to female
d. A listing of recent employee promotions, new hires, popular profiles (aka star employees) and more.

And at the bottom of the page in light light gray barely visible letters it said:
This LinkedIn Company Profile was created by LinkedIn and is about XYZ Company. This page is not endorsed by or affiliated with XYZ company.

LinkedIn has claimed they are going to start allowing companies to edit these pages, but that was in March – 4 months ago.  In the meantime, this is prime pickings for recruiters and competitive poaching. [SIDE NOTE: Also, how will this editing profile work? In a company of 50, there can be one ring leader, but what about a company of 1,000 or more employees? If all employees are able to edit, how will disgruntled employees be handled? What will prevent users from creating fake profiles to dog other competitors?]

I realize that all this information is provided by the user, but LinkedIn snagged it all and aggregated it without allowing companies to protect themselves.  Do companies need to start adding a sentence to their  employment policy that employees are not allowed to have a profile on LinkedIn?

I feel a bit betrayed by LinkedIn.

Here’s why – we all know that 1:1 marketing has become a major influencer in why many companies are shifting their dollars online.  But remember back in the day, and still to some extent, market research was an aggregation of mass research? Where you knew specific things about a collective group of people but nothing personal. Today, with all the available social networking sites and other Internet marketing tactics we have personal information on our audience. Down to bra size.  We have personal information that we can use to target individuals to get them to buy our product or service.  This is scary. And no, I’m not just realizing this now.  I am a huge proponent of this type of marketing – in fact, I love it and I love being marketed to like this.

But when it comes to data being aggregated involuntarily by a third party that effects a larger body simply because other individuals have posted their personal information, that is where I feel this controversy begins.  And where does it all end?

Back in the day, the great thing about the Internet was that it had a high level of anonymity.  Now, your personal information is up for grabs.

Does anyone else think these new company profiles on LinkedIn are controversial?