Need to Understand Transparency and Online Advertising
October 3, 2010
I don’t but you may. An outfit called Initiative for a Competitive Online Marketplace offers a free white paper “Openness & the Internet: The Role of Transparency in Online Search and Search Advertising.” You have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get this 24 page document. Begin the question by navigating to ComputerWeekly.com. You can try this link or run a query with crossed fingers for the title of the white paper. Good luck.
I read the white paper and noted that Lord Watson of Richmond CBE wants me to provide feedback. So, here goes.
The idea is that big online entities should be able to figure out how much dough Google makes so that information can be used by advertisers to get a better deal.
Why not ask Ptolemy why he is using so many circles and arcs? I bet he would drop what he was doing and fill you in? Wrong. The guy was busy reworking Hipparchus’ system of epicycles and eccentric circles. If you didn’t get it, he probably wasn’t going to give the information to you. Is Google much different?
Fat chance.
The silliness of this idea is clear in one passage:
How important is it that a dominant firm employs consistent and predictable procedures for resolution of complaints for online publishers and advertisers?
Really? Why not just write directly about Google? A couple of thoughts:
First, I suggest the author of the white paper drop by the local high school or pre-college institution and attend a Math Club meeting. Once in the room, ask this question, “I am having trouble figuring out how many miles to the gallon I get in my Honda.” The author of the paper should note the response of the group and then revisit this question about consistent and predictable. The only behavior that will be predictable and consistent, in my opinion, will be scorn and laughter.
Second, the notion of dealing with humans who want something the Math Club does not want to provide is addled. The whole idea behind Math Club is that those who join it intuitively grasp certain ideas. Those who don’t “get it” are not worthy of Math Club and, therefore, will never “get it.” Ergo. Go find your lacrosse pals and ask them something.
Third, the underlying principle of online advertising is that everything is dynamic. That means that at any point in time factors change the rules. Asking a human, even a Math Club member, what is happening at a particular point in time and why it is happening evokes a look of disbelief.
In short, the white paper wants the Math Club to change. I think if you tracked down Ptolemy and asked him to explain how he did maps of what is now Northern Europe 2000 years ago, he would have snorted and ignored you.
That behavior doesn’t seem to change in my opinion.
Stephen E Arnold, October 3, 2010
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online advertising is very efficient specially if you advertise your products on the PPC model ..
you can see that there is a massive growth in online advertising these days, google paved the way on ppc ~:’