The table below shows weighted total conversions by keyword length and is based on roughly 100 000 unique data points over a six month period. Conversions are weighted to account for the difference in magnitude between Computer and Tablet conversions – hence the decimal number for conversions on the vertical axis.

What we see from this graph is fascinating.

Tablet Users Use Shorter Queries

Firstly it appears to confirm that tablet users use shorter search queries – this has been suggested by a number of bloggers before, but it’s great to see it reflected in South African data as well. You can see the conversion number for tablets peak approximately two character lengths to the left, implying that the majority of tablet users enter and convert on search queries that are between 10 and 20 characters long – with a peak at 13/14 characters.

More Tablet Users Convert On Shorter Queries

If we look at the magnitude of the bars, we can see that tablet conversion are actually above those for computers. This suggests that a larger percentage of conversions on tablets happens at keyword lengths of between 10-12 characters, i.e. 60% of all conversions fall within this bracket as opposed to only around 50% for computers. This again highlights the importance of shorter keywords for tablet optimized campaigns.

Longtail on Tablets – It Lives On

This for me was the most interesting insight! You will notice that both graphs extend quite far to the right. This part of the graph shows conversions from very long queries – i.e. upwards of 30 characters. Conventionally this is referred to as the long tail – low volume, highly specific search queries with a high probability of conversion.

Whilst it is certainly not as pronounced as for computer based search, seeing any conversions at all from queries that are longer than 30 characters on tablets is quite unexpected. So it appears that – contrary to popular belief – the long tail is alive and well on tablets and search marketers shouldn’t shy away from targeting longer queries on these devices.

Whatever the exact implications of the above, the quicker we understand tablet usage and adapt our clients campaigns to this device, the better we can drive ROI and results. It is clear that tablets are here to stay and at the rate cheaper tablets are entering the market (think Kindle Fire), we could experience a major shift in SEM from computers to tablets sooner rather than later!

Aimed at simplifying the set up and management of on Youtube, this new tool could have some interesting implications on how advertisers engage with their audience on Youtube and with online video in general.

Integrated on top of the existing Adwords interface, AdWords For Video is found on the left navigation menu, just under Online Campaigns. To set up a new campaign, advertisers have to simply navigate two screens before the campaign can be activated.

What’s New In AdWords for Video

With the rollout of AdWords for Video, Google also updated some of the terminology. The old “Promoted Videos” are now refered to as True View Video Ads and essentially there are four basic True View formats:

True View In-Search Ads: These ads will appear within search results pages on Google and Youtube.

True View In-Slate Ads: In-Slate ads appear in a “slate” before actual videos.

True View In-Display Ads: In-Display ads are on the YouTube video player page, where some of the old “promoted videos” were, and in the related videos list.

True View In-Stream Ads: In-Stream ads are skippable ads on YouTube videos.

All four of these True View video formats can be targeted individually and separate bids can be applied to each.

Refined Targetting for Youtube

AdWords for Video also greatly enhances the number of targeting options to allow advertisers to target their ads to as granular an audience as required. Whether it’s topics, contextual themes, age, interests or plain old keywords you will be able to use any combination to ensure that your video reaches the most appropriate audience.

What You Pay For

Another thing to be aware of is that in AdWords for Video you only pay for views! Google differentiates here between an Impression and an actual View which requires that an ad be watched at least for 30s. Impressions can then be further separated into thumbnail impressions, and impressions where the video was started, but not watched for the required 30 seconds.

There are even some great stats on call-to-action activity and performance, as well as a video-played-to point measurement that tells you exactly when viewers tuned out.

At the moment AdWords for Video is still a private beta, but you can sign up to be considered for initial testing (along with a $100 voucher here).

Tech4Africa is South Africa’s premier mobile, web & emerging technology conference and aims to bring the latest global perspectives into an African context.

Some of the topics that will be covered range from emergent digital trends in Africa, cloud computing and its applications for business as well as a discussion on the mobile applications landscape. In addition to bringing together some of the top personalities in technology to share and discuss ideas, Tech4Africa also aims to promote entrepreneurship and new business development through their Tech4Africa Ignite program.

So if you or your business want to get a better understanding of Web 2.0, mobile, and emerging technology then make sure you attend Tech4Africa 2011. And as their website states if you’re a “technologist, geek, blogger, social media hipster, hacker, journo, ponytail, propellorhead, and of course suit, who wants to learn from the best in tech” you’re of course also very welcome:)

Register here.

If Facebook made it easy to post to G+and Vice a Versa then I would definitely start to integrate but thats not going to happen in a hurry! How do you switch your whole user behavior and more NB your contacts and friends over to another platform?

I guess we will see what happens now that its officially open to all.

However search has really evolved over the last few years and its seems like every few weeks Google is releasing a new ad format or bringing out a new Beta. I will try and not be biased here but unfortunately the others just dont seem to keep up. Search strategy and planning is now becoming more and more of a science and skilled job as agencies now need to consider all the extra ad formats available and combine these with their existing SEM efforts to create a holistic SEM approach.

New Bid to Location Mobile Beta

I have chosen to go into a little more detail about a new mobile Beta we are testing which allows you to upweight your bids depending on the distance of the user from your store/location. Let me put this into practice. Say you are looking for a Local Gym and so you fire up your iphone ( Biased here as I have one) and search for “gym in Wandsworth”.  Through a traditional mobile PPC campaign you could display your Gyms ad with a unique phone number  and  a map and location through Google places which we will cover off another time.

However the new mobile bid to distance ad will allow you as an advertiser to up weight your bid and therefore position the closer the potential client is to your store or in this case gym. This is extremely powerful.It stands to reason that that user will be more likely to convert the closer he/she is to the gym. This would be even more powerful for restaurants, movies and other local services and goods.

This is only one of many of the extensions to search marketing. Smart agencies are staying abreast of these and testing them when the fit is right. Over the next few weeks The Media Image account mangers will give a detailed overview of the various Google ad formats and how they can be used to drive your online and offline business to new heights