Google Chrome's Impact on PPC
So it's been a number of weeks now since Google unveiled their brand new browser, Chrome. Having used it extensively since the release I feel there are a number of features that could have an ongoing impact on PPC campaigns.
The most notable point that has arisen is Google's combined address bar and search box or Omnibox as they seem to have coined it. This allows the user to type in a particular search term and it will offer suggestions related to that search within the box before you have even got to the Google search page and therefore even before your PPC ads have been shown. I think the impact of this could be quite varied across different sectors and campaigns but under the right (or wrong depending on how you look at it) conditions this could impact the number of impressions for your ads and ultimately the number of clicks. Google themselves released a response to people worried about chrome affecting their ads stating that it would have no impact in displaying the ads. This may be true from a aesthetic point of view but they certainly haven't mentioned anything about the features of Chrome affecting things.
Another feature of the Omnibox is that it also limits spelling mistakes by making suggestions of correctly spelt searches. I know there are many people out there running PPC campaigns that are advertising on spelling errors of names and words and this feature if utilised by all the browsers in the future could effectively kill that additional traffic.
Many of the features in Google Chrome are due to be added to Internet Explorer 8 and I'm sure into the next version of Firefox (if they aren't there already). The current climate of extra browser competition is only going drive the need for the major players to create more innovative ideas. The major push is going to be to make searching for the content the user wants easier and it's always going to have an implication on your PPC campaign. Smart PPC managers will evolve and adapt to these changes whereas some pay per click campaigns will quickly become out dated before long.
A rather intriguing issue that currently exists with Google’s new browser is that it doesn't seem to allow you to log on to Microsoft Adcentre. Now of course I'm sure that this is just an innocent coincidence and not just an attempt to block the competition!
