Taken from DMNews SearchBuzz
Google offers demographic bidding feature for AdWords
Google is now offering a new demographic bidding feature for AdWords advertisers.
According to a Google AdWords blog entry posted on Friday, this new feature enables advertisers to modify their bids or restrict their ads' visibility “based on the age and gender of the users” who see the ads on participating sites within the Google content network.
In January, Google started inviting selected advertisers to test out the new demographic bidding feature, according to Google. The company did not respond to requests for comment on this story.
Only some sites within the Google content network will offer demographic bidding. These include social networking sites like friendster.com, myspace.com and blackplanet.com, as well as other sites that ask users to identify their age and gender, Google said.
Google already offers demographic site selection. Based on data from ComScore, this feature enables advertisers to identify Web sites that attract specific audiences, Google said.
Yahoo has provided demographic targeting as part of its display advertising offering “for a while now,” said Kristen Wareham, director of corporate communications at Yahoo, when reached by e-mail.
“Though this feature is something we're considering extending into our search marketing offering down the road, there isn't anything to announce at this time,” she continued.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Demo Targeting With Google AdWords
Monday, March 24, 2008
More Borders News
Taken from DMNews
Borders explores strategic alternatives & new site launch
Borders Group Inc. has said it will explore strategic alternatives, including a possible sale of certain divisions or of the entire company.
The company is “taking stock of where it is and where it wants to go,” said Anne Roman, corporate affairs director at Borders. She added that, as Borders considers some new initiatives, such as its recently opened concept stores and the upcoming launch of a stand-alone e-commerce site, it “wants to make sure there is financial flexibility for those things going forward.”
After partnering with Amazon.com for an e-commerce site for several years, Borders has said it will launch an independent site by the end of its fiscal first quarter, which ends on May 3. The recent announcement regarding exploring strategic alternatives should not impact this time frame, Roman said.
The announcement is really about exploring a wide range of alternatives, Roman insisted, including the possible sale of Borders's UK-based Paperchase division. Paperchase is a gift and stationery business with 100 locations in the UK and 300 shops within Borders stores.
A potential deal might also include the sale of Borders international operations, Roman said.
As part of a $42.5 million financing commitment from Borders stockholder Pershing Square that was also announced, the latter has agreed to a backstop purchase that will give Borders the right to require Pershing Square to purchase its Paperchase Australia, New Zealand and Singapore subsidiaries as well as its approximately 17% interest in Borders UK for $125 million.
Borders also reported financial results, indicating that consolidated sales totaled $1.3 billion in the fourth quarter. Excluding the impact of the extra week during fiscal 2006, this represents a 2.8% increase over the same period a year ago.
Sales at domestic Borders superstores during the fourth quarter totaled $957.8 million. Excluding the impact of the extra week during fiscal 2006, this represents an increase of 5.1% over the prior year. On a comparable store basis, transactions increased by 1% for the fourth quarter and same-store sales in the segment increased for the period by 2.1%.
For the full year, Borders Group's consolidated sales totaled $3.8 billion. Excluding the impact of the extra week during fiscal 2006, this represents a 4.2% increase over the prior year.
Sales at Borders domestic superstores for the full year totaled $2.8 billion. Excluding the impact of the extra week during fiscal 2006, this represents an increase of 5.3% over the prior year. Same-store sales for 2007 were up 1.5% in the segment.
Sales within the Waldenbooks specialty retail segment were down 17% in the fourth quarter for a total of $228.3 million. Same-store sales increased 1.2% during the same period.
For the full year, sales in the segment totaled $562.8 million, which when adjusted for the extra week in 2006, represents a decrease of 14.1%. The company closed 75 underperforming Waldenbooks stores in 2007 and will continue to aggressively close Waldenbooks locations that are not achieving targeted returns. Same-store sales increased 2.2% for the full year.
International sales totaled $138.5 million in the fourth quarter, up 34.6% compared to the same period a year ago. For the full year, international sales totaled $364.8 million, up 37.2%.
Happy Feet - Shoes To Consider (Part 1)
I wasn't blessed with the best feet in the world. Mine are sensitive, and the bottoms of my feet tire rather easily. Standing or walking for long periods of time is my personal Kryptonite. If you are picky about what you place on your feet or are sensitive to footwear like I am, I would urge you to checkout the following products.
Type: Business or Casual
Brand: Johnston & Murphy
Style: Shuler
Price: $125.00
These are easily the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn! The best way I can describe them is that they are like slipping your feet into soft formed butter - but don't worry they're not messy at all!
I purchased my first pair a couple of years ago at a local Johnston & Murphy store. I actually went in there looking for a "dressy" pair of boots when the sales person asked if I would be willing to try on the most comfortable shoes known to man - he was right. I purchased them on the spot - a tan pair of "athletic" style Shulers that have since been discontinued.
I loved them so much that I returned a few weeks later to get a pair in black, this time opting for the "bicycle" style shown in the above photo.
Not only are these extremely comfortable, they are stylish and look great with slacks in the office or tooling around the town in jeans. They have that popular over-sized look, but in a subtle way that is not bodacious like some of the other designs you may have seen or owned.
If you attend trade shows, these are perfect for making the long days walking a show or standing in a booth tolerable.
Simply put, these get my highest recommendation.
