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Discover Content Network Placements with Google Ad Planner

The latest and greatest tool to hit the “invite only” scene in online marketing is Google’s Ad Planner.  I have a strange suspicion that Ad Planner was actually meant to be assimilated into Google Adwords, since it really just boils down to a better version of their placement estimator.  By no means am I complaining - the tool is really really cool - especially as a Christmas in July gift.

I’m guessing the actual intention for Google Ad Planner was that it would be rolled into the Google Adwords placement estimator, or even as a more granular available placement tool for content network campaigns, so I’m a bit confused as to why it would be released as a standalone.  Granted, many self-serve Adwords customers would likely be overwhelmed with the amount of information available to them, and maybe even what to do with it all.

Search marketers, on the other hand…

Let’s just say - Christmas in July - ain’t nothing wrong with that.  I heart Google.

Inside Google Ad Planner

So what’s so great about Ad Planner?  Well, for one, it incorporates a much more sophisticated collection of data on content network placements, including a lot of the information companies such as Hitwise or Compete.com offer on a subscription basis.  For instance, Ad Planner allows you to research:

• Country reach for sites on a domain-by-domain basis, or as part of a media planning group of placements.
• Visitation metrics on a 12-month trended graph, plus unique visitors and overall page view granularity.
• Competitive information on any given domain includes sites also frequented by the same visitors, and keywords relating to both.
• Demographics information is probably the coolest, as they include gender, age group, level of education, and household income.

Although Google will likely be quick to point out that most demographics data may be a misrepresentation due to sampling error, from what I can see it’s pretty much spot on.  For example, plain sense assumptions could be made that the following demographics data is pretty much idiot proof:

• Domain: Marthastewart.com
  Gender Bias: Female
  Age Bias: Middle-age
  Verdict: TRUE (nearly 90% female, 80% middle age)
• Domain: Xbox.com
  Gender Bias: Male
  Age Bias: Teens, Young Adults
  Verdict: TRUE (over 70% male, 60% aged 0-35)
• Domain: Anandtech.com
  Gender Bias: Male
  Age Bias: Middle age
  Verdict: TRUE (nearly 90% male, 60% middle aged)

So, Googe Ad Planner definitely did pass my “did it get the obvious stuff right?” test, but we made some interesting discoveries along the way.  For one, I never thought FTD.com’s audience would so heavily favor females in their 40’s and 50’s.  I was hoping the incredible volume of male shoppers in February would more or less put the genders on equal footing (oops).

Another surprising discovery is that females are so well represented on a lot of newer technology sites, sports sites, and other (typically) male-centric sites.  That representation certainly does make some of my demographic placement tests start to make sense, but I’m guessing advertisers are still not getting the whole story.

Good on Google to release Ad Planner now, especially in the slow season as many marketers start planning their fall push.  Now is the best time to start strategizing on how best to spend your Google Adwords budget, and Google is betting that by using Ad Planner, the content network and placement targeted campaigns will be back on the road map.

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