Broadmatch keywords and brand name bidding

**stebal4** · 11-01-06

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**Wardy** · 11-01-06

BT have a closed group of affiliates through DGM who permitted to bid on the "BT" brand.

Cheers
Wardy

**Qui Gon Jinn** · 13-01-06

It will depend on the phrase / mark registered with Google. But you can certainly appear for the phrase "bt broadband" (typed in by a user) if you bid on on "broadband" on broadmatch & phrase match only .... hence why you see other ads. Just maybe the minimum bid value needs to be upped to get your ad to appear, but your should make good use of negative keywords too. Often there can be more than these than the terms you actually are bidding on.

This is a very easy way to compete with merchants with keyword restrictions which are more than one singular word if you think the traffic will convert & don't wish to use negative keywords. You're not obliged to put in negative keywords if promoting another program.

Try bidding on "broad band" too. Purely as an illustration only & a hyperthetical example If you're looking to take the mickey out of the merchant then you can (but shouldn't) bid on these as broadmatch not phrase match "t broadband" , "b broadband", "t. broadband" , "b. broadband", "t broad band" , "b broad band", "t. broad band" , "b. broad band". This could be applied to many merchants though not recommended.

At the end of the day for a customer, how often does someone go into the supermarket for just a loaf of bread & comes out with more or buys different stuff & forgetting the loaf of bread altogether... sometimes merchants need to use their loaf.

**mibut** · 16-01-06

BT have a closed group of affiliates through DGM who permitted to bid on the "BT" brand.

I think if anyone actually challenged this, it would be found to be a ""Restrictive Practice"

**hpops** · 16-01-06

Its not just BT - or DGM for that matter - everyones at it.
And I tend to agree with the restrictive practice comment (even though I get involved in a few of them)

**mibut** · 16-01-06

Anti-competitive practices exist where firms prevent others from competing freely with each other

**marky** · 16-01-06

re anti-competitive / restrictive practices

This isn't quite microsoft vs netscape though ...

In this particular case (DGM/BT) surely they could argue that they allow brand bidding to proven performers. Without any 'chicken and egg' type arguments a proven performer could be the merchant saying affiliate 'x' has been growing commissions, performing well or has an amazing convertion rate and we will reward him/her/it with brand bidding. Likewise by performing well on other possibly non-related programs DGM if they have the power could reward the affiliate with this privilege.

In the above scenario's it isn't anti competitive as they it is a reward and a privilege to proven performance, theoretically open to anyone who makes the grade.

**mibut** · 16-01-06

a reward and a privilege to proven performance, theoretically open to anyone who makes the grade

Theoretically looks like the right word.
I have just looked at 3 BT programs running on DGM and not one mentions that you can join a "closed group"
If someone is getting "amazing conversions " why would they need to join a "closed group"
There are incentives for extra sales which are open to all.
Can someone explain to me why a merchant would need a closed group of affiliates.

**KevinEdwards** · 17-01-06

Hi,

Remember that BT also work closely with these affiliates - they have trusted and long standing partnerships that work for them as well.

These partnerships are also reviewed on a regular basis.

I'd also argue that it's client specific - for some clients there can be real value in allowing affiliates to bid on brand, especially when their brand name is associated with particularly generic search terms. Trademarking on Google can be fairly restrictive leaving gaping holes in some advertisers' exposure to their competitors.

On admittance to these so called 'closed groups', I've always pushed back to affiliates. Rather than expect dgm to offer you the privilege of bidding on brand, why not demonstrate how you would go about driving volume - that's far more likely to get my attention than anything else.

It is certainly (as mentioned) a chicken and egg situation, we need to perform from the off and so there is an inclination to use tried and tested affiliates, but I have had experiences in the past of using other affiliates who bend and break the rules despite being offered brand bidding.

There is an obvious trade-off in affiliates being able to demonstrate value elsewhere in more generic keyword bidding on the back of brand. Whilst this is much more tricky to manage it can work. This is something that certainly isn't exclusive to dgm with many networks using it to varying degrees.

There's nothing to stop anybody emailing me or any of my colleagues with ideas or suggestions for any of the programs we run, as occasionally some affiliates do.

Kind regards,

**mibut** · 17-01-06

Kevin,
First of all let me say I have no interest in BT or in joining any "closed group".

we need to perform from the off and so there is an inclination to use tried and tested affiliates

Are "tried and tested affiliates" not interested in bonus commissions and incentives open to all and will only join a program if they are allowed to "brand bid".as part of a select few ?