All Script And Tols For Free: 🔍 Mapquest's sale (yes it's still around)

🔍 Mapquest's sale (yes it's still around)

Oct 07, 2019

Good morning search marketers, remember Mapquest?

Google left the once-pioneering mapping site in the dust long ago, but it's still around. You may even be advertising on it. Microsoft Advertising syndicates text ads on it and it's part of the Google Display Network.

Last week, an advertising company you've probably never heard of took Mapquest off Verizon's hands. Terms of the deal weren't announced, but we know it was far less than the $1.1 billion AOL paid for it (in stock) in 2000. We'll have to see what new owner System1 has in store for it. In the meantime, Search Engine Land's Greg Sterling took a great look back at the storied path of Mapquest's decline and Google Maps' ascent.

OK, that's a wrap for accelerated delivery. Microsoft Advertising announced it will sunset accelerated delivery starting November 1, following Google's lead. Search, DSA and Shopping campaigns will be transitioned automatically to standard delivery.

A quick reminder that we're conducting a martech upgrade survey and would love a few (really, just a few) minutes of your time if you've recently upgraded a piece of marketing technology.

If you're an Amazon advertiser, keep reading for a Pro Tip on making sure your ad strategy matches up with your business goals. And of course, Search Shorts and our reading recommendations are here for you.

Ginny Marvin
Editor-In-Chief

Pro Tip

Align your approach with Amazon to business goals and budget

"Amazon's vast product offering makes for a crowded and overwhelming SERP. The majority of shoppers (with some exceptions) take what is initially presented to them, which is typically a mix of organic query-related results and paid ads," explains Mike Farrell of Sidecar. "Paid ads can make a difference if used strategically. However, it's important that these strategies are aligned with your business objectives and budget. Protecting your brand in this environment may not be cost-effective due to the combination of commissions and CPC costs that you incur. But retailers who have the necessary budget should find ways to capture shoppers' attention on a crowded shopping channel, especially when shoppers know what brands they're looking for."

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[Webinar Tomorrow] Stop Overbidding for What's Yours! Using AI to build brand equity and search ROI

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Are you bidding too high for your own brand terms? Or maybe too low? Do you know how to cost-effectively build and maintain brand equity in your search advertising? If you are struggling with the answers to these types of questions, join us for this webinar and learn how to use AI-driven strategies to protect your brand and bid smarter.

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Search Shorts

Unverified, disavowed and hacked...

Unverified Business Edits. Businesses that are unverified can now edit their Google My Business listings, at least partially. Learn more over here.

Disavow not needed. Google's John Mueller said: We've said countless times that normal sites don't need to use this tool. We don't even link to it in Search Console.

Hacked. Yes, if a hacker gains access to your site's content or Search Console account bad things can happen, said Google's John Mueller.

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