Google Adwords Crossing The Streams

Michael Gray

By Michael Gray
In Google  


So I was looking up a hosting KW in my logs, then reputation defender, however Google adwords showed me an ad related to my previous search. Reputation Defender has zero to do with with website hosting, and there’s no way they would have bought that KWD … hmm …

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Today in Search and Social - 09/18/2008 | SEO Blog | Search and Social
September 18, 2008 at 11:11 pm

{ 8 comments }

Quality Nonsense September 18, 2008 at 3:48 pm

Been seeing this for a l-o-n-g time. Only ever seems to apply to the very last query, though, and I can never predict when it’s going to happen.

Eric Baillargeon September 18, 2008 at 3:50 pm

> Personalized based on your Web history !
Put &pws=0 at the end of the URL and this should fix it.

Barry Schwartz September 18, 2008 at 4:01 pm

I guess your not happy with your host or you have a hosting client. Searching on hosting and then switching to a different search, even a few searches later, may return old ads.

Kate Dickman September 18, 2008 at 8:17 pm

Google = Doing Weird Things.

If you look at my latest post, you can see what else they’re doing these days that no other “big” blogger has seemed to catch. Since I’m virtually an online nobody, no one has noticed but I would love to see bigger people *cough cough* speak about it. Would love to hear your input on why they may be doing it? :)

Malte Landwehr September 19, 2008 at 4:34 am

Nothing new. Google started showing AdWords related to your last search more then a year ago.

jamiekeaney September 19, 2008 at 9:41 am

I’ve seen this for some time now, if Google can make a ‘connection’ between concurrent searches, you’ll see ads for your previous search. I think it happens most when Google thinks you’re trying it figure something out and making lots of quick queries.
They’ll also stop showing certain ads if you never click on them, assuming that they’re irrelevant to you. I’ve seen this happen organically as well. As long as your cookies are actively stored of course.

Eric Lander September 20, 2008 at 12:19 am

Michael, I tried to document this behavior in the past, but have been seeing a lot more of it recently. Only at home though and never from the office. Here’s my original post on this from about a year ago: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/critical-flaws-in-googles-behavioral-targeting-puts-advertisers-at-risk/5898/

J.P. October 2, 2008 at 3:53 pm

Michael, sorry to give this info without reference now (I really don’t have it bookmarked) but there is a patent on this. Something like “last search related ads” and is not behavioral (based in all your history), just your last search.
And the bases were something related to search mood (doesn’t mater if you searched for hosting one month ago, because you may not be with that in mind right now, but DOES matter your last search.) Is a very clever “semi-behavioral” trick.

Cheers,

Juan Pablo

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