Yahoo Sponsored Search

[CHR]

Yikes! From WebmasterWorld.com (you may need to get a login to read the thread)

Yahoo search marketing recently made a major change to their TOS that allows them to access and make changes to your accounts without your prior approval. The full text is below.

OPTIMIZATION. In the U.S. only, for those advertisers not bound by an Insertion Order, we may help you optimize your account(s). Accordingly, you expressly agree that we may also: (i) create ads, (ii) add and/or remove keywords, and/or (iii) optimize your account(s). We will notify you via email of such changes made to your account(s), and can also include a spreadsheet of such changes upon your written request. If you would like any of such changes reversed, please reply to such email within 14 days of the change(s), and we will make commercially reasonable efforts to reverse the change(s) you specifically identify. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you remain responsible for all changes made to your account(s), including all click charges incurred prior to any reversions being made. It is your responsibility to monitor your account(s) and to ensure that your account settings are consistent with your business objectives.

Warning. Anyone with a Y Search Marketing account better opt out of this mess right away. Here's the potential downside as commented from WMW

this was designed to "help" those advertisers who were having trouble getting their account to work well. She said that an example would be someone who wanted to spend $100 per day but was only spending $20.


I guess that means that Yahoo would just write some ads stick in some keywords and spend that other $80 bucks for them.

This would really be funny if it were not so scary. I told her that I felt it necessary to open accounts at G in order to provide backup in case Yahoo decided to step in and "help" me with my account. It is difficult to believe that they can be so naive.

And we think the WSs are bad about changing the rules mid-stream?

 

[bloomz]

How do you opt out of it?

 

[RJD]

Yikes is right! For whom exactly will they be optimizing your accounts? After all, they get paid based on your clicks.

"Hey look, my ad is #1 for florist, above even FTD!"

Run away!

Yikes! From WebmasterWorld.com (you may need to get a login to read the thread)


Warning. Anyone with a Y Search Marketing account better opt out of this mess right away. Here's the potential downside as commented from WMW

And we think the WSs are bad about changing the rules mid-stream?

 

[LJVF]

I was already hit by this. I noticed when my account suddenly went from being auto refilled every two weeks to everyday. All my settings were tweaked in my campaigns. I changed them all back and so far they've stuck.

 

[wrdlady47]

Hello big brother??

 

[Bigted]

How do you opt out of it?

There's a button for each campaign that says something like "optimization = on (or off). Mine say off.

This is a really scary thing. Letting them "optimize" is sort of like telling your stockbroker to go ahead and make any trades he think might be good.

 

[Tom Carlson]

Protecting our business

Another example of having to spend time "protecting" our business which takes time away from "building/increasing" our business.

And Corporate America is often the villian.

Consider reading "Gotcha Capitalism" by Bob Sullivan. Guaranteed, it will make you angry.

 

[Eric S]

Our account hasn't worked correctly since the new sponsered search went into effect.

Oh well yahoo keeps losing more and more money from us.

What a shame.