MSN PPC Launch, MSN adCenter Review

Okay it is official and it has gone live with bugs - so the Microsoft way continues (I was losing faith).

They have given a bunch of links to explain things so here goes:

Getting Started lays things out simply.

Targeting offers the promised demographic options - well actually this combines location choice, dayparting options of days to run and times to run and also the gender/age selector.

Analytics gives some decent overviews and was written by someone that understood analytics.

MSN Sends Screenshot I Cannot Duplicate

I got an email from Microsoft about my PPC campaign going live. They sent me an attached screenshot of it... and the info that it was now live but access to the interface would not be emailled me until tomorrow - now that is strange.

And for the life of me I cannot duplicate it....

Frapper Shows A Cool Use of Google Maps

Rising Concepts has given us a very cool tool that is starting to get recognised.
Frapper as it is called allows people to create groups and have them mapped to location on Google Maps... scroll over a pin and you get that person's entry.

All in all a great new widget.

India and Others Complain About Google Maps

Guess the idea of everyone having access to satellites is a little too open source for countries and their security. Though I understand the complaints these countries have - hell even Australia is on that list - I really think the upside outweighs the bad. Get a couple of secure places recognised and blocked but leave people access to your country.

I don't think Google is blocking views of their own facilities worldwide and they would be just as prime target as any other.

Freedom of information has drawbacks but should not be curtailled just for the sake of it. Give them security but give them maps!

MSN PPC Misses Launch Date

Even though they still have a little time left today, I have been given indications that they will not be starting today. Apparently there are a couple of bugs that still need fixing.

I am rather disappointed. You try and allocate some time to be there when it is launching and the date slips...

Microsoft is starting to do that quite a bit lately in all departments. What about the good old days when they would just launch... or even allow early versions to be leaked so the old zero day warez people would work as a beta and QA tester for free.

Don't Forget To Renew Domains

I have been working too hard lately and ignoring a bunch of the little things that I now tend to deal with at the last minute.
Hey what can I say.... when do I pay my cell bill?.... when it is turned off obviously.
Same with cable...

I should open all those silly letters I get but never do... and that action has crossed over into my email processes - well up until recently... I stupidly trashed the letter from my hosting company telling me to renew my domain... hey they send all sorts of emails and after the 100th I just stopped looking.

I know set up a spreadsheet etc... I have that now and had to some extent before but was never overly organized for myself. It is one thing to be on top of everyone else's stuff... that's what you are paid to do... your own always rides by in last place.

So I had the domain fall into the "now up for grabs" bin... and it took me a little time to sort out... sorry to all (well the handful of stalwart readers I disappointed) - though I know the search engines read my stuff as I heard from them all about the site being down... funny really.

So I am back and will make a true effort to post more to make up for my vacation.