Content on Parked Pages in Detail (Marchex)
I wanted to take a closer look at how Marchex (MCHX) has integrated the OpenList content into their parked pages. This should be of interest, since it is the first step to providing additional value to the visitors of their domains, preferably without losing clicks and hopefully gaining more return visits. So how does Marchex integrate content, PPC ads and other partners?
Let’s take a look at NewYorkDining.com, one of the domains mentioned in the Marchex Press Release. For the following images, I have marked PPC content in red and OpenList categories in orange and detailed OpenList content in green.
First let’s take a look at the equivalent page in OpenList, New York Restaurants.
Now, let us take a look at NewYorkDining.com.
The categories on the left are the OpenList related categories, on the right you see the PPC ads and at the bottom additional OpenList content.
As we scroll further down, we see more additional OpenList content and the related categories on the left.
If you actually click on one of the restaurant names you end up on a detailed page providing more content and reviews on the left accompanied by additional PPC ads on the right.
I really like the new design for the Marchex parked pages and this approach in converting them into real sites is very nice as well. The content is integrated nicely into the design, and the ads work nicely as well. Now hopefully they will publish some numbers on how this is helping their click through rate and if it affects the number of return visitors.
On a side note one thing I noticed when looking at the HTML source of the sites is that the PPC links are directly pointing to their corresponding Overture Links. This leads me to assume that there is no tracking on the Marchex end as to which ads generate which CTR. Now this might be for licensing reasons or similar reasons, but other users of the Overture XML feed are passing the clicks through their own scripts and thus are collecting additional performance data. I am not sure what type of reports Yahoo!/Overture provides to their domainers, but I would always like to have my own statistics, in any case.
Another item note is that there are also partner links integrated in this section, which you see on the next screenshot in the bottom right corner. This is a hotel search which open some booking sites in separate windows, 6 pop-ups by default. Looking at the source this appears to be something from the OpenList website as well, but while it’s a start the integration is not very appealing. The idea is great though, and I am sure that the level of integration will improve over time.
Since OpenList has already added Google Maps to their listings, I am expecting to see those on the landers in the future as well. Not sure if Yahoo! likes them to use Google Maps, but it appears that the Yahoo! Maps API has also just been opened for commercial applications.
(Disclaimer: I own a small amount of Marchex shares.)
One thing – something most people do not know is you can track link sthrough JS. We built a link tracker that lets you even track AdSense clicks – http://linklog.blogflux.com/
Ahmed, thanks for the comment. That is possible, indeed – haven’t checked if the Adsense terms allow for it. I think I’ve seen similar scripts before.
However when you have access to an Overture XML feed that you put on your pages, I would imagine that you would be better off to parse (and replace) the information directly from the XML feed and build your own links.
Btw, your blogflux.com domain does not resolve for me at the moment.
Ah I concur – I was thinking though that maybe they are not allowed to change the links themselves.
Blogflux.com should be working – let me know if it doesn’t resolve.
It’s working now
(blogflux)
[...] Following the footsteps of Marchex (purchase of OpenList), Internet REIT (partnership with Associated Content) and Demand Media (purchase of eHow), NameMedia announced that they aquired Morefocus Group Inc. Morefocus operates “more than 350 vertically targeted sites“, owns proprietary content on “more than 5,000 topics” and has a “database of more than 10 million consumers” according to the press release. “This acquisition gives NameMedia a rich repository of content that we can deploy across our network of highly targeted online properties,” said Kelly Conlin, CEO of NameMedia. “In addition, Morefocus has pioneered permission-based psychographic tracking and dynamic contextual promotion, forging a connection between high-value content and relevant marketing messages that will fit perfectly with our strategy of delivering highly-qualified leads to marketers.” [...]
[...] As reported earlier, Marchex is going to expand the integration of the content from the OpenList site into their domain portfolio. Marchex, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHX) (NASDAQ:MCHXP), today announced that it plans to integrate content and functionality from its Open List search and content aggregation engine across more than 100,000 Marchex Web sites by June 30, 2007. Marchex also announced that it plans to launch an expanded version of Open List (www.openlist.com) by September 30, 2007, as a standalone destination and search guide that will provide relevant, searchable content and data on more than 15 million businesses segmented into more than 20,000 categories. [...]