Over A Year Later, MSN Still Doesn't Get It
Back in April 2007, I wrote about MSN not getting it when it comes to PPC and search in general. Here we are almost 1.5 years later and they still don't get it.
I work for an online marketing agency with lots of clients. Many of our clients use MSN. More clients would use MSN if we could get a dedicated rep. Both Google and Yahoo have agency teams who specialize in working with agencies handling multiple client campaigns, and we've had dedicated reps with both for a long time. MSN is another story.
So, at SMX Advanced, I asked the MSN rep at their booth about getting a dedicated rep. He indicated that they have minimum spend levels, but based on our conversation, we should qualify. He gave me a phone number to call.
I called the number and talked with someone who, by the way, has been very professional and helpful during this entire process. He indicated that we'd be getting a rep and began the process. Or so I thought.
This morning, I got an email from him saying that we didn't qualify for a rep after all. Apparently the minimum spend is per CLIENT, not per agency. Argh. The kicker is, the entire reason we don’t have more clients using MSN and spending more money there is because of the amount of time it takes to set up and manage the campaigns in the adCenter interface, as well as low overall search volume from MSN. We have at least 2-3 clients who would gladly spend $3K/month each with MSN if the volume was there. But the volume just isn’t there. And it’s too time-consuming for us to try to expand their campaigns when it will only get us $50/month in additional clicks.
Again I want to stress that the MSN rep I've been dealing with has been helpful and professional, and even offered to try and get the decision reversed. Still, I'm disappointed that MSN doesn't seem to want to give better service to their customers. They are way behind their competitors in this regard.
I shouldn't be surprised, given their history. I guess I just want to root for the little guy; and, MSN's results continue to be good. They just need better tools and more traffic. But at this rate, that won't happen any time soon.
I work for an online marketing agency with lots of clients. Many of our clients use MSN. More clients would use MSN if we could get a dedicated rep. Both Google and Yahoo have agency teams who specialize in working with agencies handling multiple client campaigns, and we've had dedicated reps with both for a long time. MSN is another story.
So, at SMX Advanced, I asked the MSN rep at their booth about getting a dedicated rep. He indicated that they have minimum spend levels, but based on our conversation, we should qualify. He gave me a phone number to call.
I called the number and talked with someone who, by the way, has been very professional and helpful during this entire process. He indicated that we'd be getting a rep and began the process. Or so I thought.
This morning, I got an email from him saying that we didn't qualify for a rep after all. Apparently the minimum spend is per CLIENT, not per agency. Argh. The kicker is, the entire reason we don’t have more clients using MSN and spending more money there is because of the amount of time it takes to set up and manage the campaigns in the adCenter interface, as well as low overall search volume from MSN. We have at least 2-3 clients who would gladly spend $3K/month each with MSN if the volume was there. But the volume just isn’t there. And it’s too time-consuming for us to try to expand their campaigns when it will only get us $50/month in additional clicks.
Again I want to stress that the MSN rep I've been dealing with has been helpful and professional, and even offered to try and get the decision reversed. Still, I'm disappointed that MSN doesn't seem to want to give better service to their customers. They are way behind their competitors in this regard.
I shouldn't be surprised, given their history. I guess I just want to root for the little guy; and, MSN's results continue to be good. They just need better tools and more traffic. But at this rate, that won't happen any time soon.
Labels: MSN adcenter
posted by Melissa at
6:29 PM
2 Comments:
I agree. Microsoft still acts like a software company with all the trappings of an over bloated bureaucracy.
I can describe the problem like this. A modern Internet company builds a structure and a foundation then lets their users dictate a great deal of the company's offerings. A Gi-normous software company like Microsoft still can't break the bonds of their past of telling their users what's best for them. This is why MS Adcenter has struggled. The offering might look like an Internet company, but the powers behind the scenes are still old school, dictating, corporate types.
Companies that truly trust the consumer to drive innovation for their company will be rewarded with success.
By
Jerry Nordstrom, at 12:06 PM EDT
Absolutely correct, Jerry. It's like MSN is trying hard NOT to give good customer service on adCenter. Even Yahoo has better service than they do. They are definitely in the mode of telling the customers what's best rather than the other way around.
By
Melissa, at 8:28 AM EDT
Post a Comment
<< Home