Google will let advertisers control Adwords 'dayparts'

Google is the first of the major search engines in the UK to introduce
the service, although MSN is understood to have a similar offer ready to
launch.

Amanda Jones, head of search at I-Level, said although she was wary of
the hype surrounding such new developments, it would be a useful tool
for companies wanting to manage their traffic flows so that response
comes at suitable times, such as during business hours, and even to
reduce traffic at times when their own sites are straining. "It will
help some advertisers manage their traffic flows, but because of the
nature of pay-per-click advertising, dayparting is less relevant," she
explained.

Google said the development would allow for more sophisticated planning
techniques to be employed in search marketing, so that advertisers can
track behavioural cycles and manage their campaigns in real time for
more effectiveness.

However, Nick Hynes, CEO of TheSearchWorks, said Google was playing
catch-up with the tools that are already offered as a standard search
management tool by agencies.

"Google is bringing this feature to its own interface, and the people
who use it will tend to be SMEs.

"The big corporates use search management tools because they need
something that is very efficient to get the best return on investment,
without requiring them to employ 100 people to manage it," said
Hynes.

Google said campaigns could run from as little as 15 minutes a week, up
to all day, every day. They can also run and pause several times each
day. It will not raise or lower the AdWords budget, because the system
is programmed to try and reach the advertiser's usual daily budget in
whatever number of hours the ad runs each day. The service is being
introduced globally.