Microsoft, Google and Yahoo! team up for search advertising advice centre

The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has brought together Microsoft, Google and Yahoo! to set up a search advertising advice centre for brands. The move follows Google’s controversial change to its trademarked terms policy, which allows brands to bid on rivals’ names.

The IAB Search Council centre has been set up to offer guidance and increase transparency on search engine marketing for advertisers. The search landscape has become more complicated following Google’s decision to allow competitors to bid on rival trademarked names in the UK.

The change means brands are able to compete against competitors’ trademarked terms, so their sponsored listing comes up higher when consumers search for a rival company.

Other issues in the search space that the help centre aims to address include information about campaign keyword lists, the protection of advertisers’ campaign histories when changing agencies and click costs.