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Ad? Word.

February 14th, 2008 · 21 Comments

A short little long time ago, in an effort to better understand Google’s advertising products, I signed up for an AdWords account. While playing around with my account, I created a few ad campaigns centered around some of the primary content that sits here on this blog - you guessed it - posts about Michigan and posts about Taco Bell. I put together some ads, set up a max monthly spend amount (I think it was like $2 or $3), and let Google work its magic. Eventually, I stopped my experimentation and moved on to other things.

Except I never shut off the ad campaigns.

This morning, I got an email from a friend of mine from school who I hadn’t spoken to in a while.

I hadn’t even realized that my ads were still running (either no one was clicking them, which isn’t surprising given the terrible grammatically-incorrect copy, or I need to do a better job monitoring my bank account), so this was both surprising and amazing. I had never really thought about where these ads would be showing up, let alone anyone I knew actually stumbling across one of them. And now I can’t help but wonder - where else have my ads been seen? And who else has seen them? Have you?

21 responses so far ↓

  • jeramiah // Feb 15, 2008 at 10:47 pm

    I saw your billboard in Times Square. Good looks.

  • m@ // Feb 16, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    The city, eh? I might end up there this summer…we’ll holla.

  • K.P. // Feb 16, 2008 at 2:00 pm

    I also saw your banner (i.e. “I’m an alumni, die hard fan, and a blogger. Read my stories!”) and was curious, so I clicked. I’m also an alum, I graduated in 05. But you don’t look familiar. Anyways, thought I’d let you know. GO BLUE!

  • Allison // Feb 18, 2008 at 1:23 am

    Hmmmm, I might be able to help you out with that whole advertising thing. Spruce up that so-called campaign. All for a minimal fee…:)

  • jubril // Feb 18, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    I thought you were the google guru.

    There is another guy with the same exact name is a great a google. and the funny thing first time I come to your site you are talking about google. how crazy

  • CrimeNotes // Feb 19, 2008 at 2:02 pm

    Dude, I just came across one about three minutes ago and clicked through. I’m now sending an e-mail that mocks you.

  • JoeBlow // Feb 22, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    Saw one that read “I Love Bean Burritos
    And I blog about them regularly. Read my stories!” And I really want to read about bean burritos!

  • amish_blows // Feb 22, 2008 at 4:13 pm

    hey crimenotes - post the email that mocks amish…..

  • a name // Feb 22, 2008 at 7:16 pm

    same here…went to the U, graduated in ‘06, clicked through on my gmail.

    God bless and go blue!

  • Tara // Feb 22, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    I randomly clicked your google adword today. I never do that but I was so amused at what came up. It was something about being a burrito expert. I was reading a message from my mother in-law with a shopping list for a taco dinner we’re having tomorrow. Nice blog!

  • Elizabeth // Feb 23, 2008 at 12:43 am

    I am reading an email from my daughter, who is a blogger herself and EEB grad student at UMich, and your ad came up on my banner. I think she would love it - and I think it is great too.

  • Ashok // Feb 24, 2008 at 3:48 pm

    Go Blue, Go Blue

  • Arun // Feb 24, 2008 at 6:18 pm

    I came here via the Bean Burrito ad as well. Ironic that it led to a 404 page and your messed up banner actually tempted me to come to the front page.

    Anywho, go PSU! =p

  • Fred Zimmerman // Feb 26, 2008 at 11:39 am

    You turned up in gmail for me too. Your ad takes me to a 404. cheesy! you should fix that.

    another AA resident

  • Amish // Feb 26, 2008 at 11:44 am

    I love that so many people are seeing these ads! Next step: find out how much this is actually costing me.

    Thanks Arun/Fred for pointing out the 404’s. Made some changes to the blog recently and didn’t realized the links had broken. Should be fixed now.

  • marisa // Feb 26, 2008 at 9:07 pm

    i’m here for the bean burritos too.

  • Brian // Feb 27, 2008 at 9:57 am

    I saw your ad in my gmail banner. I had some emails in my inbox from U of M groups.

  • avani k // Mar 3, 2008 at 11:37 pm

    your ad just popped up on my gmail too! i was reading an email in which i had been discussing taco bell with a friend. the banner said “i love bean burritos… and i blog about them regularly. read my stories” - anyways great site, hope you’re well.

  • jaede // Mar 5, 2008 at 1:05 am

    Hahaha… bean burritos for me too!

  • Melissa // Apr 25, 2008 at 9:07 am

    I came here via the bean burrito ad as well. Whatever happened between you and Marissa (Feb 07 blog)… did she dump her loser boyfriend and marry you?

  • Jim // May 9, 2008 at 12:11 pm

    Gmail decided a conversation about Victor Niederhoffer merited an ad about bean burritos, so I had to try and figure out the connection.

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