As the MicroHoo merger draws near, Yahoo and Bing have gained US Search share from May to June according to ComScore.  Google advertisers wishing to capitalize on (or not miss out on) this opportunity are undoubtedly preparing their MicroHoo campaigns for this merger, which may be as soon as mid-August.  Those unfamiliar with AdCenter may be tempted to simply mirror their Google campaigns, but they may run into some unforeseen obstacles.

Since Google still owns a majority of the US search market share (62.6% in June according to ComScore), bidding for top positions on this engine is almost certainly higher than it is on Yahoo and Bing.  Lower keyword bids on Yahoo and Bing offers a unique opportunity for a lower cost per click and cost per lead, resulting in a better ROI.

Third party trademark policies in ad copy are vastly different on Google and Yahoo, and Yahoo’s trademark policy is the one that will be carried over to the MicroHoo merger.  Google recently changed their trademark policy to allow certain advertisers such as resellers, review/informational sites, and complementary product sellers to use trademarks in their ad copy without the trademark owner’s permission.  Yahoo, however, does not allow bidding on keywords or ad copy that infringes the trademark of a third party.  Use of trademarked terms may be allowed for product reviews if the advertiser’s company does not compete with the product.

By paying attention to the differences in Google and AdCenter through the MicroHoo policies, advertisers are likely to have a successful and profitable campaign.  Investing part of the overall campaign budget to advertise on Bing may allow advertisers to get in front of more consumers at a lower cost.