Google provides a slightly different approach to payments, with primary difference being that you can set daily spend limits (as opposed to Overture’s monthly limit formula). This is an interesting and desirable approach as it lets you assure that your ad will last a particular period of time without exceeding your budget.

The Overture program is more expensive to setup. They require a US $ 50 set up fee and also impose a US$ 20 monthly minimum on all accounts. There is no set up fee or monthly minimum on Google.

Managing multiple campaigns in multiple markets is more difficult on Overture. Different branches of Overture family (say, Overture Korea) have different payment and account policies than main Overture site. Google gives you one point of contact for all your campaigns, with one consistent pricing policy. If you wish to run global campaigns in native languages, Google is clearly superior on this point as Overture complicates your billing and incurs much more management overhead.

A final point worth mentioning is turn-around times of these two competitors and related editorial policies. Google lets you get up and running immediately. You simply go to Google, set up your account, and create your ads and you are off and running. The ads are live almost immediately. Editorial oversight is an afterthought. In contrast, Overture imposes a three to five day turnaround time on ads, with their editorial review occurring before ads are allowed to go live.

So which program is right for you? While Google is certainly easier to deal with and provides more control, I have to say that at this point in Internet marketing, you need to be on both services if you are serious about reaching your audiences. If you go with Google only, you are turning your back on not insignificant audiences attached to Yahoo! and MSN. So, while it may require an increase in effort and complexity, maximum benefit is to be found by balancing your campaign across these two very similar competitive programs.

written by: Ric Shreves, http://www.waterandstone.com

I'm still waiting for Google to flex its considerable muscle. I want to hear a powerful statement from a powerful company. Something to effect:

"Nothing is more important to us than our customers. They helped make us who we are today, and we will not let them down. We are determined to meet and defeat click fraud head on--no matter how how long it takes or how much it ultimately costs!"

But it will never happen. Why? Because despite its considerable power, Google is a lot like Michael Jackson in some ways. Let me explain:

At one time Michael Jackson was biggest, most powerful star on planet. However, as we soon discovered, he was also a wimp who was out of touch with reality.

I view Google same way. Google is biggest, most powerful search engine on planet. But way it's handling click fraud is wimpish and shows it's out of touch with reality also. These are criminals we're talking about here. They're not afraid of a silly lawsuit.

Google needs to get with program and develop a "gangsta" attitude. Hold a worldwide press conference and tell these punk click fraud thieves in no uncertain hip hop terms:

"Yo, dog, let me holla at you for a second. We are Google, yo. We are biggest, baddest, most powerful search engine on planet, yo. Peep this: Do NOT steal from us or our homey's, fool. Me and my posse have means, resources and resolve to hunt you down like punks you are 24, 7 and bust a cap in your ass! Peace...we out!"

Dean Phillips is an Internet marketing expert, writer, publisher and entrepreneur. Questions? Comments? Dean can be reached at mailto: dean@lets-make-money.net