Overture example

Google recently introduced a "cross-channel conversion tracker" feature to AdWords that allows search marketers to track the campaigns for both Google and non-Google advertising in the same interface. Google sets up a network of tracking URLs that advertisers use in their non-Google campaign (Google's page on the new feature specifically mentions its arch competitor Overture). Google then keeps tabs on conversions across the entire campaign.

The new feature gives Google some competitive visibility into how well its own advertising does relative to other media options. It may even contribute data on useful and relevant pages that might not yet be in Google's web index, or placed highly enough in the ranks.

The new feature's release comes just at the time Google bought log analysis software firm Urchin, reportedly in order to offer the tracking services to its search advertisers - still another source of information that would inform Google about the still vast number of pages, traffic and relevance that exist outside the Google web economy.