How The Google Search Ad Evolved in 2011

• By: Eythor
• Categories: Pay Per Click
• Comments: 0

Share Tweet

For most of Google’s history the search ad was relatively unchanged, but starting in late 2009 they began implementing additional extensions, formats and placements on the search page. 2011 turned out to be an incredibly busy time for these changes. Let’s take a look back:

January 10th - Display URL’s Are Standardized to Display as Lowercase Letters Only

Before: www.CoolExampleSite.com  |  After: www.coolexamplesite.com

The first change of 2011 removed a feature that enabled advertisers to capitalize letters within the display URL. This was useful to help make multiple word domains easier to read. However,  Google states that this change is made after determining that standardized display URL’s improved user metrics including click-through rates.

Why Facebook Advertising is Challenging Google AdWords

• By: John E Lincoln
• Categories: Google, Pay Per Click
• Comments: 0

Share Tweet

Last week Burkan Bur and I taught a class at UCSD on social media, SEO and online advertising. What was interesting was that during the online advertising session the class really latched on to the benefits of Facebook ads. And to be honest, they are absolutely right to do so.

Google has been a leader in the online advertising space for some time now. They offer display ads, text ads, video ads and mobile ads. They offer ads on the display network, in search listings, on YouTube, in Gmail, in RSS feeds, let’s just say they have had online advertising by the throat. But now they are being challenged by a real player, Facebook.

What is Pay Per Click Quality Score?

• By: John E Lincoln
• Categories: Pay Per Click
• Comments: 1

Share Tweet

Quality score refers to a method of evaluating Pay Per Click ads. This method of evaluation is use by Google and MSN, it is also used by Yahoo, but Yahoo refers to it as quality index.

When running Pay Per Click, each ad is evaluated based on the both the bid and the quality score. This is one of the main reasons why PPC experts are constantly adjusting their bids, in order to create the best relationship with their quality score as possible. The main goal is to allow an ad to rank in a position that will result in the highest conversions. Most times, positions 2 through 8 are the highest converting, however, this can alter based on keyword group and industry.

Quality score for PPC was invented to allow search engines to display the most relevant ads. This allows advertisers to get more clicks, and the search engines to make more money off those clicks. Quality score was implemented about the same time as the minimum bid. The minimum bid had a large effect, as it allowed search engines to better qualify competition and make more money for certain keywords.

There are many factors involved in determining quality score for PPC. But like search engine optimization, many of the factors are discussed in general but real detail is never given. While this is the case, here are some of the known factors in determining quality score.

PPC Click Through Rates vs. ROI: What’s Really Important?

• By: David Hall
• Categories: Pay Per Click
• Comments: 1

Share Tweet

One of the most common questions we get from website owners is: What is a good click through rate for a PPC campaign?

This question is not as cut and dry as general click through rates for organic listings… PPC click through seems to have a much higher degree of variance based on the keyword itself, the relation of the keyword being searched to the title, text and visible URL in the ad, etc…

You have to do keyword research. Some keywords lend themselves to a higher percentage of PPC clicks. These are typically terms related to purchases… the statistics that I have seen vary widely but all indicate that if the person is in an information gathering / research mode, they tend to click on the organic results. However, if a person is closer to making a purchase then the PPC click through rate increases significantly. As you know this tends to be especially true for the longer tail more specific terms… in many people’s minds paid advertising is closely related to coupons or other advertised savings and this may be a factor in a persons decision to look at paid vs. organic listings.

Google Rolls Out “Google Tags” Nationally

• By: admin
• Categories: Pay Per Click
• Comments: 0

Share Tweet

Google had been experimenting in selected cities with a beta program so SEO Inc was right there learning this new tactic. Local businesses could pay to make their listing stand out from the crowd for a flat monthly fee of $25. The program was essentially an enhancement of the listings on the “7-pack” map listing. See below:

Google Tags is now out of beta and available nationwide. For local businesses that rely on Google searches, this is now a way to stand out from the crowd with your own special offer or message in the map 7-pack. For now, they are relatively rare and stand out. As Google Tags become ubiquitous, it might be the price of admission.

Here’s what Google had to say about this new feature:

For a flat monthly fee of $25, businesses can enhance their listings that appear on Google.com and Google Maps with a yellow tag that emphasizes specific information such as a coupon, video, website, menu, reservations, photos, or a custom message. Tags do not affect the ranking of the listings, and we clearly indicate which parts of the search result are sponsored.

As with all things Google, expect the paid listings to expand over time and start to overwhelm the free listings. To learn more and try it out, please visit Google Tags.

If you need help with your Google Places listing, Local Search Optimization or want to be a head of the curve with Google Tags contact us today.

PPC Management is like a Potato Farm

• By: JC
• Categories: Pay Per Click
• Comments: 0

Share Tweet

Pay Per Click marketing is as simple as choosing some keywords, creating a few ads, and letting the campaign run, right? Not quite; efficient paid search marketing campaigns require constant upkeep as well as ad and keyword testing.

I read an article on Search Engine Land this morning about crucial steps in building a PPC campaign and completely agree with the “one best piece of advice” that was given. “Once the account is live, it will need to be robust enough to test many different types of targeting, various keywords, ad messages and so on.,

When I create an account, I plan on it growing in the near future. I structure it so that there are many different segments that can be easily and quickly modify or paused without disturbing the rest of the account.