PPC Traffic

[packrat]

Seems to be some interest in arbitrage so I'll start with this question about
Adwords - do you have to have at least one active keyword for search in order for your ad to be displayed on the content network.

 

[rickkumar]

I hope you all gave netmeg her props/pos rep for her invaluable help on this.
She would never ask for it, but she sure deserves it.

Agree 100%.

Somehow system is not letting me add any rep points
:td:

 

[netmeg]

(you're welcome!)

 

[goatish]

yes.....a lot less actual clicks...but the cost can be cheaper....correct me if i'm wrong...

I've found that traffic performance very much depends on the particular domain/niche/keywords/phase of the moon. I have some campaigns in both Search and Content, and the traffic and revenues via Content far outnumber that for Search. And for other domains, the converse is true.

Whether the cost of a Content campaign is cheaper than Search depends greatly on how well-targeted are all aspects of your campaign -- make every effort to avoid ambiguity or generalizations, as those types of adverts are more likely to attract non-conversions from the Content arena because your Content campaign is already diluted by how Adwords delivers ads for Content.

Because Content is much more loosely targeted than Search, I have found that the more specific my keywords/niche/ad copy/domain name, the better it performs in Content. For example, employing the more explicit keywords "hummingbird feeder" in ad group/adverts/keywords will perform better in the broader Content net cast by Google than will promoting the more generalized keywords "feeding birds."

Google Adwords advises that "best practices" are to set up separate campaigns for Search and Content for each domain. However, in my experience, I have seen better performance when I originally set up a single campaign ad group for both Search and Content if I know from the start that I want to run both types of campaigns for a domain. Adding Content later in a campaign, or setting up a new Content-only campaign after a Search-only campaign has been running for a while, has not performed as well as launching both from the start.

When considering if you want to run both Search and Content, remember that even if a keyword for Search goes inactive because the bid is insufficient to compete with the current market, that keyword may still remain active for Content if you have both Search and Content running for a campaign. Subsequently, unless I determine for a variety of reasons that a particular keyword is in fact negatively impacting a campaign, I do not delete or pause any keyword if it drops out of activity -- I have had many instances where such keywords have continued to generate traffic/revs via Content, and also have "come out of hibernation" for a resurgence of traffic/revs via Search when the bid market changes in my favor.

Plan ahead, research carefully, prioritize targeting. Start off on as optimally-targeted a basis as possible, and resist the urge to continually tweak or change tactics midstream. Give Adwords the opportunity to do their part to optimize your campaigns over time. Patience is key.

And as in all things Google Adwords, things may appear quite differently in your own rear view mirror. That's part of the adventure.

 

[rickkumar]

I have just finished setting up a campaign using AdWords Editor and then successfully loaded it to Goog. Everything was just ok...no problems. :sold:

When I do my next campaign, can I then just copy the settings of this campaign to save some time? Is it possible to do so in AdWords Editor?

Thank you

 

[NPKJB]

Thanks Goatish!! Great post! Rep added.

 

[John Doe]

I have just finished setting up a campaign using AdWords Editor and then successfully loaded it to Goog. Everything was just ok...no problems. :sold:

When I do my next campaign, can I then just copy the settings of this campaign to save some time? Is it possible to do so in AdWords Editor?

Thank you

Just copy and paste your campaign. And then edit

 

[rickkumar]

Just copy and paste your campaign. And then edit

Graet! Thank you

 

[DnPresident]

I have seen better performance when I originally set up a single campaign ad group for both Search and Content if I know from the start that I want to run both types of campaigns for a domain.

I have been using Microsoft adcenter exclusively...I am now dabbling with Adwords for some advertising of products.

When you say Search and Content, Is this what Google calls Keyword Targeted and Placement Targeted? search=Keyword and Content=Placement?

Also, if this is what you mean, I do not see that you are given the option of combining search and content ads into one campaign as you say . I see that you either have the option of clicking on a campaign to ad more ad groups of the same style, either keyword or placement. Or clicking on keyword targeted or placement targeted to create new campaign of either style but I'm seeing no way of combining the two.

 

[HiSoC8Y]

i think

Search is the ads appear on the google.com, the sponsored ads

and the content, is where the AdSense ads show on all the websites.

 

[netmeg]

When you say Search and Content, Is this what Google calls Keyword Targeted and Placement Targeted? search=Keyword and Content=Placement?

No, those are just two different types of Content Network campaigns.

Also, if this is what you mean, I do not see that you are given the option of combining search and content ads into one campaign as you say . I see that you either have the option of clicking on a campaign to ad more ad groups of the same style, either keyword or placement. Or clicking on keyword targeted or placement targeted to create new campaign of either style but I'm seeing no way of combining the two.

You select either Search or Content in the Campaign Settings area.

As I mentioned before, Keyword Targeting and Placement Targeting are two *types* of Content Network advertising.

With Keyword Targeting, you select your keywords (and name your ad group) and Google decides which sites are likely to be relevant, and places your ads there. You can specify which sites you don't want your ads to appear on (like myspace or youtube) but you can't specify which ones you want. It's all done contextually.

If there is a site in the Content Network where you seem to be getting a lot of good traffic, (and if you are actually selling something, a site that you can tell is giving you conversions), or if you just think it would work really well for you, you would then use Placement Targeting. With Placement Targeting, you tell Google specifically which sites you want to advertise on. In some cases, you can even choose which section of the site you want your ad to appear on.

In addition, with Placement Targeting, you can refine it even further, by running either a CPC or a CPM campaign. With CPC, you are charged per click, with CPM, you are charged per 1000 impressions (I think the minimum is 25 cents per 1000 impressions) You'd mostly only want to do CPM if you were trying to establish brand recognition.

In my experience Placement Targeting tends to be more expensive than Keyword Targeting. But it might work for you, if you have a very focused niche, and the sites you are targeting are very relevant to that niche.

Bear in mind though - the site owners can, at any point, decide they don't want to show your ad, and add the domain to the competitive filter. They get up to 200 entries in that filter. So if you are Placement Targeting a site and don't see any impressions from it, it's possible they don't want ads for parked domains or thin affiliates on their site.

Hope that helps.

 

[Mike]

^^ Outstanding!

I can't rep you anymore, apparently I'm too fond of you :hehe: Maybe we should just collectively start to send you flowers .

M.

 

[HiSoC8Y]

^^ Outstanding!

I can't rep you anymore, apparently I'm too fond of you :hehe: Maybe we should just collectively start to send you flowers .

M.

Neither can i, after every post i try to rep you....

thanks

 

[netmeg]

^^ Outstanding!

I can't rep you anymore, apparently I'm too fond of you :hehe: Maybe we should just collectively start to send you flowers .

Thanks, but I have horrible allergies. Gets me out of all kinds of yard work.

However, I am not allergic to chocolate.

(ork ork)

 

[GILSAN]

Thanks, but I have horrible allergies. Gets me out of all kinds of yard work.

However, I am not allergic to chocolate.

(ork ork)

With all the great posts we've had from Netmeg I think we could all pool in and get her a chocolate factory for Valentine's Day!. What do you say guys? Do I hear a lot of yeas?

GIL

 

[Mike]

I'm in.

M.

 

[packrat]

How about we donate NP$. I'll start it off with 50!

 

[netmeg]

I'm still new enough not to know what $NP is, exactly.

 

[goatish]

Search/Content

I have been using Microsoft adcenter exclusively...I am now dabbling with Adwords for some advertising of products.

When you say Search and Content, Is this what Google calls Keyword Targeted and Placement Targeted? search=Keyword and Content=Placement?

Also, if this is what you mean, I do not see that you are given the option of combining search and content ads into one campaign as you say . I see that you either have the option of clicking on a campaign to ad more ad groups of the same style, either keyword or placement. Or clicking on keyword targeted or placement targeted to create new campaign of either style but I'm seeing no way of combining the two.

Sorry, I should be more targeted in my use of terms.

By "search" I am referring to the options within the Google Adwords "Networks" setting. I retain Google Search (when users search for my keywords on Google) and Google Search Network (when users search for my keywords on Google's search partners). The Google Search/Google Search Network displays ads on Google/Google partners search pages. There is a greater degree of exact matching between your Search Networks ad and the keyword(s) searched for. Minimum bid pricing for the Search Networks ads is typically higher than pricing for Content Network ads.

By "content" I am referring to the Content Network (when users visit sites on Google's content network that match my ad settings.) The Content Network displays your ads on publisher's web sites. There is a broader, less exact match between your Content Network ad and the keyword(s) searched for. For example, in Content Network, Google Adwords conducts broad matching only, and disregards any "exact phrase matches' or [exacttermmatch] keywords you may have created. Minimum bid pricing for Content Network ads is typically less than CPC pricing for Search Network ads.

Search Network is the default. You can also select Content Network when you first create a campaign, or at any time thereafter (but again, my experience has been that choosing your target networks at the time you originally create a campaign is optimal). If you also select Content Network, be sure to set your Content CPC bids, which would typically be lower than your CPC bids for the Search Network. If you don't set specific Content bids, then your Content Network CPC will default to your Search Network CPC bids.

And for heaven's sake, when entering your bids, watch where you place your decimals. Don't ask me how I know that.

 

[Mike]

I'm still new enough not to know what $NP is, exactly.

The NP currency lets you do several things:

- Sell it to other NP members at an exchange rate
- Some members accept NP$ as form of payment
- Buy domain registrations through the NP registry
- Pay for services such as logos, designs
- Purchase site visits via the incentive options
- Buy Charity Ribbons and contribute to the NP charity fund
- Change your name, tag line,
- and many more things
- we don't have a vested 401k yet, ....

M.

 

[packrat]

Question for the pros

I have a computer related domain that does very well in Google search - well for a .ca
that is CTR about 8-9% for primary keyword. But...in the content network it gets no clicks at all. Avg position is 5.4. What would be the most likely reason for this?
(the campaign is set up for both search and content)