Internet Marketing Blog

The 10,000 lb. gorilla is getting heavier. So says a recent report by comScore. Google sites (www.google.com, www.aol.com, etc.) increased their market share in December to 47.3%, compared to 28.5% for Yahoo and 10.5% for Microsoft.
The numbers themselves aren’t as important as the trends: Google continues to grow, Yahoo grew more percentage-wise and thus is […]

Yahoo! has announced the availability of their new Sponsored Search program to select advertisers. It is being rolled out to advertisers in stages, and you can either wait for them to get to your account, or you can request an early upgrade.
We have yet to take the new system for a test drive, but check […]

Today I was conducting some keyword research on specific health topics, and I was collecting data from the Overture Keyword Suggestion Tool. As noted in previous posts, the tool’s stemming can result in significant ambiguity. Another big problem is that the data comes from Yahoo’s search network which Search Engine Marketers like us often request […]

Michael Schwarz recently gave a Google Tech Talk on the bidding systems used by Google AdWords, Yahoo Sponsored Search, and other PPC programs that utilize “Generalized Second Price” (GSP) auctions. The presentation provides a very interesting analysis of bidding strategies and stability of the GSP system, comparing it to others that in some cases are […]

The Marketing Experiments Blog recently posted the results of a click fraud study. The study itself is interesting but somewhat inconclusive due to its short duration and limited scope. However, they make some excellent suggestions for preventing or at least reducing click fraud, some of which include:

Watch for significant variations in ad campaign performance.
Be conservative […]

You think you’re paying a lot?
A recent post on CyberWyre identifies some of the most expensive terms upon which to bid in AdWords. Not surprisingly, “mesothelioma lawyers” tops the list at over $50 per click. AdWords’ use of CTR in calculating bid position means that most advertisers aren’t paying this much. Top position on Overture […]

High Click-Through-Rate (CTR) is a good indication that people find your ad compelling. AdWords even rewards higher CTR by letting you bid less for the same position than someone who has a less effective ad. So the name of the game is maximizing CTR, right?

These are real statistics for a 24-day period
of a campaign that […]

Click fraud occurs when someone clicks on your PPC ads in order to incur charges with no intent of doing business with you. Occasional clicks of this sort incur little additional cost and are very hard to differentiate from legitimate users. The real problems occur when systematic attempts are made to deplete your advertising […]

A recent article at WebProNews summarizes forthcoming SEMPO research into Search Engine Marketing spending by SEM firms. It comes as no surprise that 95% of firms surveyed advertises with Google AdWords, significantly more than the still-respectable 60% who advertise with Yahoo! Search Precision Match (formerly Overture). There is parity between the two rivals’ content networks […]