Internet Marketing Blog

Yahoo announced that it will delay the rollout of its new ad program that will include many of the core features of Google’s AdWords program, including ad positioning that factors in quality (presumably click-through-rate). Yahoo’s advertising interface is long overdue for many improvements, some from a usability perspective, but also functionally. Chief rival Google AdWords [...]

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 [...]

We have found reporting errors in another Yahoo Sponsored Search account that we manage. The report center reports are clearly missing the vast majority of clicks, in one case showing $11 in fees for a month in which more than $750 in charges were accrued. This is the 2nd time in as many months that [...]

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 [...]

One of my least favorite things about Yahoo Sponsored Search (YSS, formerly Overture), is that ad placement is determined only by bid. Google’s AdWords program ranks ads according to a combination of bid, click-through-rate (CTR), and other factors, the net result being that intelligent advertisers are rewarded with better “bidding power” over those lesser quality [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 budget [...]

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 [...]