INSIGHT blog

Posts Tagged ‘Paid Search’

The End of the Road for the Old AdWords’ Interface

25
June
2009

Google is rumored to permanently implement its new AdWords Interface by month’s end.

Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator

If I were to say what program I spend the most time with here at EyeTraffic Media, it would definitely be AdWords.  Well, maybe an even tie with Google Analytics.  As people, we are creatures of familiarity and when change occurs, we can be naturally opposed.  This is what occurred when I realized I would need to become completely reacquainted with the new AdWords interface.  Each time I signed into our account, I would switch to the previous interface, avoiding getting used to the new one.  Finally though, I decided it was time to figure out what all the hype was about.  Before we know it, the old interface will be gone and maybe, just maybe, the new one will actually help us be more efficient than the existing tool we curse daily.  Are you ready for the switch?

What I found very useful were the videos listed at the Google AdWords Help Center.  I would recommend watching each of these to learn about the new features they are offering.  The new interface is said to help advertisers be more efficient when making bid/keyword changes, navigating the account, visualizing performance across multiple metrics and with optimization.  I believe the following system improvements will make our lives a lot easier:

- Not having to wait for a page to reload everytime a change is made

- The “account tree” performance view, that allows you to view the entire account segmented by campaigns, adgroups OR keywords, rather than having to click-through results at the campaign level only.

- Search query reports easily pulled within AdWords to identify irrelevant keywords that are draining budget or not converting.  This tool will help immensely when spends are tight and the need is high for finding ways to cut back in order to increase bids elsewhere.

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Spending Trends in Search Engine Marketing for 2008

30
March
2009

In 2008, companies spent more money on paid search than search engine optimization

Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator

According to new research conducted by Radar Research, spending for paid placements in North America greatly exceeded that of organic search. Last year, $13.5 billion was spent on search engine marketing; 88% of which came from paid search and only 11% from SEO. The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) estimates that search marketing spending will increase to $14.7 billion next year. This figure is inclusive of paid placement, organic search, paid inclusion and SEM technology. 

While SEO tends to be more cost-effective in terms of longer lasting results, it takes time for a site to achieve a high ranking or even a first-page ranking. Oftentimes, clients are either not willing to wait for this to occur or desire results that can be measured short-term. These factors, among others, attribute to the large gap between paid and organic search spending. However, as marketers begin to understand that users find organic listings to be more relevant than paid, they may realize the wait is worth long-term campaign results. 

Spending Trends in Search Engine Marketing for 2008

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Search Engine Marketing for .ORGs

17
February
2009

EyeTraffic Media is offering a free webinar to educate .ORGS on search engine marketing.

Stefanie Berliant
Media Coordinator

On February 25, 2009 from 3-4 PM EST, EyeTrafffic Media will host a free informational webinar tailored exclusively to .ORGs and associations. This webinar is the third of a series intended to educate cause-driven organizations on how to successfully apply online marketing strategies. The goal of these sessions is to help associations and non-profits to build stronger relationships with their customers and prospects at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing methods.

Online marketing allows non-profit organizations to attract awareness for their causes and events, and increase both sponsorship and membership.  This webinar will specifically focus on the distinction between Natural Search (SEO) and Paid Search (PPC).  In the presentation we will explain how associations and .ORGs can leverage these two tactics to:

·Drive site traffic
·Stay within a limited a budget
·Gain online signups and donations on a low cost-per-conversion basis

For more information and to register for this event, please visit the link below.

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Survey Reveals Which Online Marketing Tactics Produced the Highest ROI in 2008

5
February
2009

MarketingSherpa’s year-end survey shows which tactics yielded the highest ROI and how marketers should adjust budget planning for 2009

Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator

During 2008 MarketingSherpa and Ad:Tech surveyed over 1,200 marketers to determine which online marketing tactics were used most often and how much money was spent on these various programs.  The results of the survey can help marketers adjust their budgets for 2009 to achieve the highest ROI for each program.

MarketingSherpa ROI vs. Budget in 2008

As seen in the chart above, email is the most commonly used tactic  by marketers and also ranks very high on ROI, as the budget required to successfully execute these programs is relatively small compared to other tactics.  The affordability of this particular program is likely the reason for 90% of marketers participating.  Over 50% of respondents report “great” ROI on paid search, more than any other tactic presented in the survey.  This is largely due to a marketer’s ability to track how many conversions are resulting from each dollar spent. 

After paid search, marketers reportedly spent the most on display ads, such as banners and buttons. This is very alarming because less than 15% of those surveyed indicated that this tactic was generating a good ROI.  With the economy forcing companies to cut back on spending, marketers may be shifting their dollars into more revenue generating tactics.

The chart below illustrates the importance of including search engine marketing programs in a marketing plan for 2009.  Paid search and search engine optimization rank among the top three highest ROI generators and are two of the most commonly used tactics. This chart also shows that poorly targeted online advertising, such as pop-ups and emails to rented list, yield a poor ROI.

MarketingSherpa Top ROI Generators

The survey also prompted marketers to indicate what tactics they planned to invest in during 2009.  The benefit of paid search remains clear, as 57% reported increasing spending on this successful ROI generator.  Despite last year indicating a low ROI for display ads, 29% of marketers will continue to spend money on traditional online ads.  This is very surprising; considering one out of three respondents indicated that they deliver a poor ROI and only 13% said they were great.  Perhaps the stresses of an ailing economy will force marketers more than ever to truly focus on the programs that produce the highest ROI.

MarketingSherpa Spending Projections in 2009

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Paid Search Draws Inauguration Travelers to Local Rental Sites

21
January
2009

Inauguration rental sites gained fast widespread attention, largely due to paid search advertising

Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator

Yesterday, the country welcomed a new administration and leader of our country into the White House, President Barak Obama.  In the weeks leading up to this historic day, local DC residents knew that millions of spectators would travel to the city and there would not be enough hotels to accommodate them.  As a result, several rental sites were created, such as InaugrationRent.com, a site allowing for local homeowners or landlords to post available houses and rooms for rent.

The success of these sites, however, came to depend largely on Google Adwords campaigns which brought significant exposure and awareness to their services.  Companies promoting inauguration-type services began to see the value in capitalizing on paid search as it works extremely well when fast or short-term attention is needed.  Immediately after the election, searches for the keyword “inauguration” grew.   At first, on the week following the announcement of our new president only one sponsored ad appeared for a search on the keyword “inauguration.” It didn’t take long, however, for other companies to begin optimizing on this keyword.  Google spokespersons noted that searches for “inauguration” increased 75% last week and are up over 75% from when Bush was inaugurated in 2005.  Today, a search I made on the keyword “inauguration” only yielded two sponsored ads.

According to JupiterResearch, paid search spend continues to grow and will reach over $26.8 billion by 2009.  Despite this projected growth, a survey by Microsoft Advertising reveals that most companies are “intimidated” by search engine advertising.  In addition, JupiterResearch reports that even the bigger companies that have the budget to run paid search campaigns still have trouble managing them on their own. 

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Google Exposes Students to the World of Paid Search

10
June
2008

University students across 47 countries around the world had the opportunity to experience first-hand SEM tactics that help increase visibility on search engine result pages (SERPs) in the Google Online Marketing Challenge.

Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator

According to Compete.com, over 135 million people frequent Google’s website each month. Despite the widespread familiarity of the search giant’s site, many visitors are unaware of the strategy behind the paid search system that business-owners rely on for exposure. This year, university students across 47 countries around the world had the opportunity to experience first-hand SEM tactics that help increase visibility on search engine result pages (SERPs) in the Google Online Marketing Challenge.

To compete, student teams worked with a local business not already advertising with Google AdWords to develop strategic online marketing campaigns. Using only $200 of free advertising provided by Google, the teams launched a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign for three consecutive weeks. Judging was based on a post-campaign summary of each team’s results and experience during the competition. In mid July winners will be announced, with the global winners receiving a trip to Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA, and regional winners a trip to their local Google office. Individual and university recognition will be awarded to other top finalists.

As a participator in this competition, and as someone working in the interactive marketing industry, it is easy to see the value of the Google Online Marketing Challenge. The process of identifying the most effective keywords to produce high click-through and conversion rates, understanding the role of bidding and which ad content users are more receptive to, are all important elements of paid search that students learn first hand throughout the competition. Come October, 2008 when registration for the 2009 Challenge opens, EyeTraffic Media will be assisting both The University of Maryland and Georgetown University in developing their AdWords campaigns.

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Retailers Looking For New Ways To Reach Consumers Online

9
April
2008

There is a growing trend among online retailers as more and more are willing to try new forms of advertising including using social networks and online videos.

Ryan Moss
Research Analyst

While e-mail marketing and paid search are still the most widely used forms of online advertising by retailers, there are other forms that are growing in popularity. The two most prominent ones are advertising on social networks and using online videos to advertise.

According to a report from Forrester, about 65% of retailers surveyed said they are planning on at the very least looking into advertising on social networks. Additionally, of all the retailers surveyed, 26% already advertise on social networks.

In addition to advertising on social networks, 67% percent of those surveyed said they plan on looking into online video advertisements. Other online advertising tactics that retailers might explore more in the near future include wireless messaging, widgets, instant messaging and RSS web feeds.

 

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