Pay Per Click Internet Marketing Strategy and PPC Advertising

Pay-Per-Click Marketing Strategy is another form of direct marketing. Pay-Per-Click ad creative should be written based on quick catch phrase. You only have matter of a second or two to catch the attention of the search prospect into choosing to click on your ad over your competitors. What you say or do not say in your titles and descriptions can make or break your internet marketing strategy.

Online marketing is complicated but with the right approach you can be successful. There are pay per click management services, search engine optimization services and many other forms of online advertising, i.e. email marketing, banner ad affiliate partners and link exchange programs to name just a few, all with one goal; to achieve top ranking on all the major search engines.

Pay Per Click marketing strategies should be divided into distinct marketing segments or 'target marketing'. For example, instead of thinking about just marketing for a computer, think of all the submarkets within the business marketplace: personal home computers, home office, small business, large corporations, software, and peripherals and so on.
Designing your Pay-Per-Click Management Strategy in this manner offers two primary benefits:
· It increases marketing results
· It decreases marketing costs

Increase marketing results by driving a more qualified search prospect because your keywords and ad copy were written for a specific product or service that the searcher was looking for. Example: Rather than 'Computers', try 'Dell lightweight computers', this way if someone types that particular phrase your ad will be in top position relatively inexpensive and the prospect readability has increased. Note: Make sure the prospect is placed on the correct landing page of what he/she is looking for. In other words, if they are looking for 'Dell lightweight computers' make sure the landing page is about Dell Lightweight Computers.

Decreases the marketing cost due to targeting a more specific search term and the average cost per clicks are dramatically lowered for very specific key words compared to more broad keywords. Example: For 'Computers' the top bid price on Yahoo search is around $2.63 and for 'Dell lightweight computers' is only $0.10 a click. Granted the amount of search volume is much lower on more specific terms but the quality of the search prospect is much higher.

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Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising

Pay-Per-Click Advertising is another form of direct marketing. Pay-Per-Click ad creatives should be written based on quick catch phrase. You only have matter of a second or two to catch the attention of the search prospect into choosing to click on your ad over your competitors. What you say, or do not say in your titles and descriptions can make or break your internet marketing strategy.

Online marketing is complicated but with the right approach you can be successful. There are pay per click management services, search engine optimization services and many other forms of online advertising, i.e. email marketing, banner ad affiliate partners and link exchange programs to name just a few, all with one goal; to achieve top ranking on all the major search engines.

Pay Per Click Advertising should be divided into distinct marketing segments or ‘target marketing’. For example, instead of thinking about just marketing for a computer, think of all the submarkets within the business marketplace: personal home computers, home office, small business, large corporations, software, and peripherals and so on.
Designing your Pay-Per-Click Advertising Strategy in this manner offers two primary benefits:
· It increases marketing results
· It decreases marketing costs

Increase marketing results by driving a more qualified search prospect because your keywords and ad copy were written for a specific product or service that the searcher was looking for. Example: Rather than “Computers”, try “Dell lightweight computers”, this way if someone types that particular phrase your ad will be in top position relatively inexpensive and the prospect readability has increased. Note: Make sure the prospect is placed on the correct landing page of what he/she is looking for. In other words, if they are looking for “Dell lightweight computers” make sure the landing page is about Dell Lightweight Computers.

Decreases the marketing cost due to targeting a more specific search term and the average cost per clicks are dramatically lowered for very specific key words compared to more broad keywords. Example: For “Computers” the top bid price on Yahoo search is around $2.63 and for “Dell lightweight computers” is only $0.10 a click. Granted the amount of search volume is much lower on more specific terms but the quality of the search prospect is much higher.

Pay Per Click Advertising Tips

Pay Per Click Advertising Tips

Google Tips:

Show your ads more often.

Your daily budget determines how often your ad is shown for your keywords.To maximize the number of times your ad is shown throughout the day, we will set the daily budget to Google’s recommended amount.

Improve your ad's position.

Your ad's position is determined by two factors: maximum cost-per-click and your ad's actual click-through rate.Increasing either your maximum cost-per-click (CPC) or your ad's click-through rate (CTR) will improve your ad's position.

Studies we conducted proven that the higher your click-through-rate (CTR) the lower your cost-per-click (CPC) will be for the same ad group. So, the more traffic the less you pay for each lead directed to your site.

Example:CTR to CPC is about 1.0 to .29%Example: (+/- .03%)
Data collected from same ad groupwith three different alternating ads
CTR = 3.9% CPC = $0.79 served 33%
CTR = 2.9% CPC = $1.11 served 35%
CTR = 1.9% CPC = $1.43 served 32%

Content and Keyword Targeting

We will optimize your content and keyword targeting.

Targeting ~ who should see your ad

Select keywords and phrases relevant to your product or service.General keywords will generate the most impressions, but will often result in the fewest number of clicks.

For example, if you sell golf equipment, you wouldn't want to choose the keyword "golf," because your ads could appear to people searching for subjects (such as golf lessons) unrelated to your business. Instead, you should select more descriptive phrases for your products or services so your ads will appear to those who matter—prospective customers searching for what you have to offer.

You might want to try:
Golf clubs
Golf shoes
Golf Balls

Not everyone will enter the same keyword spellings to search for your type of product or service. You can increase your chances of reaching more prospects by including spelling variations and plurals in your keyword list.

Examples:
Golf club
Golf clubs
Golf Set

Content - What should your ad say?

Include keywords in your ad text or title.If your keywords appear in your ad text, users will be able to immediately recognize that your ad is relevant to their search.

One way to create targeted ads is to create multiple ads within an Ad Group. In each ad, include one or more of the keywords from your keyword list.Another way to customize your ad text is to create multiple Ad Groups, each with one keyword and one ad that contains that keyword.

We believe a clear style.Short, non-repetitive sentences work best. Double-check spelling and grammar.

We’ll test multiple ads per Ad Group.

Try different messages, and see what works best.

Our system tracks the CTR for each of your ads, so we can identify and remove ads that perform poorly. Identify the unique aspects of your product or service.

What makes your product or service useful, relevant, better, and different? We will call attention to the unique benefits you offer to set you apart from the competition and to attract more searchers.

Example: "Wholesale prices on brand names"

Use a strong call-to-action.

We will use a call-to-action to prepare your audience for what you want them to do.We’ll make sure that this phrase is unique and specific to your business so that it is more informative and compelling and distinguishes you from the competition.

Example:
"Register for membership now,"
"Save on DVDs,"
"Get cheap stereos," or
"Join now for 20% discount.

"Links -landing pages & conversion tracking

Link to relevant and informative web pages. Users click on your ad when they are interested in what you offer. We will make it easy for them to find out more by sending them to a relevant destination (landing) page.Make your landing page easy and intuitive for the user to understand.

Example: If your ad offers a free product, link directly to a page that clearly displays that product.

Overture Tips

Overtures’ Pay-For-Performance (PFP) business model is a little more cut and dry than Google where as we select the most searched and relevant keywords and set a bid price for position.

Overtures’ bid tool is designed so that we can see what the max cost-per-click (CPC) that our competitors are willing to pay for each keyword and factor in if bidding higher or lower is more cost effective when determining your return on investment (ROI).

Search ListingsSearch listings are setup with title and description and with URL of landing page desired for optimal CTR.

Titles and descriptions will need to be refined as more data is collected over time for continuous increase of CTR and raise the opportunity of desired action or sale.

Only ads in the top three positions are guaranteed placement on Overture partner sites.

Some Overture PartnersAll the web, Alta-Vista, CNN, HP, Info Search, MSN and Yahoo

Data pulled from Google Tips, and from Noon-an-Night Marketing

Search Engines and Legal Issues

Data From Search Engine Watch:

I thought this article was too good not to share with everyone.

Search Engines and Legal Issues

By Grant Crowell, Guest WriterFebruary 23, 2005

A competitor is running a search engine ad with your trademarked brand name. Another has copied your web site without permission. You suspect another of driving up your advertising costs through click fraud. What are your legal options?

A special report from the Search Engine Strategies conference, December 13-16, 2004, Chicago, IL.

What can you do to protect your site from these online thieves? At this session, a panel of experts explored a wide range of issues related to search engines and legal protection.
A longer version of this story for Search Engine Watch members takes a closer look at trademarks and search engine advertising, covering the issues and tactics available to brand owners to protect themselves. The longer version also looks at click fraud and the legal remedies available to search engine advertisers who suspect competitors are driving up their costs through fraudulent clicks. Click here to learn more about becoming a member.

Copyright infringement
Copyright protection for a web site is just as enforceable as it is for traditional media. U.S. copyright law states that electronic files—including web files—are copyrighted the moment they're put into a tangible form, even if they're not on display to the general public. Protected web files may include the site's content, code, scripting, graphic images, sound and video files.
"One way to determine if your site's content has been stolen is to use the search engines," said Matt Naeger, Vice President and General Counsel at IMPAQT. "The primary way is to see your copy in the search results. Copy-paste an extended piece of text from your web site and see what other web sites show up for that same text. Typically two sites shouldn't legitimately show up for the exact same web copy. I would say I have seen higher rates of recidivism, if you can show publication through the search engine."

If part of a site's content has been stolen, one course of action is to send a cease-and-desist letter to the alleged online thief or an intermediary.

"A lot of ways these things are resolved is by going after an intermediary, so you don't have to go to court directly with the infringer if there's somebody else that's pulling the strings," said Eric Goldman, Assistant Professor of Law at Marquette University School of Law. "Send a notice to an intermediary, like a web host, and get them to take down content that is alleged to be infringing. You do have to do a little homework, but it is still pretty easy to do, and most of the times it can be resolved."

Additionally, Goldman has found that sending a notice on a legal firm's letterhead and citing the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) is also a good way of getting people to remove infringed content.

"If I have a $500 million/year company, and a cease-and-desist letter is sent, 70 percent of the time its effective," said David Rammelt, Partner at Kelley, Drye, and Warren, LLP. "If the company is too large of an entity, about half the time."

"However, you also have to look out for recidivism, where that same person may go out and do it over and over again," Goldman further explained. "So you may find yourself having to go after that person."

Panelists also recommended formally registering the site for copyright protection.

"You always register, especially when you make substantial changes," said Mark W. Ishman of Stark Law Group, LLC. "Obviously with a site that make changes daily, you may want to get yourself on some kind of schedule, with updates and all. I do a three-month cycle, since the spiders take about three months to entirely update their index. That seems to be a safe approach, since the search engines will be able to entirely update their databases by then."

"In terms of filing registration, it is difficult to manage registrations on a timely basis," Goldman continued. "Someone has to be in charge of it. You have to be serious and set up a program and set up someone in charge of it."

Trademarks and search engine advertising
The main issue with paid search—in the sponsored links—is legally allowing bids on competitor's trademarks. Can competitors legally use your actual trademarks in the ad copy itself?

"You don't have to have a registered trademark to receive protection of that mark. If fact, only a small percentage of the trademarks that come to us are actually registered," Rammelt explained. "Typically, as first use in commerce, you have priority rights to that mark, even in the face of a later registered mark. Trademark registration is much easier than copyright registration. You have to pay between $2K-$3K, but you only have to do it one time."
"As for parody sites, those can exist under fair use," Ishman continued. "Other types of terms would apply to other sites, where you can piggy-back on your competitor as long as you're doing it to compare. As long as you are identifying that trademark as of your competitor to your goods and services—that's OK. But what's happening at American Blinds is completely, in my opinion, making trademark law more confusing than it is now."

Click fraud

Click fraud is the practice of clicking on PPC (pay-per-click) advertisements to increase advertiser costs. According to Jeffrey Rohrs, President of Optiem LLC, some of the reasons for click fraud include:
Make money, if you are an AdSense producer
Run up competitor's costs
Exhaust competitor's budgets, especially if your competitors are day parting. You can exhaust your competitor's budget early in the day, and drive your own click costs down later in the day.

"Does Google has some kind of duty to self-police trademark usage on the Internet? We've never advocated that," said Rammelt. "I don't think that Google has any kind of duty, other than a contractual duty, to police its click fraud. I'm not sure if, absent a contract, it would be fair to put them in a position to legally require them to police it. From a technological standpoint, they are the only ones that can do it, I think."

"Their fraud departments are growing by the day," he said, "but the amount of click fraud is increasing so much that they're never going to have the ability to root out all instances of click fraud on their own."

Grant Crowell is the CEO and Creative Director at Grantastic Designs, Inc.. He has 15 combined years of experience in the fields of print and online design, newspaper journalism, public relations, and publications.

Want to discuss or comment on this story? Join the Search Engines and Legal Issues discussion in the Search Engine Watch forums.

A longer version of this story for Search Engine Watch members takes a closer look at trademarks and search engine advertising, covering the issues and tactics available to brand owners to protect themselves. The longer version also looks at click fraud and the legal remedies available to search engine advertisers who suspect competitors are driving up their costs through fraudulent clicks. Click here to learn more about becoming a member.