Question : When doing SEM with Azoogle Ads or CJ, do you think it’s a waste of money to bid for anything lower than the top few spots in sponsored search?
ShoeMoney Answer: On the Pay Per Click side of Search Engine Marketing I never pay more then the minimum allowed by the search engine. So basically 10 cents (yahoo’s Minimum) is the most I ever pay per click. This method requires a lot more work and “skill” if you will because you have to come up with longtail keyword combinations, typos, and misspellings.
As far as placement goes really I do not put that much into it. I have found that I get more clicks being 1,2,3 then bad for 4,5,6,7 but ok for 8,9,10 spots. I think this stems from the same explanation as SEO that people either click on the first results or scroll to the bottom and find something that catches there eye.
I think the most important thing is your CTR (click through ratio). There are tricks you can learn to increase this that really have nothing to do with even your ad copy. If you are in the USA and search Google for “shoemoney” you will see this:
Notice how the bold words form a arrow like > ? That is a nice eye tracking trick that for me increased clicks by about 25% in ANY SPOT. Discovering this for me was a HUGE THING because more clicks means a higher quality score which moves you up for more exposure which means you get more clicks which well you get the point.
Of course I just use “shoemoney” as a example especially since I only bid 2 cents per click on it (and i know all you assholes are going to go click it now). Anyway always test.
Each Monday I am going to try to take some questions asked to me in email and here on the blog and answer them. I call the answer part the “Shoemoney answer” mainly because I do not know if its right or wrong but its what I think based on my experience so far.
Bookmark Murdok:
Years ago I found myself on unemployment and in debt but with many service oriented websites. Determined never to work for “the man” again over the next several years I learned how to monetize those websites through donation, subscription, direct sales, contextual advertising and affiliate advertising. People say that I have a knack for seeing marketing angles that most people do not. I work hard, party hard, and have a relentless work ethic when something catches my interest.
http://www.shoemoney.com
