Author Archive

by Josh Prizer

Click Through Rates (CTRs) are one of the key components of the paid search algorithms. Fine tuning those will not only help you rise in the search engines, but they can even lower your costs per click.

Let’s look a little closer at some of the things you can do to improve those Click Through Rates (CTRs). There are several techniques and areas to look at but many of these require some continual effort on your part. If you are not up for it, think about hiring a PPC company to do the heavy lifting for you. A good PPC management company can double or triple or CTRs.

The Importance of Targeted, Relevant Keywords

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by Josh Prizer

Like many web site owners using pay per click advertising, you may be experiencing an ominous trend in your Quality Scores from AdWords. Google may be marking your scores as “poor” and hitting you with an “Inactive for Search” message. A previously thriving PPC account is now disintegrating before your eyes.

Why the vanishing keyword act? There could be multiple reasons. Is your ad copy not in sync with your keywords? Are your keywords too general? Are your ad groups over-sized and not tight enough? These problems might be only the tip of the iceberg.

There are a variety of different hoops that Google may want you to jump through in order to get back into play and lower your costs per click. The solutions, however, may not be very simple, and it may require you to roll up your sleeves and put in more man hours than you wish. But effort pays off.

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by Josh Prizer

It’s time to ratchet up your pay per click advertising and you are looking for the most effective way to use your ad budget. Maybe you’ve just begun PPC advertising and need help. Let’s take a look at the most effective ways to optimize your search marketing ad campaigns using Google, Yahoo, MSN and others.

PPC and the Big Three

Don’t stray far from the proven winners — stick with Google, Yahoo and MSN for the best results. The Big Three are now offering very similar PPC services. These services all include being able to geo-target ads, set ads to turn on and off during peak times, and split test ad copy. Also, you have quality scores to optimize with each. The large majority of search traffic still belongs to Google, but each offers opportunities.

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by Josh Prizer

Mistakes in pay per click advertising are common and often very costly. Doing it right requires some vigilance and micromanaging. Here are 10 of the top mistakes people make in their PPC campaigns.

Too Many Keywords Per Ad Group

It’s important to target your ad to be as relevant as possible. Don’t group all your keywords into one or two ad groups. Break them out. Keep them tight. This gives you more control over ad variables so that you can be as relevant as possible.

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by Josh Prizer

Vigilance, micromanaging and attention to detail can help you avoid some common and costly mistakes of PPC advertising. What are those mistakes? Here are the terrible 10 that are typical to most pay per click campaigns.

Too Many Keywords Per Ad Group

It’s important to target your ad to be as relevant as possible. Don’t group all your keywords into one or two ad groups. Break them out. Keep them tight. This gives you more control over ad variables so that you can be as relevant as possible.

Read the rest of this entry »