Affiliates & Internal Search: A Recipe for Disaster? Tony Pantano – CEO – Imwave, Inc.

Some of you will agree with what I say Some of you will say I’m crazy Some will say: “This doesn’t apply to my program” It’s OK! Welcome

Some of you will agree with what I say

Some of you will say I’m crazy

Some will say: “This doesn’t apply to my program”

It’s OK!

What are the perceived issues & concerns What Really Happens How can PPC help your Program Examples What Will We Talk About

What are the perceived issues & concerns

What Really Happens

How can PPC help your Program

Examples

What really puts internal search teams at odds with Search Affiliates? What Will We Talk About

What really puts internal search teams at odds with Search Affiliates?

“ We want/need to protect our brand” “ Allowing affiliates to use our display URL will increase our own PPC cost” “ Our Agency covers all our keywords/ We have all the coverage we need on our Branded keywords” Issues that you will hear

“ We want/need to protect our brand”

“ Allowing affiliates to use our display URL will increase our own PPC cost”

“ Our Agency covers all our keywords/ We have all the coverage we need on our Branded keywords”

We are advocates of strong Terms and Conditions Having 1-3 trusted partners assisting with Search can be beneficial Trusted partners are those you have a relationship with Can contact when necessary Will adhere to all brand guidelines Brand Protection

We are advocates of strong Terms and Conditions

Having 1-3 trusted partners assisting with Search can be beneficial

Trusted partners are those you have a relationship with

Can contact when necessary

Will adhere to all brand guidelines

Where affiliate is NOT using your URL Merchant bidding $1.00 Affiliate bidding No Bid Competition Bidding $ .49 You take top position at $ .50 Display URL/Direct Linking

Where affiliate is NOT using your URL

Merchant bidding $1.00

Affiliate bidding No Bid

Competition Bidding $ .49

You take top position at $ .50

Where affiliate is using your URL and you are bidding on the same Keyword: Merchant bidding $1.00 Affiliate bidding $ .75 Competition bidding $ .49 You STILL take top position at $ .50 Display URL/Direct Linking

Where affiliate is using your URL and you are bidding on the same Keyword:

Merchant bidding $1.00

Affiliate bidding $ .75

Competition bidding $ .49

You STILL take top position at $ .50

Where affiliate is using their own URL and you are bidding on the same Keyword: Merchant bidding $1.00 Affiliate bidding $ .75 Competition bidding $ .49 You take top position at $ .76 Higher cost but extra “real estate” Display URL/Direct Linking

Where affiliate is using their own URL and you are bidding on the same Keyword:

Merchant bidding $1.00

Affiliate bidding $ .75

Competition bidding $ .49

You take top position at $ .76

Higher cost but extra “real estate”

Display URL/Direct Linking Company Campaign Affiliate Search Campaign Potential Keyword Overlap

Display URL/Direct Linking Potential Keyword Overlap

Potential Overlap with partner’s internal search campaigns Potential Keyword overlap is typically very small Use of Display URL/Direct Linking Google requires the display url and the landing page url to be the same. Use of Display URL by a search affiliate will rarely drive up costs. A trusted affiliate will work within brand guidelines. Search Overlap

Potential Overlap with partner’s internal search campaigns

Potential Keyword overlap is typically very small

Use of Display URL/Direct Linking

Google requires the display url and the landing page url to be the same.

Use of Display URL by a search affiliate will rarely drive up costs.

A trusted affiliate will work within brand guidelines.

No one size fits all Is your Brand well established? Are there any budget restrictions on your Internal Search efforts? Does your Internal Team/Agency have all the variations covered? Trade Mark & Brand Bidding

No one size fits all

Is your Brand well established?

Are there any budget restrictions on your Internal Search efforts?

Does your Internal Team/Agency have all the variations covered?

Bid Caps on Trademark terms Allow Affiliate to fill potential gaps in bidding without increasing your cost. Keyword Removal Agreement Should our ad be displaying instead of your Internal Search ad, contact Imwave and we will adjust bidding as necessary Trade Mark & Brand Bidding

Bid Caps on Trademark terms

Allow Affiliate to fill potential gaps in bidding without increasing your cost.

Keyword Removal Agreement

Should our ad be displaying instead of your Internal Search ad, contact Imwave and we will adjust bidding as necessary

Potential Overlap with partner’s internal search campaigns Use of Branded Keyword Terms Unless you have 24/7 coverage of all your brand terms you may be missing clicks. If you are missing clicks, your competition is likely taking up the space. A good Search Affiliate can back fill this space on your brand terms without increasing internal cost. Use of Trademark Misspellings & Variation Many companies maintain a small list of variations. Search Affiliates can typically create a variation list of several thousand terms, increasing your reach. Search Overlap

Potential Overlap with partner’s internal search campaigns

Use of Branded Keyword Terms

Unless you have 24/7 coverage of all your

brand terms you may be missing clicks.

If you are missing clicks, your competition

is likely taking up the space.

A good Search Affiliate can back fill this space on your

brand terms without increasing internal cost.

Use of Trademark Misspellings & Variation

Many companies maintain a small list of variations.

Search Affiliates can typically create a variation list of

several thousand terms, increasing your reach.

Search Overlap Affiliate Paid Search Overlap Continued Commission rates typically force affiliates to bid lower than you would for your internal search campaigns. It is rare that affiliate ads would display instead of your internal ads Analyze your Search CPA vs. your Affiliate CPA Look at Costs & Conversation Rates and CPA Preventive Measures Bid Caps on Trademark terms Allow trusted affiliates to fill potential gaps in bidding without increasing your cost. Keyword Removal Agreement

Affiliate Paid Search Overlap Continued

Commission rates typically force affiliates to bid lower than you would for your internal search campaigns.

It is rare that affiliate ads would display instead of your internal ads

Analyze your Search CPA vs. your Affiliate CPA

Look at Costs & Conversation Rates and CPA

Preventive Measures

Bid Caps on Trademark terms

Allow trusted affiliates to fill potential gaps in bidding without increasing your cost.

Keyword Removal Agreement

I was hoping to avoid this slide

Direct Linking with Partner’s Display URL Rights to use Trademarks in Ad Copy Access to Trademark & Variation Keywords 5-10 specific terms excluded terms. Initial trial period to prove conversion rates. What Could a PSM Test Look Like?

Direct Linking with Partner’s Display URL

Rights to use Trademarks in Ad Copy

Access to Trademark & Variation Keywords

5-10 specific terms excluded terms.

Initial trial period to prove conversion rates.

Search Overlap Company Campaign Affiliate Search Campaign Potential Keyword Overlap

Example Top Company in its Space Name you know Consumer & Business Products Terms and Conditions: No Use of Display URL No TM or Brand Term, variations, misspelling etc. Must take user to Affiliate page before directing to Merchant Page

Top Company in its Space

Name you know

Consumer & Business Products

Terms and Conditions:

No Use of Display URL

No TM or Brand Term, variations, misspelling etc.

Must take user to Affiliate page before directing to Merchant Page

Example Explored the depth of Current Search Efforts Discovered that PPC was based on a budget an that PPC ads were slowed or turned off as budget was reached Discussed a 90 day test Allowed use of Display URL Allowed to use TM/Brand + Generic String Terms Identified 10-15 Brand Terms Permitted to use those 10-15 terms with a predetermined Bid Cap

Explored the depth of Current Search Efforts

Discovered that PPC was based on a budget an that PPC ads were slowed or turned off as budget was reached

Discussed a 90 day test

Allowed use of Display URL

Allowed to use TM/Brand + Generic String Terms

Identified 10-15 Brand Terms

Permitted to use those 10-15 terms with a predetermined Bid Cap

No increase in cost for Internal Search Team No noticeable change in volume for internal search program 10x increase in Sales volume “ Test” is now in it’s 18 month Results

No increase in cost for Internal Search Team

No noticeable change in volume for internal search program

10x increase in Sales volume

“ Test” is now in it’s 18 month

No one size rule for all programs Many misconceptions about Search Affiliates Trusted Partners Display URL/Direct Linking No One Group Can come up with all search terms No easy answer on TM terms Search can play an important role in your program TEST, TEST, TEST!! Conclusion

No one size rule for all programs

Many misconceptions about Search Affiliates

Trusted Partners

Display URL/Direct Linking

No One Group Can come up with all search terms

No easy answer on TM terms

Search can play an important role in your program

TEST, TEST, TEST!!

Contact Information Tony Pantano [email_address]