10 Lessons Learned About Paid Search David Szetela, Clix Marketing Tuesday, March 25, 2008 1:00 PM EDT

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Marin Search Marketer Next-generation paid search management application Designed by and for search experts For advertisers > $50K/mo Free 30-day trial; works with existing URLs

Next-generation paid search management application

Designed by and for search experts

For advertisers > $50K/mo

Free 30-day trial; works with existing URLs

David Szetela Contributor to Search Engine Land Founded PPC Ad Agency Clix Marketing in 2003, following a 25-year career in technology sales and marketing Author of two lessons in SEMPO’s Advanced Search Advertising course Frequent speaker at industry conferences such as Search Marketing Expo

Contributor to Search Engine Land

Founded PPC Ad Agency Clix Marketing in 2003, following a 25-year career in technology sales and marketing

Author of two lessons in SEMPO’s Advanced Search Advertising course

Frequent speaker at industry conferences such as Search Marketing Expo

1. Mixed Search and Content Campaigns

1. Mixed Search and Content Campaigns

2. Believing Search Keywords = Content Keywords Keywords are not discrete entities Keywords describe target sites – not your product/service Keywords + Ad Text = one of 594 Themes No more than 20-40 keywords per ad group

Keywords are not discrete entities

Keywords describe target sites – not your product/service

Keywords + Ad Text = one of 594 Themes

No more than 20-40 keywords per ad group

2. Believing Search Keywords = Content Keywords (cont) Match types are irrelevant (except negative) Individual keyword bids are irrelevant Negative keywords are necessary

Match types are irrelevant (except negative)

Individual keyword bids are irrelevant

Negative keywords are necessary

3. Ignorance about Content Ad Sites Google Placement Performance Reports are vital Show performance (clicks, conversions) by site where ads are served Eliminate poorly-performing sites w/Site Exclusion Tool – now with Topic and Page Type exclusion

Google Placement Performance Reports are vital

Show performance (clicks, conversions) by site where ads are served

Eliminate poorly-performing sites w/Site Exclusion Tool – now with Topic and Page Type exclusion

4. Using Search Ads in Content Ad Groups Content ads need to stand out Yell, don’t whisper Be more competitive – e.g. free shipping Strong, explicit calls to action Test, test, test

Content ads need to stand out

Yell, don’t whisper

Be more competitive – e.g. free shipping

Strong, explicit calls to action

Test, test, test

5. Neglecting Long Tail Keywords Common stems (e.g. best, online), plus: False plurals – widget’s, widgets’ Domains – www.widgets.com, widgets com, ww widgets Weird Delimiters - >, +, ‘ Competitor terms and domains – Coyote Widgets, coyotewidgets.com

Common stems (e.g. best, online), plus:

False plurals – widget’s, widgets’

Domains – www.widgets.com, widgets com, ww widgets

Weird Delimiters - >, +, ‘

Competitor terms and domains – Coyote Widgets, coyotewidgets.com

6. Gigantic Ad Groups Too many unrelated keywords Often via abuse of keyword research tools Objective: every keyword appears in the ad copy

Too many unrelated keywords

Often via abuse of keyword research tools

Objective: every keyword appears in the ad copy

7. Writing Bad Search Ads Keyword in headline, then qualifier Benefits work better than features Tightly couple ad text with keywords and landing pages Test everything, big and small – e.g. caps in display url

Keyword in headline, then qualifier

Benefits work better than features

Tightly couple ad text with keywords and landing pages

Test everything, big and small – e.g. caps in display url

Keyword in Title Action Verb Winning at Billards Get the Must-read Secrets – Winning At Billiards. Sign Up for Daily Emails! www.PokerBlasts.com/Poker+Winning Capitalized Words More Action at End Extra Words in Display URL 7a. Writing Great Ads

8. Landing on Home Pages Assume every visitor suffers from ADD You have just milliseconds to convince them “You’ve Come to the Right Place” Repeat search terms on landing pages

Assume every visitor suffers from ADD

You have just milliseconds to convince them “You’ve Come to the Right Place”

Repeat search terms on landing pages

Search Term: Gallery Wrapped Photo

Search Term: Wedding Photo

Search Term: Dog Portrait

9. Complicated B2B Lead Forms Offer multiple contact options Neat, clean contact form Require the minimum info necessary Apologetic error trapping Autoresponder for immediate feedback

Offer multiple contact options

Neat, clean contact form

Require the minimum info necessary

Apologetic error trapping

Autoresponder for immediate feedback

10. Manual Bidding for Complex Campaigns Search as % of Marketing Spending Campaign Size / Complexity SEM management software Agency DIY / Excel 20K keywords $20K/mo 0% 50% 100% 1MM+ keywords; $1MM+/mo

David Szetela Email: [email_address] Company Blog: www.clixmarketing.com /blog Content Advertising Column: http:// searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page = sew_experts/content_advert

Email: [email_address]

Company Blog: www.clixmarketing.com /blog

Content Advertising Column: http:// searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page = sew_experts/content_advert

Questions? Email us: [email_address] Thanks to today’s sponsor: www.marinsoftware.com Email Marin at [email_address]

Email us:

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Thanks to today’s sponsor:

www.marinsoftware.com

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