SEO World:

In 2004, while working at Yahoo, I started looking at the powerful options for paid search advertising. While it was just “play/research” at the time, I came to recognize the extraordinary solution Overture (originally Goto.com) had for targeting the visitor/searcher: “present a compelling, relevant advert at the time potential customers are looking for you.”

While Goto/Overture was the innovator, it was actually Google Adwords that took this basic premise to the next level, in a big way: Offer similar functionality, but enhance the logic such that the ads with most relevant text and overall workflow (content and page quality, user experience) get awarded better or same placement on the page, at a lesser cost per click (CPC).

I started diving into Adwords in earnest in January 2005 after an introduction by Perry Marshall, and I got hooked. That same year and into 2006, I started accruing some “age” to the Google Adwords accounts, my own and existing client accounts with some “history.”

After spending much time researching and testing ads, keywords and landing pages, and working on bid management strategies, I found myself wondering whether old Google Adwords could be resurrected, or if they should be canned altogether.

Then, after speaking with several friends, including AMKhan.com and my older brother, it became apparent that, after a certain threshold, an Adwords account with poor history (not optimized from the outset) could never become successful. I define successful as the ability to positively impact the algorithm to make it work for you, not against you.

Chief Takeaway:
If you are spending time trying to improve quality and nothing works, drop the entire Adwords account and start fresh.

Here are some tips for optimization after drop and re-creation:

1. Turn off Content Network (at least initially, until testing proves otherwise).
2. Match keywords tightly to adgroups. No more than 10 keywords per adgroup.
3. Ignore broad match type, use phrase and exact keyword matching, and review your negative matching types.
4. Include keywords in ad text: title of ad + body text of ad.
5. Create custom, keyword-rich landing pages; don’t use home page. Think traditional SEO onpage factors when developing.
6. Apply Google Analytics (free) across all pages, and specific conversion code on your “thank you” pages.
7. Split test (A/B) ads, always.
8. Split test (A/B) landing pages, using Google Web Optimizer (Adwords account is all you need) and apply simple scripts.
9. Advanced: Use sectional, multi-variate testing for inline elements on pages. (Don’t start with this unless experienced).
10. Use “placement targeting” for laser-sharp page/site positioning, and lower click acquisition costs on pages where customers live. Use the Adsense Finder to easily discover them, and save hours of work trying to do this manually.

(courtesy Marketing Tools Review)

This post is about saving money, specifically for you and your Google Adwords expenditures.

Many are not familiar with the powerful new approach that Google introduced in its paid-click model (pay-per-click advertising). While Goto/Overture was the pioneer by introducing paid search initially (paid advertising, sponsored links), Google came on the scene about 2002 and introduced a different “smart reward” system for performance-based ads management and relevancy of overall bidding, keywords and user experience.

This new, enhanced system allowed the engine to not only allow a bid to position ranking, but to use its own (secret) software-tailored intelligence to improve cost per click by ranking you better than your competition, at a (if done right) lower cost. If your competitor was paying $2 per click for a keyword, for example, you could pay less ($1.50, say), and still be ranked ahead of the competition.

While the current Quality Score (QS) was introduced later and improved over time, it is an important component of the Adwords system today. It is something you should try to understand and apply across all your current accounts.

The Quality Score algorithm in Adwords (search ads and search network are slightly different) is not revealed for obvious reasons (spamming/black hat), but allows ads you create to lift into better positions (ad rank) and lowered price per click based on a few factors you can easily control–or at least try to make “least imperfect.”

Top factors that influence positive, money-saving opportunities using Adwords:

• Keyword use and relevancy in ad creative (ad text);
• Tight adgroup matching to content/keywords (Do not dilute with lots of keywords that are not related);
• Landing page copy and keyword relevancy from bid (the Google Adsbot reads and records keywords on page, similar to Google Bot);
• Minimum keyword bid;
• Ad positioning, monitoring; and
• Click-through rates (CTR) and overall performance history across your campaigns.

Please read further quality scoring resources below, but here are the top three quickest ways to affect your budget and performance:

1. Keyword matching in title of ad, included in body as well (derivative keyword, plurals, etc). Don’t miss this.
2. Ensure keyword(s) are included and reflected early and often in landing page text, including SEO compliant page setup (Title, description, H1 tags, related keywords in body content, etc). Include more than just graphics and a few bullet points.
3. Watch your CTR percentage and tune it upward by creating A/B ads and testing their performance. Remove or pause underperforming keywords; they can affect your QS negatively.

Your competition may be using techniques like these already. Study their landing pages as well, including keyword use for relevancy. Then do all this slightly better, and you will win, while optimizing your Google Adwords budget. Make sure not only to optimize for Google, but learn the best practices for high landing page conversion by reading further materials at MarketingSherpa.

Adding links and pages About Us, Contact Us, Privacy Policy, SiteMap and SSL certificates for secure transactions are included as positive QS parameters for all landing pages.

You can review your Quality Score grade right inside the Adwords system:

Additional Resources:

1. What Google Quality Score is–and is not
2. Quality Score for Google and network
3. How is the Google Quality Score calculated?
4. Landing pages’ load time will be included in Quality Scoring Adwords

MSN & Yahoo resources also:
1. MSN Quality Scoring
2. Yahoo Quality Scoring/Index

Lastly, to manage the Google Adwords system, save yourself tons of time. Read up on the Adwords Editor features and download it today (it’s free).

These days, it seems not a day goes by without somebody asking me if Pay-Per-Click (PPC) or Search Engine Optimization (SEO) should be used online, and why one may be better than the other.

Search Engine Optimization is the applied practice of moving your website to elevated positions in the search engines. PPC  is an advertising medium you pay for and another way you can get a premier, top page listing in less than 10 minutes. Yes, you could potentially present your product or services millions of people, depending on your budget and targeting options - that quickly.

Where do you start?

Ideally, you should use both. Think about the power and business opportunity of ‘owning’ the search engine display, where you are listed not only in the top natural results, but on the paid search side as well. Great for brand recognition too!

Let’s step back for a moment. As seen in a previous post, users of search tend to click more on natural search results than the paid listings. The acute awareness of what paid search is, exist among the user communities now, especially on Google.

The trust factor is higher in the SERPs and some users even find that paid ads are a nuisance. And, with Pay Per Click costs rising, and becoming very competitive and especially high priced during holiday seasons, no wonder many look to SEO as their online traffic solution.  Some even feel that relevancy is higher in the natural listings, swaying decisions to choose SEO as their starter option.

Business owners who focus on organic/natural results also know that, if done right, they are building a real business asset, by creating free traffic, and providing a more long term effect. Of course, search engine algorithms change often, and business owners need to stay on top of them.

The immediacy of paid search is a fantastic “results-driven” opportunity. You can create a brand new account, add some keywords, set the targeting, relevant ad text and landing pages and be up and running in 10 minutes. You can use tracking software to see results very quickly, even that same day.  For example, if you have an event you are pushing, you can run it for a limited time, and tell the system start and end dates, including what times during the day, if you wanted to.

Paid search helps you control your spending, so for small business it may be a good option. You may not have a professional SEO individual in-house, and it can get expensive to hire an outsider (if they are any good).

Recently, I set up a Google account for a business owner in the business-to-consumer (B2C) space. We did it over the phone in 10 minutes, and after credit card and verification emails were sent, the account was ready. This particular business wanted to learn how to run a campaign in-house using PPC. To most, it’s a much more approachable option than SEO.  I help with keyword research, and they write the ads, and they could launch within 5-10 days. Then, with analytics scripts and good landing page designs and conversion tactics, they can have a “web leads engine” developed rather quickly.  It worked for them, but they are/will be looking into SEO as well.

But, PPC has issues with click fraud, and it can get expensive if you don’t do the upfront keyword research correctly, and proper bid analysis and management, as well as applying known tactics for optimal quality scoring.

If you use PPC and SEO wisely, they both can make sense for your business. It depends on your industry, budget, timelines and your own dedication.

P.S.
Oh, and the data you can capture from PPC campaigns, may help you to optimize your SEO programs, by watching keyword impressions, popularity and more. Always test!