Sure, we all know that average position is not always a wholly reliable metric, just as achieving a higher position does not necessarily equate into more traffic. Looking at a small data set from one of our existing campaigns illustrates how decisions change based on the manner in which we group data. [...more]
In the early 1960’s astronomer Frank Drake devised an equation to estimate the number of intelligent civilizations in our galaxy. By a similar method, we can find the leverage points to optimize our SEM and SEO efforts. [...more]
Paid search advertisers are acutely aware of the dependence of click traffic levels on their ad's position. But recent changes to how Google apparently serves ads in search results on its own site might have a toxic effect across the board. [...more]
The formula for AdRank is so simple that it's surprising how frequently, and grievously, people can sometimes get it wrong. The purpose of economic activity is to maximize profit, not Quality Score. So, when the two are in conflict, choose the lower QS. [...more]
In part 2 of this post, Bradd provides a simple, visual means for determining your optimal bid from Google’s Bid Simulator. Then, uses some straightforward math to show you how to calculate the optimal bid (and CPA and ROI) for Dr. Varian's example of online retailer selling digital cameras. [...more]
Dr. Hal Varian produced a Google AdWords bidding tutorial in which he outlines a 4-step process for determining your optimal bidding strategy. The video includes a number of best practices for any PPC manager to follow, but also leaves out critical information and makes numerous simplifications. Bradd has identified the best practices and limitations from Dr. Varian's tutorial and translates this insight into actionable tactics to improve your campaign performance. [...more]
Google recently introduced a video plus box to their ad offering in the Google Search Network. This enhancement allows a user to watch a short clip that’s embedded in an advertiser’s sponsored search listing. On one campaign, Travel Channel has seen a 190% increase in CTR since launching these rich media ads. [...more]
Google makes it clear that an ad's clickthrough rate (CTR) is the primary component of its Quality Score (QS). But one question which search marketers frequently overlook (and one for which Google has offered only a superficial answer) is: Why? [...more]
Good account management requires a good understanding of the relationship between the clickthrough rate (CTR) for a given ad and that ad's average position. Fortunately, Google's Bid Simulator is lending a helping hand. [...more]
Three weeks after the launch of Bing, The Search Agency conducted an analysis of our advertisers' key performance metrics on Microsoft's new "Decision Engine." See how conversions, CTR, and CPA are trending on Bing compared to Live Search. [...more]
