Archive for the ‘paid search’ Category

The Future of Local Search is Mobile

by Kevin adams, Paid Search Manager, DexterityMedia

as the major search engines try to get into the Local Search market, they have made their prediction of Local Search’s future clear; the future of Local Search is mobile.

The big three, Live Search (MSN), Yahoo!, and Google have been acquiring the resources to expand their advertising and search networks to major cell phone providers nationwide. The funny part is that few in the advertising world have moved to capitalize on this fact. The fact is that many mobile devices nowadays are equipped to duplicate the abilities of cell phones, media players, digital cameras, and even laptops. With the computing power and bandwidth accessible via WiFi, satellite, and cellular networks, having more than one device seems redundant.

a laptop or desktop computer is still a must for real computing power or a larger screen, so I’m not suggesting the public should give up on those. Most of the time, however, a mobile device is all a person needs to get the job done. 

So, the next time you’re out-and-about, pick up your mobile device and do a search for a local bar, retail outlet, or even a church.

Dirty Little Secrets of a Successful Pay-Per-Click ad

by Kevin adams, DexterityMedia

Pay-per-Click is such a hot commodity that I wanted to share one of my little secrets. My clients include a nationwide retailer chain, a successful medical firm in California, and a UK-based translation company that operates internationally. I stare at numbers, charts, and keyword lists all day long simply hoping to glean a few extra nuggets of information to help promote these companies better. My dirty little secret is that my greatest successes aren't even of my doing.

I transform searchers into visitors and hopefully, visitors into buyers. but there are two things I cannot do. I cannot make users search, and I cannot make them buy a product. Sure, there are searches being done, but those searches are inspired by factors outside of my control.

I have co-workers and partners spending long hours on hundreds of websites spreading the word. They have contacts and friends that are doing the same. Videos are often spread that seem to the general user to be naturally viral, wonderful descriptions appear in ratings across the web, and glowing descriptions are passed from one poster to the next in everyday online conversations. It takes work to create buzz about a product. It takes work to make searches really start. I simply capitalize on this fact.

Sure, I'll take the credit. "Yes sir, your conversation rate has quadrupled in the last month. I'm glad I could make my experience work in your favor." I still have to put in the time and effort to capitalize on this, but it doesn't have the same effect without someone else behind the scenes. For those familiar with Social Media, that is exactly what I am describing. For those that are not familiar with Social Media I suggest become acquainted with it.

Imagine, for the last three months you have been spending $10k, and you've been getting $20k back in return. For whatever reason you have found that your once great successes can't go any higher. However, if your conversion rate suddenly doubled one month, you could be getting back $40k or more. Wouldn't that be worth spending another $5k to make that happen?

My intention isn't to devalue what I do, but if you're a marketer thinking about spending on PPC and natural search results, or you're an SEM or SEO professional and just want to get more production out of your clients' ads, you will thank yourself for leaving some of your marketing budget to create some well-placed buzz.

Photo Credit: Quinn Commandroid of Strangecode

Dirty Little Secrets of a Successful Pay-Per-Click ad

by Kevin adams, DexterityMedia

Pay-per-Click is such a hot commodity that I wanted to share one of my little secrets. My clients include a nationwide retailer chain, a successful medical firm in California, and a UK-based translation company that operates internationally. I stare at numbers, charts, and keyword lists all day long simply hoping to glean a few extra nuggets of information to help promote these companies better. My dirty little secret is that my greatest successes aren’t even of my doing.

I transform searchers into visitors and hopefully, visitors into buyers. but there are two things I cannot do. I cannot make users search, and I cannot make them buy a product. Sure, there are searches being done, but those searches are inspired by factors outside of my control.

I have co-workers and partners spending long hours on hundreds of websites spreading the word. They have contacts and friends that are doing the same. Videos are often spread that seem to the general user to be naturally viral, wonderful descriptions appear in ratings across the web, and glowing descriptions are passed from one poster to the next in everyday online conversations. It takes work to create buzz about a product. It takes work to make searches really start. I simply capitalize on this fact.

Sure, I’ll take the credit. "Yes sir, your conversation rate has quadrupled in the last month. I’m glad I could make my experience work in your favor." I still have to put in the time and effort to capitalize on this, but it doesn’t have the same effect without someone else behind the scenes. For those familiar with Social Media, that is exactly what I am describing. For those that are not familiar with Social Media I suggest become acquainted with it.

Imagine, for the last three months you have been spending $10k, and you’ve been getting $20k back in return. For whatever reason you have found that your once great successes can’t go any higher. However, if your conversion rate suddenly doubled one month, you could be getting back $40k or more. Wouldn’t that be worth spending another $5k to make that happen?

My intention isn’t to devalue what I do, but if you’re a marketer thinking about spending on PPC and natural search results, or you’re an SEM or SEO professional and just want to get more production out of your clients’ ads, you will thank yourself for leaving some of your marketing budget to create some well-placed buzz.

Photo Credit: Quinn Commandroid of Strangecode

My Top 10 Tips for Newbies

as I have fallen hopelessly in love with the paid search marketing industry I have learned many things along the way.

I admit I have either made some of these errors, came close to making them. Some of them I have even witnessed colleagues make. I wanted to share these tips in hopes of guiding newcomers to the industry, away from a few road hazards that might come along.

1.   Never make any massive account changes in the first 60 days of a new client’s existing online campaigns. Make smaller changes to any red flags of course but get use to managing the account before any massive over hauls.

2.   Keep weekly updates of all of your accounts spend and projected monthly spends to ensure all accounts are on point to reach and not exceed monthly budgets.

3.   Keep in mind that matter how proven some best practices are with one account, it does not make it a guarantee for another account.

4.   beware of client neglect – Even if it is a simple email to reach out to a client that has not contacted you in sometime. Quiet is not always a good thing.

5.   Keep daily logs of your time spent on all of your accounts. This will not only help you keep a handle on achieving the goals of the client contract but it will in turn keep you more conscientious of your daily productivity and might even make you work smarter not harder.

6.   Don’t be afraid to admit what you don’t know. ask a senior staff member for help or call your search engine account manager.

7.   Make time for learning, webinars, seminars, books, blogs and podcasts. These can provide a wealth of information and new resources. Just make sure the information is coming from a trusted source.

8.   Know and accept that reaching and maintaining some account goals can be as difficult as bathing a cat. However, the feeling one gets of achieving this is well worth the stress and effort. Not to mention just pleasing the client.

9.   You will make mistakes. Sometimes no matter how much research, time, knowledge and strategy planning goes into an account optimization and maintenance, things can go into unexpected direction and have a poor out come. as I was told by a very wise man (*cough* Tony *cough*) “Don’t get discourage”. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes. accept that you are human and this industry is still so young with no exact science. Communicate honestly and openly with your clients and work towards a solution.

10. Last but not least, don’t forget to eat lunch. You can not battle the world of endless acronyms on an empty stomach.

My Top 10 Tips for Newbies

as I have fallen hopelessly in love with the paid search marketing industry I have learned many things along the way.

I admit I have either made some of these errors, came close to making them. Some of them I have even witnessed colleagues make. I wanted to share these tips in hopes of guiding newcomers to the industry, away from a few road hazards that might come along.

1.   Never make any massive account changes in the first 60 days of a new client’s existing online campaigns. Make smaller changes to any red flags of course but get use to managing the account before any massive over hauls.

2.   Keep weekly updates of all of your accounts spend and projected monthly spends to ensure all accounts are on point to reach and not exceed monthly budgets.

3.   Keep in mind that matter how proven some best practices are with one account, it does not make it a guarantee for another account.

4.   beware of client neglect – Even if it is a simple email to reach out to a client that has not contacted you in sometime. Quiet is not always a good thing.

5.   Keep daily logs of your time spent on all of your accounts. This will not only help you keep a handle on achieving the goals of the client contract but it will in turn keep you more conscientious of your daily productivity and might even make you work smarter not harder.

6.   Don’t be afraid to admit what you don’t know. ask a senior staff member for help or call your search engine account manager.

7.   Make time for learning, webinars, seminars, books, blogs and podcasts. These can provide a wealth of information and new resources. Just make sure the information is coming from a trusted source.

8.   Know and accept that reaching and maintaining some account goals can be as difficult as bathing a cat. However, the feeling one gets of achieving this is well worth the stress and effort. Not to mention just pleasing the client.

9.   You will make mistakes. Sometimes no matter how much research, time, knowledge and strategy planning goes into an account optimization and maintenance, things can go into unexpected direction and have a poor out come. as I was told by a very wise man (*cough* Tony *cough*) “Don’t get discourage”. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes. accept that you are human and this industry is still so young with no exact science. Communicate honestly and openly with your clients and work towards a solution.

10. Last but not least, don’t forget to eat lunch. You can not battle the world of endless acronyms on an empty stomach.

Zen and the art of Paid Search Maintenance

Tony's got another article up at Search Engine Watch.

One of the key components of Zen buddhism is the discipline to meditate regularly in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Discipline is also the key to achieving paid search enlightenment – or as I like to call it, success.

I have to give a tip of the hat to my colleague brandy Eddings, who suggested I write a column about why throwing your money into the proverbial search engine toilet is probably not a good idea. She came to that conclusion after dealing with one too many new paid search clients who let their campaigns go without any maintenance.
 

Read More>>>

Zen and the art of Paid Search Maintenance

Tony’s got another article up at Search Engine Watch.

One of the key components of Zen buddhism is the discipline to meditate regularly in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Discipline is also the key to achieving paid search enlightenment – or as I like to call it, success.

I have to give a tip of the hat to my colleague brandy Eddings, who suggested I write a column about why throwing your money into the proverbial search engine toilet is probably not a good idea. She came to that conclusion after dealing with one too many new paid search clients who let their campaigns go without any maintenance.
 

Read More>>>

What Makes a Good PPC Specialist?

Or better yet, what makes a PPC specialist highly effective? Tony Wright answers that question with 5 things to look for when hiring a PPC pro for your agency or for your in-house marketing/search team. It's an ever-changing field, and Tony 's learned what to look for. He'll tell you who will last and who will become better than most.

Check out  Tony's other articles here.

To book Tony to sing opera for your party, or to appear at your ad club function or industry conference to educate you on all things search and interactive PR, contact him here.

What Makes a Good PPC Specialist?

Or better yet, what makes a PPC specialist highly effective? Tony Wright answers that question with 5 things to look for when hiring a PPC pro for your agency or for your in-house marketing/search team. It’s an ever-changing field, and Tony ’s learned what to look for. He’ll tell you who will last and who will become better than most.

Check out  Tony’s other articles here.

To book Tony to sing opera for your party, or to appear at your ad club function or industry conference to educate you on all things search and interactive PR, contact him here.

Five Tips for Finding a Paid Search agency

Tony Wright, partner at the agency, lays out some good advice for client side seekers (and agencies looking to partner) when choosing a group to handle your PPC and SEM. For instance, after you've been wowed by the dog and pony show, who are the real ditch diggers who will be working on your account? ask to meet them. Regular contact with these professionals is one of the keys to a successful campaign.

Read the article over at Search Engine Watch.