Search Engine Solutions Blog

Q: Please describe how search3w can ensure we achieve positive ROI and how long it will take?
A: Accurate answer for this question will be addressed after my initial study. This is the study input I need to answer your ROI question:

Number of Unique Visitors Per Day
What is your current traffic? We will calculate how many visitors you might expect to receive every day after we optimize your site and ad campaigns.
Remember: Typical customer of Search3w increasing traffic volume by 60 percent.

Conversion Rate
Research shows that on average 2% of all visitors to retail sites end up as customers. Conversion rate varies by industry, what is your data?

Gross Profit
What is the average gross profit for your products/services that you sell, or plan to sell, online or offline?

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Q: Which ad networks do you suggest we participate in? Yahoo? Google? MSN? Overture? If we are on a fixed budget, which of the recommended networks will give us the best return?
A: Some clients doing better on Yahoo or AdCenter, but our major work will perform on Google AdWords.

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Q: How many clients do you have? How long have you been in business? How many people are in your company?
A: Clients: 62. In business since: 2001. Employees: 12, Contractors: 3.
Our performance is publish to the public here.

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Q: Will you build our landing pages for each campaign? Describe how you will research the competition to ensure our landing pages are the best.
A: No. I will guide your team how to build it. We have proprietary technology to auto-generate landing pages here. Every month we will evaluate the last month performance and if results are not satisfied we will bring usability expert to the table. Our usability experts came from world of traditional marketing, a field where she has 25 years experience. That experience also includes an MBA, as well as running hundreds of focus groups. Since 2001 she has done usability testing on hundreds of websites, including industry studies looking at hardware sites such as Home Depot, Lowes, Home Hardware, and Rona.

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Q: What sort of reporting can we expect and at what frequency?
A: ROI and Other Reporting Services. In addition to monitoring and changing the bids to your specifications, we also provide the following valuable reporting services:

Ability to track Return on Investment (ROI) per keyword per position per search engine

Conversion Rate Metrics: determine how many visits to your site convert to a sale

Help to understand your Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS): how much revenue you generate per dollar spent on advertising.

Ability to Calculate ROI: how much revenue you generate per dollar spent on advertising

Find out which ranking in Pay-per-click Search Engines works best for your keywords and gives you most value.

Fraud Click (invalid clicks) reports.

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Q: Describe the process and activities associated with the “start up” phases of the project.
A: Leveraging our SEM process, we have developed a methodology to optimize the value that you get from your PPC accounts. Our methodology is a 4D Step process of:

Discovery

Design

Development, and

Deployment

You asked about ReachLocal business model. This is what I’ve found about their business model. The name of the CEO I was speaking with is Zorik Gordon. Actually, he didn’t buy my product but he did ask for my advice!

From their site:

Q: What factors determine whether my ad will be seen on search engines?

A: The keywords chosen will also influence your ad appearances. ReachLocal chooses the best keywords that will drive target customers to your site. The daily budget of your campaign will determine how often your ad will show, and its positioning.

Q: How do you charge?

A: We put a margin on the advertising fees charged by the search engines we use i.e. Google, Yahoo!…

From Blogs:

Q: Hi, I’ve been looking at a company called Reach Local and wonder if anyone has any experience of working with them. I’m concerned that, whilst they may return good results, their reach or ability to generate volume is limited. Also, how do the search engines view the fact that they “mirror” the actual web-page? Thanks in advance

A: I’ve tested Reach Local out since January and was not happy with it. It was fairly easy and quick to implement and it was great being able to forward reports on to clients in the way of email. Whatever keywords you provide them with, they will expand into thousands of completely irrelevant keywords to generate a high volume of clicks – not necessarily focus on highly targeted, relevant keywords on your most profitable products / services.
They do not share their keyword lists with you to determine results on a keyword level to make optimizations.

In my experience with ReachLocal, my clients and I were very upset with the results we received and when handled manually, we saw a 90% decrease in costs, a significant jump in positioning, double the amount of clicks, and huge ROI. With Reachlocal, we were wasting money, getting few clicks, and no sales. We also got a significant amount of traffic from outside the state and country we were targeting.

The problem with these fast pace companies is that they’re forgetting the Quality Assurance process when new features are kicking in.
From time to time you can see this alert on Google AdWords:

Campaign Budget Alert
Your ads are not receiving 29% of their eligible impressions due to your current budget settings. Increasing your budget can maximize your ad exposure and help your ads receive more clicks.

Under the status, Google recently added a link “View recommended budget“, which is nice feature, but look at the “don’t change” button.This is a basic unit testing kindergarten!

I have so may bugs to report that it is crazy. Maybe Google would like to order my QA services, or they can get them from dummy blogs like this for free

What is ROI?
Return On Investment. The amount of value received relative to the amount of money invested, in this case, in advertising. ROI is an excellent measure of the success of any campaign.

How to calculate and Measure ROI for a website promotion?
Before you decide to measure your ROI, ask yourself these five questions:

How many visitors convert into sales?

What keyword phrases generate your sales?

From what search engines your sales originate?

What is your customer post-click activity?

Do you use tracking software to calculate the final conversion rates?

The calculation process:
Conversion Ratio: Divide your number of orders by your unique visitors to arrive at your sales closing rate. The sales closing rate is the bottom line metric out there. It’s a measure of how many of your visitors actually complete the transaction you led them.

Customer Acquisition Cost: Divide your marketing expenses by the total number of orders you receive from unique new buyers over a given time period. Your cost of acquiring a customer is critical to improving your profitability and also your cash flow. With regard to the marketing expenses component of the calculation, some companies include a monthly amortization of the cost of the website as well as the monthly cost of maintaining the site, while other companies only consider promotional expenses. Use the approach that works best for you.

Sales Per Visitor: Calculate the actual average amount purchased per visitor (not per order).

Cost Per Visitor: Simply divide your marketing expenses (or your marketing expenses plus your Web expenses) by the number of unique visitors. Cost per visitor measures the effectiveness of your marketing and your conversion processes. The objective is to minimize cost per visitor and increase sales per visitor.
No Sale Rate: All Pages Divide the number of one-page visits to the entire site over a period of time by the total number of visitors over the same period of time. While focusing on top entry pages is more important in the short term, because that is where the traffic is happening, this more global metric is likely to point to global design flaws in navigation or page layout. When you make global design changes, pay attention to this one — you want it to be forever falling.

Free SEM Calculator >

While dynamic pages offer a number of desirable features for web site owners like design consistency and up-to-date information, in order to optimize the effectiveness of your internet marketing website you’ll want a static landing page. Static landing pages offer several advantages over dynamic pages where attracting and retaining visitors is concerned. This is of course essential to converting web site visits to sales.

First, assuming you advertise your product or service on other web sites, when users arrive at your site after clicking one of your ads, most of them will leave within a few seconds if they don’t immediately see the information that prompted them to click on it in the first place. They do not want to fill in any forms, navigate your site looking for the information, or wait while the page is generated dynamically. Having the relevant information presented in a concise, statically loaded page will capture their attention and keep them from wandering away. For best results, this page should be customized for the advertisement or ad campaign that brought the visitor in. Thus, if you have different ads for a variety of products or services, each should link to a different landing page, optimized to deliver information relevant to that product or service, with a clear indication on what the user should do next. Many on-line marketers are realizing higher Click Through Rates this way.

Second, when content is dynamically generated, it may not always present the information your visitors are looking for. Pages are generated based on data, and if the data is unavailable (if for example, a service is not responding or a database is down), the page may not contain any information useful to your visitor. It may give error messages, or it may not render at all. Nothing will turn off first time visitors faster than a web site that appears to be broken. They’ll leave and likely never return.

The third and perhaps most compelling reason to utilize static landing pages on your marketing website is the simple fact that they are easier for search engines to crawl and index. In the old days, search engines couldn’t index dynamic pages at all. Now most search engines do index dynamic pages, but not as effectively as static pages. If there are too many special symbols in the URL for example (like question marks), some search engines will just skip it. If a dynamic page requires any kind of user input, like filling out forms or clicking buttons, most search engines will not be able to navigate the site and find the content. Regular html links are not a problem for search engines. That’s where a static landing page can really help. If all your relevant content is summarized on the landing page, with text links to the related areas of your site, the search engines will have no trouble indexing this information, and the text links will actually improve your rankings if you’ve used meaningful key words.

So how can you reap the rewards of a static landing page for your marketing website without sacrificing the benefits of dynamically generated content? One answer is to use a tool like “Landing Page Builder“, which in effect gives you the best of both worlds. Utilities like this one function by scanning your site, triggering the dynamic generation of the content, and automatically creating a static landing page. This page will contain a tightly focused overview of the services or products you wish to emphasize, relevant to the ads that drive the traffic to your site. When new pages are added to your site, or there are significant changes to the content, the site is re-scanned and the static landing page is re-created. With this arrangement, the majority of your site is still dynamically generated, so you retain the timeliness of the information (it’s as current as the data from which it’s drawn), but you get the consistency, performance, and search engine readiness of a static page for your visitors’ first impressions.

“Landing Page Builder” offers a few other features as well, designed to help improve the Click Through Rate of your ads and the effectiveness of the landing page. The ability to use short, descriptive URLs for your landing page makes it easier to post and email links to the page. Additionally, there is some research that indicates that people are more likely to click on shorter URLs when they appear in search results. Also, the designers of these tools are experts at Search Engine Optimization, so the pages generated do a pretty good job with keyword density and placement, which should drive additional traffic to your landing page.

If you are a web designer with the time to invest in creating customized Landing Page optimized for traffic from specific advertisements, or if you retain the services of such a designer, then this should give you some food for thought. Otherwise, it may be to your advantage to investigate an automation service for this.

Related posts:

[_] Landing Page Builder is good for Internet marketing

[_] Why static landing pages are good for Internet marketing

[_] Dynamic versus static web pages optimization

[_] Test the effectiveness of internet marketing by using landing pages

A static page vs. a dynamic page, is a single ‘landing’ page that is the essential pitch for a product or service you are promoting. Often summarizing and condensing and entire set of dynamic or variable pages into a single concise expression of what you offer a particular target audience. You have to grab the prospects attention and keep it drawing them into the benefits your product/service offers.

Clear and concise wording is the art and essence of a Static Landing Page. Landing Page Builder is a product by Search3w that helps with the process of distilling the content from and entire web site into a single promotion. It aligns with the main goal of the web site. The most common mistake of a manually made landing page, is to try to appeal to all prospects, rather than focusing on the key constituency of your web site. A variety of AdWords clients will click an ad out of very generalized curiosity. Landing Page Builder helps you focus in on the attributes your product or service offers to the most important reader. The one who will buy into either an ongoing relationship via email or answer the call to action that you will end the static landing page with.

One of the biggest reasons to use a static landing page is to prevent the client from ‘wandering off’. If you leave the opportunity to ‘click away’ from your pitch. A least a percentage will stray from the page you want to them to follow. Landing Page Builder by Search3w is the package that helps you lay down the path for them to follow. Its how you space out the bread crumbs of information that keep the customer pecking away at a pace that’s known to work.

If you are building an email list, you will want to match the message in the email campaign to the primary message in the landing page. Landing Page Generator helps develop the overview you are looking for in the ‘program’ mix. A comprehensive, persuasive approach to helping your customer with the marketing decision. Theme integration is the general concept, bringing all the strings of the theme into an articulate whole, that’s easy to understand with out being patronizing is the knack. Landing Page Builder is the tool to help with this Integration.

Scan-ability or the ability to quickly get the gist of the message is also an important aspect of a great rather than a good sales landing page. Most people are ‘grazing’ information, scanning for something that compels them to action. With the web you are always just a back button away from losing the clients attention. Landing Page Builder makes certain your headlines, sub-headings and graphics enable visitors to skim your landing page’s content to quickly learn what’s important to them and how it will benefit them. Most importantly, make sure it clearly points out how easily take the action.

Don’t forget esthetic’s, Landing Page Builder frames the content to lead the eye, making use of copy, graphics color and white space to ‘lead’ the reader through the path to the offer. Placing images next to the important key text messages makes the reader more likely to stop and read the messages. Varying the font size conveys importance of key impact messages. Font Color helps highlight important aspects of the body of the message.
The all important call to action. If you don’t ask for the sale, the entire process has been in vain. The final call to get an email address and or sign up for a product is what the whole cost of putting a messing in front of people. Landing Page Builder puts it together in a time tested fashion that insures you get the most impact for your advertising dollar.

Split testing is putting the same Goggle ad words ad on two different pages and examining the data one page will out perform the other and can be refined further still. With every iteration you get closer to your target group of people. Landing Page Builder assists with every step in the iteration process and will eventually get you to ‘marketing nirvana’, the perfect pitch of a GREAT static landing page.

Related posts:

[_] Landing Page Builder is good for Internet marketing

[_] Why static landing pages are good for Internet marketing

[_] Dynamic versus static web pages optimization

[_] Test the effectiveness of internet marketing by using landing pages

Static landing pages are an important part of Internet marketing. Unlike dynamic landing pages, static pages are search engine friendly, which brings more traffic to the page.
Dynamic pages, which use scripts, can pass personal information about the user, but are not easy for the search engines to index. Static landing pages are easy for the search engines find and index. The search engines also evaluate relevancy of the site. The site content must be relevant to the keywords.

Google has changed the rules. Only one Adword ad for an URL will be displayed. That makes it hard for affiliates who are promoting the same product to get their ad displayed.

Most article directories will not allow affiliate links in articles or in resource boxes. This limits the effectiveness of using articles to market affiliate products.

One solution to these problems is to create landing pages on your server to presell the customer before sending them to the product site. These landing pages may contain reviews or more information about the product.

Search engines bring traffic to the page. The job of the landing page is to convert that traffic. Landing pages have one function. That function is to get people to take action. The action may be to purchase a product or to enter their name and email address.

Internet marketers like static landing pages because once they are in place, they are easy to maintain. They can be optimized to specific keywords. If the domain name includes the keywords, this can increase the search engine page ranking.

Static landing pages can be a single page to sell a product, obtain viewer’s information or serve as a gateway to other pages. These static pages can be used to collect email address to build your list. They can also be use to sell an affiliate product or your own product. They have their own page rank.

The Internet offers an overwhelming amount of information. You have mere seconds to capture your viewer’s attention. First impressions are important. Viewers evaluate if the site is simple or complex. They determine if the site is relevant to their search query.

Landing pages should be simple. There should be no flashing graphics or other eye candy. There should be no links or other distractions for the reader. The purpose of the page is a single call to action. This may be to sell a product or to collect information.

There has been lots of research and testing to find what makes a good landing page. The success of the page is determined by the percent of visitors taking the desired action.

The page should load quickly. Flashing graphics detract from the purpose of the page. Keep in mind the purpose of the page. Focus the viewer on the single purpose of the page. The focus of the page should be on the user’s experience. Give them what they are seeking. Make sure they understand what they should be next.

If you are collecting information, make sure you are only collecting the information you need. If you are adding them to a mailing list, a name and email address are all you need. Asking for too much information can lead the user to click away from the page.

Now you don’t have to be a web master or know HTML. You don’t have to wait until your IT guru can make time for your project. There’s software that makes creating a good landing page easy. Landing Page Builder makes the process simple. Landing Page Builder gives you a simple fill-in-the-blanks form. Then it creates a search engine friendly, optimized site in a matter of minutes.

The software also offers tips on Adword campaigns and domain names. It enables you to improve the appearance and conversion rates of your pages. It allows you to pick different color schemes to change the appearance of your pages. The headline, sub-headings, and description should contain keywords. There should also be keywords in the first and last paragraph. Landing Page Builder puts your keywords where they count. The headline needs to promote the promise of the product or site. The reader wants to know what’s in it for them. Landing Page Builder creates a page that stresses the benefits to the customer.

The important thing is to do some testing to find the version of the page that converts the best. This will require split testing with different text and keywords. Landing Page Builder has done the testing for you. The pages it creates have proved to be successful at conversion. It saves you time, effort, and lost sales.

Related posts:

[_] Landing Page Builder is good for Internet marketing

[_] Why static landing pages are good for Internet marketing

[_] Dynamic versus static web pages optimization

[_] Test the effectiveness of internet marketing by using landing pages

Google Maps bug, or maps hijack

Google maps results for Movers New York, NY query showing a business pretending are FlatRate.com, one of the leading and most trusted moving companies (Forbes awarded) in the states. Real FlatRate is (E & G), the hijacker is Luckymover.com shown as (A).

Somehow, Luckymover info window is showing FlatRate’s Details, 120 Reviews and Web Pages.

The only differences are the brand names (“flat that rate”), link & directions (“Luckymover.com”) and fake address few blocks away (same zip code).

Let’s see first how Google defines it:

So, you ask, how is adRank determined? While bid price (the price advertisers are willing to pay for each click per thousand impressions) is obviously an important factor, we also calculate advertiser Quality Score to make sure the best performing ads will always appear on your site. Quality Score takes into account factors such as an ad’s relevancy and click-through rate (CTR) (i.e. how likely users are to click on a given ad) because a higher CTR sometimes outweighs the benefits of a higher bid price. This ensures that your site always displays the ads representing the highest revenue potential for you.

Source: http://adsense.blogspot.com/2006/02/ad-rank-explained.html

QS = Quality Score. See below.
CPM = Cost per thousand impressions. The amount paid per impression is calculated by dividing the CPM by 1000. For example, a $10 CPM equals $.01 per impression. $10 CPM / 1000 impressions = $.01 per impression.

Quality Score for Google and the search network is a dynamic metric assigned to each of your keywords. It’s calculated using a variety of factors and measures how relevant your keyword is to your ad group and to a user’s search query. The higher a keyword’s Quality Score, the lower its minimum bid and the better its ad position. Source: http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=21388

adRank and Quality Score in layman’s terms
To get better adRank and higer Quality Score formula do these:

1. Gain good keyword history
2. Increase CTR
3. Place adWords keywords on landing page, or find/publish better landing page

You can find thousands of web posts about AdSense scam like this one I have found at Alexandru’s blog – The Anatomy of a Google AdSense Scam: “Yes another tactics used by scammers to fool Google. I wonder why Google don’t react or know about this… The approach is very simple – Copy/Paste Google generated code in your pages, and then you’ll have successful “hits” that might bring you lots of money. I haven’t tested it yet, but I’ll try to describe how “I think” they are doing… However, it seems that the inventive minds of the evil scammers has discovered a way to trick this technique, and the approach is simple – they just copy/paste the HTML code generated by Google AdWords in any of their pages. This way, I can do with ease a site with empty content, and start pasting ads from anybody I want, making good money out of it.”

Alright, the Fight To Spammers is a sure failure. But MICROSOFT !?

Searching Search3w on live.com shows up Google AdSense on the organic side of the results page! – www.google.com/pagead/iclk?sa=l&ai=Bxl_…
Interesting enough it happened soon after I set AdCenter account. I have no idea what’s going on! Any ideas that might help me solve this mystery?