Clicking on Google ads

[Chunkford]

Hey everyone,
I have seen this poll here http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/poll/10-08-2009/do-you-click-the-ads-on-google and it shows some interesting results.

I was talking about this to a friend and he basicily told me it was a load of tosh as if he was looking to buy something then he would defiantly click on them, and so would everyone else.
He says if the question was worded like 'Do you click the ads on Google when buying' then it would be totally different results.

What do you think?

[Spiderden]

Your friend's in no position to talk for everyone else.

I look at the organic listings first, then I might look at the AdSense if I haven't found what I'm looking for.

[Bill Ryan]

I look at the main listings first - anyone can buy a good adwords position

[Tommo]

Agreed, I tend to use the AdWords listing till last.

[Chunkford]

Your friend's in no position to talk for everyone else.

I'm glad someone said that.

I have had a few discussions about this in the past, but had to walk away because what I was saying wasn't getting through to him.

I feel he spends way too much on PPC, and suggested that he should look at using some of the money on other forms of advertising.

It just frustrates me (and half the reason why i am posting) that he doesn't listen. He just keeps on saying your wrong, if people are buying things then they will click on them, if they were searching for information then that's when they don't. Which in some form makes sence, but I still feel a large portion of people avoid the ads.

Does anyone else know of figures, guru's etc that have researched this to back me up on the next round of talks with him :p

Oh btw, when i said friend he's more of a work associate.

[*Lexxy*]

i can probably count on 1 hand the times i've clicked on the ads over there>>>>>>

[Eagle]

Someone must be clicking the ads...

[*Lexxy*]

...perhaps google staff in their lunchtime! ;)

[Roj]

There are plenty of people who do click on Google ads. Google is making a lot of cash with these ads and so are many other people. As with most things there are winners and losers so there are people who have lost money on Google ads.

I tend to look at both organic listings and the ads.

Google ads can be very effective for some products and services if done correctly but it is normally more cost effective in the long term to spend time or money on getting high rankings in the organic listings.

[Tommo]

From what I can tell the divide forms at those who know they are ads, tend not to click on them, average Joe is none the wiser and quite happy.

Same with parking pages.

[dots and spots Jeff]

But doesn't the poll actually expalin the success of google ads (or similar)?

What would results be for ads in (say) a magazine or newspaper be? Possibily 46% would say they ignore them. The difference being that the person paying for the add has had to pay for the add to be put in front of those 46% of people who ignore them.

For google adds, on a pay per click basis, it costs nothing to place that add in front of the 46% who ignore it, so the add is more cost effective.

'Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, the trouble is, I don't know which half'
John Wanamaker

Google ads is trying to solve the above.

[sirearl]

hers some stats

It does depend on your product and how well crafted your adwords are done .

on our sites we have between 10 and 20 times more from organics to adwords.



http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/p267544736_Google-Organic-versus-AdWords.html

Earl

[Simon-M]

I spent a hell of a lot of cash on adwords. Even got the pros in to up me click rate etc. I had a sneaking feeling that over the years the ROI was diminisging rapidly. I decided to pull the plug totally and hold my breath.

I notice no significant drop in orders at all. It has been well over a year now that I have avoided adwords and my business has gone from strength to strength.

I have no idea when it stopped being effective for me but the second I stoped I was about 4 grand better off a month for no work :)

Simon

[directmarketingadvice]

I have had a few discussions about this in the past, but had to walk away because what I was saying wasn't getting through to him.

I feel he spends way too much on PPC, and suggested that he should look at using some of the money on other forms of advertising.

Is his Adwords campaign profitable? If so, why would he want to cut it back?
If he did, wouldn't he just make less profit?*

As for the Money Saving Expert survey, if it turned out to be right, it's still saying that 54% of people are happy to click the ads.

I can't really understand why someone would want to turn their back on such a large part of their market.

Steve

* The exception is for businesses that can only handle a limited amount of sales. In that case, you tend to want to bring in the best possible customers while investing the least amount of time and money.

[directmarketingadvice]

I look at the main listings first - anyone can buy a good adwords position

And anyone with enough money can hire the best SEO around.

Steve

[sirearl]

As Steve says why would you drop something thats making you money.

There is also the point that it may be your only avenue to market.

Hiring a top SEO is not cheap and probably is not viable for very many websites.

PPC done right is recommended for new sites with limited funds as the road to the top of google et al can be a long one for virgin sites.

Earl

[directmarketingadvice]

And you can use some of the profits from PPC to pay for other forms of marketing... including SEO.

Steve

[Chunkford]

Interesting points made. I'm probably more annoyed with the fact of his attitude towards the 'game'.

What would you say when you're already on the 1st page, would you still use Adwords then?

[sirearl]

Interesting points made. I'm probably more annoyed with the fact of his attitude towards the 'game'.

What would you say when you're already on the 1st page, would you still use Adwords then?


well again if the adwords is making you money why drop it.

as for being on page one it depends where on page one you are and how enticing your title and description is.

as an example the No1 site has 14 x more traffic than No 9&10 spots and 3.5 x No2.

Earl

[Colin Parker]

i can probably count on 1 hand the times i've clicked on the ads over there>>>>>>

This statement - which I hear repeatedly - is totally irrelevant.

Neither Google (nor I as a prolific Adwords advertiser) are interested in whether YOU click on ads, we are only interested in the fact that millions do click - every day.

Adwords turned Google frrom a great search engine into one of the most meteorically profitable companies the world has ever seen.

In the UK Google has a c90% market share of search and even if 46% of searchers never click on sponsored ads that means 56% of that 90% do.

I would query the accuracy of the survey but even if only 35% of searches result in a click on a sponsored ad that is still a massive market which is available to businesses.

However, the 'problem' with adwords is that far too many businesses start advertising with an adwords knowledge level of 1 out of 10 at best ... and then wonder why they cannot make adwords 'work'.

Colin Parker

[webpromoterservice]

I always look at the organic results because i know the sponsored links are from companies promoting their products.I guess people who are not aware of sponsored links will see it differently.

[Colin Parker]

I always look at the organic results because i know the sponsored links are from companies promoting their products.I guess people who are not aware of sponsored links will see it differently.

What is your point?

Are you trying to say that companies with organic listings are not trying to promote their products and are therefore 'better'?

Or are you trying to infer that companies advertising on sponsored links are 'tricksters' or whatever?

I would genuinely like to hear what point you are actually making.

Colin Parker

[directmarketingadvice]

I always look at the organic results because i know the sponsored links are from companies promoting their products.

Aren't you an SEO?

(you have a link for SEO tips in your sig)

If so, aren't your clients paying you to get them organic rankings that'll promote their products?

When I'm searching for non-commercial stuff (information, rather than something that might lead to a purchase*), I always ignore the ads.

My reasoning is that they're commercial but my search isn't.

But, if I'm looking for somewhere to buy, the ads are often the first place I go. Because, they're commercial and so is my search.

Also, to stay on p1 with ppc, they tend to have to convert well enough to cover the click cost - that implies the sites will:

(1) Take me to the right place (or within a click of the right page)

(2) Be easy to use/navigate

(3) Have a good value offer

(4) Where appropriate, have a good selection of products in a category

With SEO, a bad converting site can stay on page 1.

(i.e. isn't it as easy to SEO a site that converts badly as one that would convert well?)

Steve

* Example: today I was searching google to get synonyms for the word "bespoke".

[*Lexxy*]

my reply quoted...

This statement - which I hear repeatedly - is totally irrelevant.



excuse me, the OP asked 'what do you think?', i gave my personal experience, i did not say anything like 'because I don't click, obviously nobody else does'.

why the heck is MY experience completely irrelevant?! :mad:

[Ali-v-8]

eye tracking proved an "F" is the standard approach when people scan website.
hence the standard navigation on most template websites

Google adverts on the right fall out of this normal view.

Also its natural to read left to right (unless you Arab)

[Colin Parker]

my reply quoted...



excuse me, the OP asked 'what do you think?', i gave my personal experience, i did not say anything like 'because I don't click, obviously nobody else does'.

why the heck is MY experience completely irrelevant?! :mad:

I think you will find that the OP was asking for an opinion on the stats he provided not an opinion on whether forum members do or do not click on ads.

Colin Parker

[*Lexxy*]

I think you will find that the OP was asking for an opinion on the stats he provided not an opinion on whether forum members do or do not click on ads.

Colin Parker

i read the OP as asking for feedback - either on the stats or the act itself. but we're all different aren't we.

i'll bugga off back under my rock again now...

[sjr4x4]

Blimey, emotive subject.

Me personally, with a business hat on, Adwords are fantastic. have tried all sorts of advertising mediums from liveried taxis, magazines, radio, I've never been able to get a better conversion rate from paid advertising.

Organic stuff is obviously the holy grail, but you can set up an adwords campaign on a whim, let it run for a few hours, track your results, and tweak as necessary. No other form of advertising can give you such an instant response or flexibility.

As for do people click the adverts? As an adsense publisher, we consistently get a daily 4.5% click through rate.

Talk to me 3 years ago, and I would have told you adsense was all cobblers and nobody clicks them, but I was convinced to at least pilot it, and never looked back :)

As a personal internet user.. I hate them, think the format is 1990's, and they look ugly. But when looking for something, I do sometimes click if they seem to be what I'm looking for, so I guess thats what its all about...

[sirearl]

Blimey, emotive subject.

Me personally, with a business hat on, Adwords are fantastic. have tried all sorts of advertising mediums from liveried taxis, magazines, radio, I've never been able to get a better conversion rate from paid advertising.

Organic stuff is obviously the holy grail, but you can set up an adwords campaign on a whim, let it run for a few hours, track your results, and tweak as necessary. No other form of advertising can give you such an instant response or flexibility.



On the button there Steve far better to be on page 1 with Adwords than page 2 with organics.

Earl