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The motivation for this post comes from years of hearing things about how to succeed with PPC Marketing. There are people who think a good PPC Marketer is all about passing the Adwords Professional Exams, and others who think that buying their way into Adwords and taking suggestions from Google is the way to go. I have to disagree completely with both of them. Understanding Paid Search best practices is one thing. But knowing and developing a strategy that is built for ongoing optimization and expansion is another. Below are my Top 6 Misperceptions: (hard to rank them)

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Misperception #6: High Quality Score means a Good Campaign:
This sounds confusing, but this is absolutely not true. How many times have you see a High Quality Score rank for a term that has no conversions. How many times have you seen a very low Quality Score Rank for a term that possesses many conversions. This metric means nothing and should not be looked at with any concern. Furthermore, the algorithm behind this rank is very suspect and should be modified to be based on Conversions. Word of advice, STOP thinking about it.

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Misperception #5: Good CTR% is Most Important Metric
Yes, a good CTR% is a sign that you have a good impressions vs. clicks ratio. But it does NOT mean SUCCESS. You could argue that a good CTR% is a sign of a good quality score and that is correct. But that doesn’t matter if you are not getting any conversions from it. Wouldn’t you rather have a lower CTR% and 10 Conversions, vs. a high CTR% and 1 conversion? Having both a high CTR% and many Conversions is the best of both worlds, but don’t rely on a good CTR% as a success. The only success is the sound of the cash register.

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Misperception #4: Lots of Keywords and Negatives is a Good Thing
This one makes me crazy to no end. Having lots of keywords in a specific adgroup is a sign that it needs to be broken out into many other adgroups to improve on relevancy. If you have tons of Negative Terms, that is a sign that you are (1) not targeting the right audience or (2) not using the proper keyword matching options available to you. Just because you spent money on expensive keyword research tools does not mean you will make a return on that investment. In most cases, you will have 500 keywords running and at the end of the month, you might have like 10-20 that might actually perform well for you. Remember, you are trying to reach and identify potential customers, not everyone under the sun.

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Misperception #3: Display/Content Network is a Waste
That may have been true 5 years ago, but not today. In a world of high competition and inflated CPCs, Google’s Display Network is “Prime Real Estate” right now for advertisers. Now it does NOT have the amazing targeting abilities such as LinkedIn and Facebook, but they do have the power of Remarketing as well as YouTube Targeting. Also, so Branding is making a comeback in PPC and is a must strategy that deserves a larger piece of the Ad Budget. The only downfall you may have with the Display Network is the person behind the Strategy and “day to day” management. Remember the days when your Content Network budget was consumed by a few Adult-Oriented or completely irrelevant sites which made you freak out and demonize the network? Well, perhaps it was a matter of Management and in today’s world it could be a potential goldmine for your business.

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Misperception #2: It’s OK to Use PPC To Drive Traffic WITHOUT Conversion Tracking
Sorry to break it to you, but unless you just won the lottery and want to make a donation to provide more Filet Mignon’s and Italian Gelato to the Google Cafeteria Budget, I would never suggest to use PPC for just driving traffic and not monetizing anything. For every dollar you spend in PPC, Google has provided every advertiser with all of the tools needed to ensure that you know what is working and not working with your investment. Tip: Don’t be lazy, find someone to set this up. It’s worth it!

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Misperception #1: Being Adwords Certified Means your an Expert:
Being Adwords Certified means only one thing. You have an idea on how to use the platform. Just because someone is Certified does not mean they can outsmart someone who is not Certified. This is probably one of the biggest issues in PPC today. Yes, the Certification provides some excellent best practices that are crucial to a successful campaign. I would rather hire someone with past experience than someone who just passed the exam. Here are just a few things that the Exam does not teach you:

• How to come up with a Good Strategy
• How to be Proactive and Reactive when it matters most
• How to deal with Client Management
• What to do when something goes wrong
• How to understand true ROI and Atrribution
• How to look at “Offline” influencers that affect PPC efforts
• How to deal with Affiliate and Resellers who are invading the advertisers space
• Shall I go on………..

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In Conclusion:
Good PPC Marketing comes from experience, best practices and passion for doing the work. It also encompasses a strong dedication and loyalty to the client and/or company you are working for. Passing an Adwords Exam only show that you are either a Good Test Taker or you know how to use their platform. That is all it does. The key to success is how you use the platform and all of it’s bells and whistles to your client’s advantage.

Yes, we are talking about the size of PPC Marketing. Bigger is not always Better in this Industry and when we hear about advertisers bragging about having thousands of keywords, text ads, negatives, etc.. it does not sound impressive to me, it sounds like there might be a problem. Furthermore, when I hear something like this, I often believe this is more of a “Strategy Issue” then the typical “blocking and tackling” tactics. With that said, keep in mind that PPC Advertisers should always  “re-think” their plan before they get in the habit of always putting “band-aids” on the PPC campaigns which can lead to an infected business model.

Here are some thoughts about why Size Doesn’t Matter in PPC

Issue: Lots of Impressions in the Search Network and Display Network with Text Ads is a BAD THING.
Solution: Lots of Impressions for those using Display Banners on the Display Network is a good thing to have, especially if your settings are set to CPA or CPC. It is also beneficial to identify any and all View Thru Conversions.

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Issue: Lots of Keywords in an adgroup is a bad thing. Tells me that you need to break out more relevant adgroups
Solution: Having lots of keywords is an indicator that the advertiser need to create more “tightly” grouped adgroups in order to maximize the Quality Score, as well as ongoing optimization.

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Issue: Lots of Negatives is a sign that you have targeting issues, that reflect the poor choice of HEAD Terms.
Solution: Negative Keywords is an effective tool to filter out traffic. However, the proper use of keyword matching and types of negatives can force the advertiser to reconsider the audience they are trying to reach. Having too many negatives means there is a bigger issue with keyword matching and not enough long-tail keywords.

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Issue: Lots of Display Network sites showing your ads is a bad thing. Most likely you should exclude most of them that are not performing in terms of conversions.
Solution: When you start a display campaign, it’s not a bad thing to see lots of sites that either the advertiser has chosen manually or to have shown automatically. It’s a bad thing however, when you do not monitor and start performing Site Exclusions. This is MUST tactic in order to control the spend and where your ads are showing.

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Issue: Lots of PPC Traffic can be a bad thing. Unless it’s converting, it is increasing site bandwidth and a sign that there might be usability or audience issue.
Solution: Controlling the PPC Traffic has always been a “double edged” sword. It all has to do with Conversions. If the conversions are coming in, then optimize which terms of adgroups they are coming from. Having a goal of just driving as much traffic as possible in order to “try and see what happens” is a very bad strategy.

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Issue: Lots of traffic from 2nd tier search engine platforms can be a bad thing. If not converting, waste of bandwidth and expectations.
Solution: Using other search engine platforms to get a lower CPC and increase traffic is not a good strategy to have. It would make a great 1 month test to see the results, but would not recommend based on cheaper traffic. Again, if it’s converting and your ROAS% is good, then continue.

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Issue: Too many text ads can be a bad thing because of the time needed for an accurate sample size, as well as the messaging tactics.
Solution: The use of multiple text ads is a very good thing if there is a Messaging Strategy in place. If the advertiser is just changing a few words around and creating 10-15 ads per adgroup, then understanding the successes make it more difficult.

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Issue: Too many people working in the same PPC account can be a disaster unless there are strict rules in place
Solution: When working in Adwords, it’s imperative to view the “Change History”. You do not want to have too many hands in the cookie jar because it will increase the probability that someone will inadvertently make a change that would be detrimental to your efforts.

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Issue: Too many PPC accounts within company divisions can be a nightmare to manage due to keyword and audience overlapping, not to mention URL overriding.
Solution: Consolidation and communication amongst a large company is crucial to avoiding a PPC tug or war.

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Issue: Too many affiliates using PPC can be a very bad thing as it drives up the CPC costs, increases risk for display URL overrides and overall branding and messaging inconsistencies.
Solution: Affiliate Marketing and Resellers in the PPC space can have many issues for the advertiser. In order to properly handle this issue, the advertiser must have a set of rules for affiliates to follow. The advertiser must also understand the expectations that there CPC’s would like increase and this is driving up competition.

First off, the only true loyalty PPC Marketer’s should have is to their clients. THAT’S IT! Here’s why. For those who are engulfed into the “day to day” of the PPC world, we often look to technology to help us along the way. Any little extra bell or whistle that will help shed anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours is an obviously good thing. However, it forces the question: Is there any brand loyalty that we have with the technology companies that provide help, outside of the Search Engine Platforms? In this brief post, I will provide you this Semgeek’s opinion.

What have you done for me Lately?
Everyone wants to make money, that is why we work. But, in order to make money, one needs to be comfortable with whom they are working with. The same goes with technology partners. When something breaks, API issues, etc.. the PPC marketer is the first in the line of fire. So, in order for everyone not to lose any sleep over these issues, a clear understanding must be transparent all the way back to the client. This is where the “true value” of the business relationship lies. I would prefer an honest partner than one who can promise you the world

Do you really want to work with me?
Sometimes, many PPC marketers (novice or expert) choose who they want to partner up with and often creates a “love-hate” relationship. It’s a bad thing, but opens your eyes a little. Every PPC Maketer or agency has their own way of doing things, and choosing an additional technology company should never be personal. If it does, then the CLIENT LOSES and YOU LOSE!

Do you really care about my Clients?
Whether it’s the latest bells and whistles with a technology platform or a new strategy on attribution, an intelligent PPC Marketer needs to know better about how it will effect their client’s performance and often questions the motives of the potential business partner. Since everyone is about making money, the PPC Guru needs to separate greed from client expectations.

In Conclusion:
PPC Marketers are passionate about their own best practices, and strategical vision on how to run their own business. Not every technology company or even a recent presentation may not be in your best interest. For us Geeks, it can be a difficult transition from CTR Junkie to Business Monkey, but what helps guide the “wavy” road is the CLIENT. We do what is in the best interest of the client. Nothing is ever personal, nor is it detrimental from “trying to stay in the Click” (No PPC Pun intended). As mentioned before, the ONLY LOYALTY should be to the Client. If not, bye bye client!

Mark your calendars on March 3rd, 2011 because there is a Trademark Policy change coming from Microsoft for the Bing/Yahoo platform. You don’t have the read all of the details, but in essence it screams “We need more market share and we can do this by allowing everyone to bid on each others Trademark search terms.” In retrospect, this is good for the Affiliate and Reseller Advertisers and not so much for the companies themselves. However, it does raise a few questions about how effective they will actually enforce these Trademark issues, especially since they are putting a majority of the responsibility back onto the advertiser. Seems like just another contribution to the “Wild West” of the PPC Industry. Let’s discuss the details.

Well, it appears that on March 3rd, Microsoft will stop any editorial investigations into complaints about trademarks used as keywords in the United States and Canada. They say that the reason for this is to “come in line with search industry practices” and the only way to fight a Trademark dispute is to have the trademark owner should contact the advertiser directly. If that fails, then the trademark owner can fill out the Intellectual Property Complaints Form and then Microsoft will start the investigation.

>> Click here to read the updated Microsoft Adcenter Intellectual Property Guidelines

Some important points:

• Microsoft will investigate complaints relating to alleged trademark violations in ad text.
• Microsoft will continue to allow fair use of trademarks in ad text.
• Microsoft is not a mediator. Microsoft encourages trademark owners to engage directly with advertisers who they believe are misusing their trademarks.

Microsoft accepts the fair use of trademarks in ad text, such as:

• Use of a trademark by a reseller of authentic goods or services
• Informational websites about goods or services represented by the trademark, such as product reviews
• Ordinary dictionary use of a term
• Comparative advertising, when supported by independent research

One of the “not so sexy” elements of PPC management is the constant tug of war that goes one with Google’s Editorial process with regards to their Display Network Platform. Throughout any given day, we all find new ways to beat the system, or in some cases avoid the dreaded client call where you have the “I know, but it’s Google, not me” conversation. In this short blog post, I have provided some tactics that you may have already heard about that can help you eliminate the problems of Google Editorials of Image Ads, which can easily occur for any “crazy ass” reason. Let’s get started…

Understanding the Red Flags:
The red flags which arise in the automated editorial process for Image Ads are triggered by the types of keywords that they are associated with. As we all know, certain types of search terms are flagged based on their meanings. Obvious ones are those somehow related to Porn, Alcohol, Pharmacy, etc… These types of terms will automatically be disapproved and Text and Banner Ads will then be subject to a manual review which could days 2-3 business days.

Furthermore, even if your image Ads were previously approved manually and you just want to do some Landing Page A/B Testing, where you just change the destination url, you will once again go through the same damn entire editorial process again. However, there are ways around this and they are all about being proactive.

Don’t Delete, Pause and then Reload:
As the furthest thing from Sarah Palin, what I am saying is that once the Image Ads have been disapproved, then manually “re-approved” do not over-write them or delete them. Always PAUSE them and ADD new ones in case any new image ads are disapproved again. That way, you will not have any down time while the new ones are going through manual review (2-3 days). The issue with this, is of course if the Destination URL is the correct one or has not been removed.

Pro-active Landing Page Testing:
Many PPC Marketers provide Landing Page testing as part of their strategy, it’s very important to upload the display banners are soon as possible (possibly a week before the Test is expected to start) and turn the campaign on for about 0.50 or 0.25 cents per day to push the editorial process. This way, you can deal with all of the Google B.S. without suffering from setting the wrong expectations with the client or company. The same procedure can be said for those uploading new display banners which will once again go through manual reviews.

For many of us PPC Geeks out there using the Display Network, we love the ability to EXCLUDE irrelevant or under-performing websites that are in the Network. We also have the ability to manually choose which websites to advertise on. However, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to have the same functionality within Google’s Search Partners? You know, the ability to optimize through “Relevancy” and “Conversions”? Isn’t that a crucial part of Google’s marketing? Well, advertisers should be given the choice. They have it for the Display Network already?

Does Google think: “Don’t touch our business partners, but they can screw around with Adsense Customers, since we are making money regardless.”

Here’s the Rundown with the Search Network

• Advertisers have the ability to choose either Google.com and the Search Network.
• Advertisers CANNOT just chose Search Partners with Google.com
• Advertisers CANNOT exclude business partner sites (even though some of them are just as bad as adsense sites)

In Conclusion:

Will Google ever give us the ability to exclude sites from the Search Network Partners? Probably Not. Because if they did, they would have to be willing to disclose which partner sites are included. I also have to scream BSHT (John Belushi in Animal House) about while Google freely enables it for the Display Network and not the Search Partners sounds like a little to much Bureaucracy and Greed. But as we know from Gordon Gekko, “Greed is Good” Just not for PPC Advertisers.

As someone who treats PPC like an exquisite Micro-Brew that goes well with any fine meal, I am somewhat dumbfounded by the lack of strategy and overall mindset of what I am seeing in the Industry. I also cannot blame the clients as they are getting what they pay for. The problem, however, is that the client doesn’t have a clue as to what they are getting, other than they gave this agency $500 and there phone may be ringing a little more. In this article, I will give my view of the troublesome phenomena and will provide some warning signs that an advertiser should look out for.

Lackluster Strategies:
When an advertiser starts spending money in Google, there must be a plan of action, other than just clicks. Their also must be a specific audience and message already in place. The “Use PPC for Clicks” era has ended a long time ago, and as advertisers start seeing their Ad budgets go through the roof, there gonna need more guidance and results. If they don’t, they will STOP. Say GOOGLE Sucks and is broken. A good PPC Marketer will never have that scenario happen to them, unless they have a strategy, well-defined goals and web analytics to back them up. Oh yeah, not to mention the “blocking and Tackling skills” to effectively implement PPC.

Automation is NOT the Future:
I may be an “old schooler” when it comes to PPC Automation and do know and understand the benefits of it. But depending on your skill level and understanding of the account, automation could also be a sign of LAZINESS. In order for many of us in the field to make more money, we need have as many clients as possible without the overhead. The idea of “Why waste it on the human brain, when a computer can do it for you.” This is where I have to draw the line.   If the advertiser or agency relies heavily on automation so that they can handle more clients, they will lose clients or their client will not know what is a success or failure. The Search Industry has a very high turnover rate and this type of thinking is a main result of that.

Overdosing on the Google Koolaid:
This is not a shot at Google (no pun intended), but when Google provides you an automated Optimization recommendation, its to benefit them, NOT YOU. Google has rolled out some terrific new bells and whistles lately: (Remarketing, Ad Extensions, Improved Keyword Tool, Youtube Targeting, etc…) but you have to remember that Google’s company value is based on PPC Dollars and they will do everything they can to get you to spend more money. Noticed a free $100 coupon to get started? That’s because they want you to get hooked on it. However, I have seen countless times when people would turn off Google because they said it didn’t work for them. This is where the advertiser needs a PPC expert to evaluate the account.

Certifications Do Not Meet Squat:
Don’t get me wrong. Being Google Certified is a good thing. But, if you base your requirements on someone because they are Google Certified, it does not make them a Good PPC Marketer by any means. What certified means is that they can understand the platform according to Google and have an understanding of the best practices. The Certification process DOES NOT train you how to increase the ROAS% or identify indirect keywords or even deal with Affiliate Display URL Hijacking. This all comes from experience and motivation to learn from mistakes and tests.

Transparency and Honest Reporting:
Now each agency/firm has different expectations of reporting and communications with the client/advertiser. However, if the advertiser is unaware of where there money went, what worked, what didn’t work or what opportunities they can identify, they SHOULD FIRE them. Remember, the advertiser hired the PPC Agency to manage their money and tell them what is happening. I have heard horror stories of advertisers giving an agency $1000 to manage their account and all they got was a report about Clicks and Impressions. That’s pretty sad. It’s in the interest of everyone, that the advertiser has a clear understanding of the strategy and complete transparency of the results. It’s there money isn’t it?

Google is Not the Only Engine:
Every PPC Advertiser should understand that Google is not the only Search Engine with PPC and not the only opportunity to drive conversions and traffic. If someone is telling you that “just use Google. They own like 75% of the market, it’s easy and don’t waste your time with Yahoo/Bing”, FIRE THEM NOW!!!! Yahoo/Bing not only provides a different audience, but it also is generally provides a less expensive Cost Per Click which would enable more flexibility on the monthly ad budgets.

In Conclusion:
PPC is way of life for many of us in the field. We see things that drive us crazy and little things like Ad Extensions and View Through conversions makes us excited. However, the opportunity that PPC has given businesses and individuals is a double edged sword. It provides a diverse level of talent and experience which leads to high turnover. The biggest problem though, is getting the advertiser to understand how everything works. It’s that lack of transparency that is killing the industry. The more the advertiser knows what is going on, and the better the PPC marketer can leverage the search engine platforms, the more money will flow into Google’s pocket so they can officially purchase the Planet Earth.

From all of us who are still in shock from the devastating shooting in Tucson, Arizona, I was very encouraged to see a PPC Advertisement provided by a 501(c)(4) named TrueMajority, a project of USAction. I am not sure if USAction.org is using Google Grants account (as this is would be Political in Origin), nevertheless, I am sure money well spent. I would also encourage GOOGLE to reimburse USAction.org for their use of Google to allow all Americans to be able to “Light a Virtual Candle”.

These are the times where even Pay-Per-Click Marketing can make a difference.

>> Click Here to Light a virtual candle for the shooting victims

When Trellian, the parent company of Keyword Discovery, launched their new Direct Search Network, I was a little skeptic at first as I did not truly understand the scope of it. However, as I started to read more into it, I realized that it’s not getting the attention it truly deserves in the PPC Industry. The bottom line is that even though this platform is completely different from traditional PPC, it does provide another outlet for PPC Marketers to test something new on a rather small dollar investment. Furthermore, from what I am hearing, Trellian is also going to be adding more and more “bells and whistles” in future releases, which will make it more user friendly. So, without further adieu, I will walk you through some of the basics of Direct Search.

Trellian Direct Search Quick Bits:

• The Trellian Direct Search Network opening bid price is on average 70% less than major search engines’ CPC (Cost Per Click).
• Research has shown that Direct Navigation converts 50% greater than traditional search engines.
• Trellian Direct Search Network has direct access to 200 million unique visitors per month, that can be redirected to your website.
• The network includes domains parked with the Above.com platform that are authorized to redirect to advertisers.
• Offers Traditional Bidding Auction
• Supports Negative Keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic.
• Their Billing system supports PayPal and Credit Cards.
• You can add keywords to your Trellian Direct Search account directly from a Keyword Discovery search result

Why Consider Using It?
According to Trellian, research shows that Direct Navigation converts 50% greater because users are presented with a website that is highly relevant to their search, without the need to click on any ads. Furthermore, independent studies done by Mozilla and UCLA confirmed that direct navigation is a major part of the web user experience. So with that said, the biggest difference that Direct Search provides is that the direct navigators behave differently to traditional search engine users. Direct navigators are intent driven searchers. Also, it’s important to note that Direct Search taps into a pocket of internet “searchers” not reached by the traditional search engines. Since Direct Search bypasses search engines completely it provides a new untapped source of a potential customer. Because traffic is re-directed the advertiser has NO organic or paid competition.

How does it work?
Direct Search Network has access to Internet searchers using the navigation bar (address bar) and redirects unique visitors directly to your website. Trellian Direct Search has direct access to 200 million unique visitors per month, that can be redirected to your specified website.

What’s the Bidding Auction Like?
There is no fancy bidding algorithm here. For example, if you’re max bid is $2.00 and a competitor is bidding for position #1 for $1.50, then you would be paying $1.51 per visitor. So in essence, you will only pay $0.01 (one cent) more than the highest bidder. This is a simply easy to use bid manager tool.

How do the Keywords Work?
Direct Search uses both a standard broad matching, and exact match for all keywords. And they do support Negative Keywords. For example if you place the word “Blog” as a Negative Keyword associated with the broad match term PPC, then the “PPC Blog” Broad Matched term will not show up (PPC -blog).

What does Google/Yahoo Bing Offer that Direct Search Does NOT?

• Currently does not Support domain extensions as a negative, say -.fr to exclude French domain names.
• Currently does not support GEO Targeting, however Trellian is telling us that they will have this enabled in a future release.
• Only supports Broad Match Keywords, however provides ability to add negatives keywords. …Since we also support exact is this necessary.
• There is no fancy algorithm, just a traditional bid auction.

In Conclusion:
Yes, Direct Search is quite different from Google and Yahoo/Bing. However, a viable compliment to your current PPC campaigns. Just because it’s different doesn’t mean it not worth trying. In fact, putting aside a few hundred bucks for testing on the platform is not a bad strategy considering the low CPCs and traffic “sample size”. From my experience with Direct Search, I have seeing tons of low cost traffic and the CPCs across multiple campaigns are anywhere from 0.02 to $0.20 Cost per visitor.

To learn more about Trellian’s Direct Search, here are some useful links:

• Direct Search Quick Start Guide
• Direct Search FAQs
• Sign Up for Trellian Direct Search

As a salute to Cyber Monday, here is a great list of 20 gifts for us “Green Geeks” out there provided by The E-Advisor Blog. According to E-Advisor “If you haven’t yet joined the green revolution, then you probably don’t know what exactly they’d want or need, or whether or not they already have it. So before you undertake exhaustive research in your quest to find the perfect gift, peruse these items and determine if they would capture your green geek’s fancy.” Here are just some of my favorites.

	The WeWood Watch - Made from 100% Wood. - Hypo-allergenic - Completely free of toxic chemicals - Miyota movement
	GreenGlass - Made from recycled glass. - We transform used beer and wine bottles into funky glasses. - Broken glass is crushed or melted to produce gorgeous beads for jewellery.
	The Big Green Cookbook Practical, Money-saving, eco-friendly cooking.