Question
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Google AdWords(TM) Announcement:
Improved Smart Pricing & Expanded Content Network
Hello from the Google AdWords Team:
We're pleased to introduce two improvements to AdWords that will
help improve your ROI and help you reach additional targeted
prospects. First, we're adjusting the price of certain clicks
based on expected value to help ensure better performance for
advertisers. Second, we're extending the reach of
contextually-targeted advertising to ads in approved email
programs, including Gmail and HTML newsletters. Keep reading for
more details.
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Improved smart pricing
We're introducing automatic price adjustments for certain clicks
you get from the Google Network. Google's smart pricing model
has always provided better placement for better performing ads,
and reduced the cost of a click to the least amount possible to
stay above your competitor's ad. And now, with no change in how
you bid, Google may reduce the cost for a click if that better
reflects the value it brings to advertisers like you.
How smart pricing works
We are constantly analyzing data across our network, and if our
data shows that a click is less likely to turn into business
results (e.g. online sale, registration, phone call, newsletter
sign-up), we may reduce the price you pay for that click. You
may notice a reduction in the cost of clicks from content sites.
We take into account many factors such as what keywords or
concepts triggered the ad, as well as the type of site on which
the ad was served. For example, a click on an ad for digital
cameras on a web page about photography tips may be worth less
than a click on the same ad appearing next to a review of
digital cameras.
Google saves you time and hassle by estimating the value of
clicks and adjusting prices on an ongoing basis. With improved
smart pricing, you should automatically get greater value for
clicks from ad impressions across our network, all with no
change in how you bid.
Content network expands to email
The Google Network already includes such sites as USATODAY.com
and over 50% of the Media Metrix Top 100 that show advertising-
sites that reach over 80% of U.S. Internet users. And now, we're
adding more ways for you to reach prospects interested in your
products or services: email and newsletter ad placements. Just as
when your ads are shown alongside Google search results, your
contextually-targeted ads will now show alongside approved
newsletter and email content, such as iVillage newsletters and our
new Gmail. [Learn more...]
(https://adwords.google.com/support/b...py?answer=6119)
As we're still growing inventory of email pages, email will
likely remain only a small source of additional clicks for some
time. You don't need to do anything to participate in this
opportunity. To view your selected preferences, simply visit
your Campaign Settings page.
We look forward to providing you with the most effective
advertising available.
Sincerely,
The Google AdWords Team
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Contact us: If you have any questions, please contact your
Google representative or email us at adwords-support*google.com.
Email preferences: You have received this mandatory email
service announcement to update you about important new AdWords
features.
Copyright 2004 Google Inc.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Answer
I'm an adsense publisher.
These changes are hopefully going to be good for everyone in this deal.............
but the "improved targeting" is apparently not quite all that on target yet.
Today I had hotel and bad credit resolution ads showing on my classic car pages.
Sigh.
But overall I think this should help encourage more advertisers to include content ads in their network.
Answer
Kenlee could you explain "adsense publisher"? I have considered trying adsense but wasn't really sure it was for my site. My site is pretty small (15 pages) and in a niche market. My son has a larger site (50 pages) but again very niche market (rabbits).
Answer
"Adsense Publishers" are really just a way of refering to websites that show Google Adwords ads.
The TOS at Adsense is pretty restrictive in what a publisher can say, but in general, I'd say.....
1: Worth it?
Well that really depends on the focus of your site and your traffic level.
Just like adwords cost more or less, depending on the target keyword or phrase, publishers get more or less, depending on what the advertiser paid.
That can be hugely differnt amounts for the publisher.
A computer hardware site or site about web hosting could probably make way more money per click than I do with my classic car site, simply because there is fierce competition for the computer related keywords.
A computer related site that had the kind of traffic I do could do very well, I'd think.
But I get about 100,000 visits and 500,000 page views a month.
If you use adwords and know how to use the adwords tools you can get an idea of the differences in value for for different keyord values. Publishers only get a portion of the adwords cost, after Google takes it's share of course.
Also, yesterday Google changed the cost structure for adwords and that definitely affects publishers too. If that's going to be good or bad for publishers remains to be seen. At this early moment itlooks like some of both, depending on all the factors mentioned here.
2: It is easy though!
Once your site is accepted all you have to dois insert a bit of code on your source code pages, and that's it.
3: Blind Faith
Adsense is basically a leap of faith on the part of publishers. Again the TOS doesn't allow publishers to say much.
4: How much does it pay?
Google isn't telling! But it's some unknown, and possibly variable, portion of what Google collects from the advertiser. Darn TOS!
5: Good for e-com site?
It's always a question if you should put it on e-com pages. Basically you would be sending visitors to a competitors site (often ebay).
On the other hand if the person is leaving your site anyhow, why not get paid for it?
Do I like it?
Yup. I probably couldn't do much if any better if I was selling ad space directly to merchants.
And this is WAY easier than that.
It's very easy to set up, and if it doesn't work for you, it's just as easy to take down. Especially on a smaller site, or if you use server side includes to install it. I don't use ssi, so it's a bit harder to change around for me. But with the global serch and replace in Dreamweaver it's still pretty easy, even on a site like mine with 1,200 plus pages.
Answer
Another thing....
Don't let the small site make you think adsense won't work for you.
A well focused small site with good rankings in the search engine results and even modest traffic could do well if the target terms are valuable enough.
Many small site use adsense to just pay for hosting etc. I really believe they could do better than that a lot of the time.
Answer
Thanks Kenlee I guess I will think on it some more. It would be like free money. As for sending customers to my competitors that's not a big deal. I have a couple of friends that are in the more "pricey" keywords category so this might be good for them. I may just give it a try so I can help friends with it. Be a guinea pig I guess.
Answer
Kenlee do you use conversion tracking? I can't figure out where to put the code. Do you just put it on each page? I use a third party cart so I can't place it on their page I don't think.
Answer
Conversion tracking? You mean on adwords? I don't do adwords so I don't know anything about that part of it.
I don't know of any conversion tracking on adsense, unless you mean channels? But that's not really a conversion tracking thing thing. It shows the stats for pages/sections of your site as far as adsense performance goes.
Answer
I was asking about adwords. I think I am going to give it a try. Worst case I will just take it out. Thanks anyway.
Answer
Wait;
Adwords is if you want to advertise something that you for sale. Adwords is where you pay for placing an ad on the Google search pages and other peoples websites.
Adsense is if you want to show other peoples adwords ads on your site. Adsense you get paid for displaying.
Two different sides of the deal.