Position preference is an advanced bidding feature that gives sophisticated advertisers more control over the positioning of their ads. Some advertisers find this helps them better promote their brands or earn a higher return on investment (ROI). In particular:
- Direct-response advertisers can target their most cost-effective ad rankings.
- Brand advertisers can make sure their ads run only in the most visible positions.
Position preference helps you achieve your desired ad position in two ways. First, it attempts to show your ad only when its Ad Rank (maximum CPC x Quality Score) has placed it in the positions you select. Second, if the Ad Rank places the ad in a higher spot, position preference will discount your maximum CPC bid to move the ad into your desired range.Bidding Help
A common problem with position preference bidding is that advertisers prefer high positions but make bids that qualify only for lower positions. If you set a position preference of 2-4, but your Ad Rank is usually 6-8, then your ad simply won’t show.
Remember also that the position preference system tends to place your ad most often just below the upper end of your range. If you select positions 3-7, for example, your ad is likely to appear in positions 4 and 5 more often than in 3, 6 or 7.
Here are some tips for position preference bidding:
- Review your current bids and average positions, and use them as a guide. For example, if you want your ad to show in positions 2-4, and your current maximum CPC of $1.00 buys you an average position of 3.8, you may need to boost your maximum CPC. Otherwise your ad will show at times in positions 2-4, but you will lose all the impressions you have been receiving below position 4.
- Use the traffic estimator. It can help you predict what maximum CPCs will be needed to allow you to compete for your preferred positions.
- Broader is better. When you set a position preference range, you also restrict the inventory available to your ads. To get the most exposure for your ad, it’s better to select a range of positions like 3-8 rather than a single position like 4.
- When in doubt, bid high. The position preference feature protects you by discounting your bid if it places your ad above your preferred position. Set your maximum CPC to the highest amount you are comfortable paying, and AdWords will discount it when possible.
- Be patient. The position preference feature typically needs a few days to gather performance data and calibrate its targeting. Your ad may begin showing in your preferred range almost immediately, or it may take those few days to adjust. We encourage you to experiment, as always, but be aware that every time you change your position preferences the system will need to re-calibrate.
Suggestions for SettingsHere are some common advertiser objectives, with recommendations on the best way to achieve them. These are only examples; your needs and results may vary.
Situation: ‘My preferred position is 4, but I would still like my ad to appear in positions other than 4.’
- Set your position range from 3 to 10+.
- Set your maximum CPC for the highest amount you are willing to pay for any impression.
Result: Your ad will show primarily in position 4 but may also show in position 3 or in lower positions. If your ad is ranked in positions 1 or 2, the AdWords system will lower your maximum CPC to move your ad into your preferred range.Situation: ‘I want to promote my brand, and I want my ad to show only in the top 3 positions.’
- Set your position range from 1 to 3.
- Set your maximum CPC for the highest amount you are willing to pay for any impression.
Result: The system will attempt to show your ads only in positions 1-3. When your ad is in position 4 or lower, it should not show.Situation: ‘I’ve found that positions 3 - 6 get my ad the best return on investment. I don’t want my ad to show below position 6.’
- Set your position range from 3 to 6.
- Set your maximum CPC for the highest amount you are willing to pay for any impression.
Result: The system will attempt to show your ads only in positions 3-6. If your ad is ranked in positions 1 or 2, the AdWords system will lower your maximum CPC to move your ad into positions 3-6.Situation: “I’ve found that positions 3 - 6 get my ad the best return on investment. But I also like the traffic and conversions I get from lower positions.”
- Set your position range from 3 to 10+.
- Set your maximum CPC for the highest amount you are willing to pay for any impression.
Result: Your ad will show primarily in positions 4 and 5, but may also show in position 3 and in positions 6, 7 and lower. When your ad is ranked in positions 1 or 2, the AdWords system will lower your maximum CPC to move your ad into position 3 or lower.Situation: ‘I want my ad to show only in position 4.’
- Set your position range from 4 to 4.
- Set your maximum CPC for the highest amount you are willing to pay for any impression.
Result: The system will attempt to show your ad only in position 4. (It may, on occasion, show in other nearby positions.) If your ad is ranked in positions 1-3, the AdWords system will lower your maximum CPC to try moving your ad into position 4. You are likely to see fewer impressions than you would with a wider range of preferred positions.Situation: “I want my ad to show up as high as possible, ideally on the first page of results, but lower positions are also fine.”
- You probably don’t need position preference. Simply set your maximum CPC for the highest amount you are willing to pay for any position.
Result: Your ad will appear in the highest position your Quality Score allows.Monitoring Position Preference
When you set a position preference, your ad impressions or click rates may go down. Your actual results will depend on the positions you select, the competitiveness of the pages where your ads run, and your quality score. As noted above, if you set a position preference of 2-4, but your Ad Rank is usually 6-8, then your ad will rarely show. On the other hand, if you set a position preference of 4-10+, and your Ad Rank is usually 6-8, then you are likely to have many opportunities for impressions.
It’s a good idea to monitor your account to make sure your ad is receiving the impressions you want. We suggest you use the Report Center tab in your account to set up regular daily reports that will help you track your impressions. If your ad is receiving very few impressions, your positions preference settings are one of several possible reasons for that.
The AdWords Help Center has instructions for setting up a report. To set up a daily report, use these settings:
- Report Type: select Keyword Performance
- View: select Summary
- Date Range: select Yesterday
- Choose the campaigns and Ad Groups you want to track.
- Choose the appropriate columns. Make sure to include Impressions.
- Filter the report to show only the keywords for which you’ve set position preferences.
- Name the report.
- Schedule your report to run automatically every day.
- Have the report emailed to you daily if you wish.
- Click Create Report.
If your ad is not showing as often as you would like, use the ads diagnostic tool to identify the reasons why.Managing Keywords with Position Preference
To view or edit all your keywords with position preferences, try grouping them together:
- On the Ad Group page, click the Show Settings column header.
- Under Sort by, select Position.
All of your keywords with position preferences should sort to the top of the list.
February 11th, 2007
Position preference lets you tell Google where you would prefer your ad to show among all the AdWords ads on a given page.
Whenever you run a keyword-targeted ad, your ad is assigned a position (or rank) based on your cost-per-click (CPC) bid, your keyword’s Quality Score, and other relevant factors. There may be dozens of positions available for a given keyword, spread over several pages of search results.
If you find that your ad gets the best results when it is ranked (for example) third or fourth among all AdWords ads, you can set a position preference for those spots. AdWords will then try to show your ad whenever it is ranked third or fourth, and avoid showing it when it is ranked higher or lower. If your ad is ranked higher than third for a given keyword, the system will automatically try to lower your bid to place your ad in your preferred position.
You can request that your ad be shown only when it is:
- Higher than a given position (such as above 7)
- Lower than a given position (such as below 4)
- Within a range of positions (such as from 2-8).
- In a single exact position (such as position 2).
You can choose any positions between 1 and 10+ (that is, 10 or any larger number). Separate position preferences can be set for any or all of the keywords in your campaign.Please note that position preference does not mean that your ad will always appear in the position you specify. The usual AdWords ranking and relevance rules apply. If your ad doesn’t qualify for position #1, setting a position preference of 1 will not move it there. Position preference simply means AdWords will try to show your ad whenever it is ranked in your preferred position, and to avoid showing it when it is not.
Position preference also does not affect the overall placement of AdWords ad units on the left, right, top or bottom of a given page. It only affects your ranking relative to other ads across those units.
Position preferences are not guaranteed. Your ad may still appear in other positions, though we will make every effort to display your ad where you prefer. Once you set new position preferences, it may take a few days for the AdWords system to begin delivering your ad according to those preferences.
Finally, let us note that setting a position preference can sharply reduce the number of impressions and clicks you receive for that keyword. Targeting just one or two positions means your ad will not show at times when it otherwise might have. We encourage you to choose as broad a range of positions are you are comfortable with.
February 11th, 2007
Adwords Tips: With Google AdWords, it’s all about results. Optimization means taking steps to get the results you want by improving the quality and performance of your account – without raising costs. We’ve designed these optimization strategies to help you achieve success with your advertising campaigns.
1. Identify your advertising goals.
Your optimization strategy depends on the objectives that you define for your campaigns.
With specific goals in mind, you can work strategically to achieve your objectives, track your performance, and make the modifications necessary to get the results you want. Here are some typical objectives and sample focus areas for each goal:
“I want to get more clicks.”
Focus on keywords and sites. Increase your ad exposure by adding keywords and sites to your Ad Groups.
“I want to increase my clickthrough rate (CTR).”
Focus on ad quality. Attract more clicks by refining your ads, and eliminate extra impressions by choosing highly targeted keywords and sites and using negative keywords.
“I want to improve my return on investment (ROI).”
First, focus on your ads and your keywords and sites to attract the right audience. Then focus on your website. Be sure your landing page and site are set up to let users find what your ad offers.
2. Organize your account for maximum effectiveness.
Organize your campaigns by topic.
Create separate campaigns for each of your product lines, resources, or brands. This helps you monitor your advertising more easily and make the necessary adjustments to improve your campaign performance. Ask yourself what you want to achieve with each campaign. Then structure your campaign based on this goal. View a diagram and learn more about the structure of your account.
Target the right languages and locations.
For each campaign, you can choose to target your ads to particular languages and locations (plus choose your budget and other settings). Be sure to target only the languages and locations that are relevant for your business. For example, if you ship your products to locations within a certain distance of your business, target the country, territory, region, or city related to the area, instead of to ‘All Countries.’
Create highly specific Ad Groups.
As with your campaigns, each Ad Group should center on a single product or service to ensure your ads reach the most qualified users. Build a list of keywords or sites, then separate them into related Ad Groups. Create ads that pertain directly to that list. For example, if you sell mp3 players, and you’ve organized your campaigns by brand, create multiple Ad Groups based on the models of each brand.
Avoid duplicate keywords across Ad Groups.
Google shows only one ad per advertiser on a particular keyword, so there’s no need to include duplicate keywords in different Ad Groups or campaigns. Identical keywords compete against each other, and the better-performing keyword triggers your ad.
3. Choose relevant keywords and sites.
Keyword-targeted campaigns
Choose your keywords carefully.
Include specific keywords that directly relate to the specific theme of your Ad Group and landing page. For optimal ad visibility, include relevant keyword variations, along with singular and plural versions. If applicable, consider using colloquial terms, alternate spellings, synonyms, and product or serial numbers. The Keyword Tool can help generate lists of possible keywords.
Take advantage of keyword matching options.
With some keywords, you’ll get more ad impressions; with others, you’ll get fewer impressions but potentially more clicks. By strategically using keyword matching options, you can reach the most appropriate prospects, potentially reduce your actual CPC or CPM, and increase your ROI. For example, use negative keywords to reduce irrelevant ad impressions and increase your Quality Score.
Use unique keyword URLs.
Keyword Destination URLs send users to a specific landing page, ensuring your customer arrives immediately at the most relevant page for the keyword that triggered your ad. Edit individual keyword URLs by clicking ‘Edit Keyword Settings’ above your keyword table.
Site-targeted campaigns
Choose your sites carefully.
Include sites that are relevant to your products or services, and be sure to choose enough sites. The more relevant sites you target, the better the chances your ad will show. We provide four ways to choose sites: by enter URLs, describe topics, select categories, or select demographics. For an effective list, we strongly suggest using all four methods.
When using the site tool to find and select sites, pay attention to the Ad Formats column in the list of available sites. If you run only certain kinds of formats — for instance, image ads only, or text and video ads only — make sure you select sites that run the kinds of formats you have to offer.
If necessary, target site sections.
If an entire website isn’t relevant to your ads, you have the option to target only the relevant parts of the site. This option may be appropriate for you if the site covers a variety of topics, not all of which are relevant to your advertising. For example, if you sell kitchen appliances, you might choose to advertise only on the food section of a news site rather than placing ads across the entire site.
4. Create straightforward, targeted ads.
Include keywords in your ad text (for keyword-targeted ads).
Include your keywords in your ad text (especially the title) to show users that your ad relates to their search. If your ad shows when a user searches on a keyword in your Ad Group, the keyword will appear in bold in your ad text. Also, users tend to search for products and services, so avoid using your company name in the ad title unless your goal is brand/company name recognition.
Create simple, enticing ads.
What makes your product or service stand out from your competitors? Highlight these key differentiating points in your ad. Be sure to describe any unique features or promotions you offer.
Use a strong call-to-action.
Your ad should convey a call-to-action along with the benefits of your product or service. A call-to-action encourages users to click on your ad and ensures they understand exactly what you expect them to do when they reach your landing page. Some call-to-action phrases are Buy, Sell, Order, Browse, Sign up, and Get a Quote.
Test multiple ads in each Ad Group.
Experiment with different offers and call-to-action phrases to see what’s most effective for your advertising goals. Our system automatically rotates ads within an Ad Group and shows the better-performing ad more often.
6. Track your account performance.
Check your account statistics.
Your CTR, minimum bid, and keyword status are good initial indicators of how well your ads are performing. Your account statistics are reported at the campaign, Ad Group, and keyword or site levels. They include clicks, impressions, CTR, average CPC or CPM, cost, average position, conversion rate, and cost-per-conversion.
Create reports.
You can create custom reports that tell you exactly what statistics you want to know, from the campaign level to the keyword or site level.
Use web analytics.
Google Analytics helps you analyze what people are doing on your site. Detailed information about user behavior can help you create more targeted and effective landing pages.
7. Test and modify your campaigns to get the results you want.
Optimizing your campaigns regularly will help you keep up with users and market trends and ultimately reach your advertising goals.
Evaluate your campaign performance and make changes as necessary.
Allow your ad performance to educate you about effective strategies for achieving your goals. As you observe your ads over time, you might notice things that are working especially well (or not so well). For example, if you find users aren’t responding to a particular call-to-action in your ad text, delete that ad and try something else
February 11th, 2007
To Setup Adwords site targeted campaign let’s first explore how keyword-targeted campaigns are different from site-targeted ones; the most important differences include how the ads are targeted, where your ads appear, how you are charged for the ads, and which ad types can be used.
With site-targeted campaigns, you choose specific sites, not keywords, where you would like your ads to appear. Ads will only appear on sites within the Google content network, and not on Google.com or Google’s search network. In addition, site-targeted campaigns are priced by CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions) — that is, you set the price you’d like to pay for each 1,000 impressions the ad receives. Clicks do not factor into the price you pay; you will be charged whenever the ad is shown to a user.
How do you know if a site-targeted campaign is right for you? Site-targeted campaigns can be a good option for businesses that want to promote an existing brand or a new product to a large audience. But they also work for small advertisers who want to reach a very precise audience; for example, if you sell fishing gear, you may want to target your ads specifically to sites that fishing enthusiasts visit frequently. The best way to gauge if site targeting is right for you is to set up a campaign and experiment to see what works best.
To get started with a site-targeted campaign, click the “site-targeted” link next to “Create a new campaign” on your Campaign Summary page. The setup wizard will then run you through each step to creating your site-targeted campaign; here are a few tips:
1) You’ll find that the first few steps in the setup wizard are almost identical to those of the keyword-targeted campaign setup process. As with keyword-targeted campaigns, you’ll want to choose a descriptive title so that you can locate it easily in your list of campaigns.
2) When asked about your language and location targeting preferences, be sure to consider where your potential customers are located, and what language(s) they may speak. If your product or service is only available to customers in a specific geographical location, you may want to target your ads to users in that location only. (Even though you’re targeting a specific site, we’ll only show your ad on this site to users in your specified location).
3) With site-targeted campaigns, you also have the option of creating an image ad. Image ads can be created in a variety of standard sizes, and you can read more on the specifics of image ad.
4) The next screen takes you to the Site Tool. You have a variety of options when it comes to choosing the actual sites for your campaigns:
- Browse categories - you can browse categories such as “Beauty and Personal Care” or “Health” to select specific sites from a list generated by Google
- Describe topics - you can enter specific terms such as “organic hair care products” or “diabetes” to see a list of sites that are related to those topics
- List URLs - if you have specific websites in mind, you can enter them here to find out if they are available on the Google Network to display your ads
- Select demographics - you can choose to target a specific demographic audience, or you can choose options such as gender, age, household income and ethnicity. This option is only available for campaigns targeting the US.
When the list of suggested sites is displayed, you can click to add individual sites or all of the suggested sites to your list of selected sites shown on the right hand side.
5) The “Set Pricing” step will review the list of sites you’ve selected, and indicate which sites will accept text ads, image ads, or both. This is also where you’ll be able to select your daily budget for this campaign, and specify your max CPM. Recall that site-targeted campaigns are priced per-thousand impressions, and not per click.
6) After choosing your budget and max CPM, you’ll be taken to a review page so that you can confirm all of your campaign setup selections. Hit “Save Campaign” at the bottom.
7) Please be aware that your site-targeted campaigns, which show only on the content network, must be reviewed and approved before they will begin running.
February 11th, 2007
To Create Your Google Adwords Campaign click the “keyword-targeted” link next to Create a new campaign” on your Campaign Summary page. Now you’re ready to create your campaign - let’s run you through the basics and some tips:
1) Choose a name for your campaign and its first Ad Group. Be sure to choose something descriptive as the title; “Summer Shoe Promotion 2006″ is a lot easier to locate and identify in a list of campaigns than “Campaign #1.” Similarly, Ad Groups named “Women’s Flip-flops” and “Men’s Sandals” will be a lot easier to understand and remember when you look at the list of different Ad Groups within your Summer Shoe Promotion campaign. You’ll then be asked to choose the target language(s), as well as location targeting options.
2) Enter your preferences for location targeting, be it countries and territories, regions and cities, or a customized selection. Remember to think about where your potential customers are located, and more specifically, where your potential customers for the product or service you are trying to sell within this campaign are located. For example, let’s say your company has stores across the country; but this campaign is dedicated to a promotion available only in your California stores, then you should target your campaign to users located in the state of California, and not the entire country.
3) After you’ve specified your targeting preferences, you will be asked to create your ad. If you are someone who experiences writer’s block, have no fear. All you have to do is take a minute and brainstorm about the following:
- What product or service are you offering?
Perhaps your store carries an imported brand of Spanish espadrilles, or a line of specialized orthopedic footwear. Be specific and tell your customers exactly what you have to offer, preferably in the first line of your ad.
- What is different about your product or service that makes it better than your competitors’? Do you have a special offer?
If you’re running a sale, tell your customers that your shoes are 50% off, or that you offer free shipping on all orders over $100. (Make sure these special offers are reflected on your site.)
- What is your “call to action”, or the action that you want searchers who see your ad to perform?
If you want searchers who see your ad to browse your product selection, then say that. Or if you want them to sign up on your mailing list to receive a coupon, mention that in your ad text.
Tip: In our experience, ads that are specific about a product or service, that mention differentiating factors, and have a strong call to action tend to perform better than ads that are overly generic. Also take note of the character limits for each line: 25 characters for the first line, 35 characters for the second and third lines of text, and 35 characters for your display URL.
Once you complete your ad, the AdWords system will review it to make sure it complies with Google Adwords editorial policies.
4) Choose your keywords. The same principle of being specific and targeted applies to your keyword selection as well.
5) The last step in creating your campaign is setting your daily budget and Max CPC. Determine the maximum amount you are willing to spend on your campaign each day, and specify the maximum cost-per-click. After you submit these amounts, you can review all of the details of your campaign and make additional edits if necessary. Finally, click “Save” and watch your campaign go live!
Source:Adwords Blog
February 11th, 2007
Benefits of AdWords
AdWords Overview
Cost Overview
Related Google Services
February 11th, 2007
Google AdWords is a quick and simple way to advertise on Google, regardless of your budget. AdWords ads are displayed along with search results on Google, as well as on search and content sites in the growing Google Network, including AOL, EarthLink, HowStuffWorks, & Blogger. With searches on Google and page views on the Google Network each day, your Google AdWords ads reach a vast audience.
When you create an AdWords keyword-targeted ad, you choose keywords for which your ad will appear and specify the maximum amount you’re willing to pay for each click. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad. To save you even more money, our AdWords Discounter automatically reduces the actual CPC you pay to the lowest cost needed to maintain your ad’s position.
When you create an AdWords site-targeted ad, you choose the exact Google Network content sites where your ad will run and specify the maximum amount you’re willing to pay for each thousand page views on that site. You pay whenever someone views your ad. As with keyword-targeted ads, the AdWords Discounter automatically reduces the actual CPM you pay to the lowest cost needed for your ad to win the placement on that page.
There’s no minimum monthly charge with AdWords — just a nominal activation fee. You can choose from a variety of ad formats, including text, image, and video ads, and easily track of your ad performance using the reports in your online account Control Center.
To find out more about Google AdWords or to begin creating your ads, visit the AdWords home page.
February 11th, 2007
What technical skills do publishers need to have?
Publishers need to be able to copy and paste HTML code and place it accurately within the code of a Web page or within an email.
How does Commission Junction get paid?
Each advertiser pays Commission Junction a transaction fee based on the payout rate (commission) set for their publishers.
What types of links do advertisers provide in the Commission Junction network?
Advertisers can upload a large variety of ad types that are all IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau) compliant. These link types include banners (in a variety of sizes), text links, product links, and other advanced link types, such as search boxes.
How do CJ Marketplace publishers get paid?
Commission Junction aggregates each publisher’s total commissions earned each month from all advertisers that publisher partners within the CJ Marketplace, and if this amount exceeds the minimum payout, Commission Junction sends a paycheck (or direct deposit) in the publisher’s designated currency. For this reason, each advertiser is required to keep a minimum balance in its Commission Junction account so that publishers can be paid by Commission Junction. When Commission Junction issues a check to a publisher, it is for the previous month’s transactions. Until a publisher’s account balance reaches the minimum payout, Commission Junction rolls over the previous month’s earnings into the following month. This means that after a withdrawal is made to process a check, the money that has been earned during the current month will remain in the account. Publishers may choose to receive their payments through a check in the mail or, if they are a resident of the U.S. or Canada, through direct deposit to a designated bank account. There is no charge for this service. At this time, direct deposit is only available to U.S., U.K., German, French, Swedish and Canadian publishers.
How do BFAST publishers get paid?
Each BFAST advertiser manages and operates its own program, so each advertiser may have different payment criteria and procedures. As a publisher, when you accept the agreement terms of each advertiser, you also accept that advertiser’s terms for payment minimum, payment frequency, and payment processing. Depending on the advertiser, the advertiser may issue its own payments, Commission Junction may process checks for the advertiser, or the advertiser may participate in the BFAST 1-Check program. If you earn commissions from advertisers that participate in the 1-Check program, you will receive a single check each month that includes commissions earned from the participating advertisers, provided your combined earnings meet the 1-Check payment minimum. Until a publisher’s account balance reaches the payment minimum, Commission Junction rolls over the previous month’s earnings into the following month.
How long does it take for an affiliate marketing program to become established?
Commission Junction promotes each new advertiser to help it get started and recruit publishers to its program. However, Commission Junction can only provide advertisers with the tools to manage their accounts. The extent and speed of an advertiser program’s success depends on how well the program is managed, how much the advertiser promotes and recruits for the program outside the network, and how much effort is put into learning the Commission Junction tools and using them regularly and effectively.
February 11th, 2007
What types of commission structures does Commission Junction allow?
Commission Junction supports multiple action types. An action can be a sale on an advertiser’s Web site, a lead, or any other objective the advertiser wants to accomplish through its publishers. With a sale action, an advertiser pays a publisher a flat rate or percentage of the sale price when a purchase is made on the advertiser’s Web site. With a lead action, an advertiser pays a publisher a flat rate for each visitor the publisher refers to the advertiser’s site that signs up for a service or fills out a form. Many advertisers also successfully run a “hybrid” program, which is a combination of the sale and lead programs.
February 11th, 2007
Publishers may create a Commission Junction account and join the CJ Marketplace at no cost. However, publishers must regularly generate activity within the network (within 90 days) in order to maintain an active account that Commission Junction supports. Publishers must have a valid Web address and email account to complete their applications. Publishers must join an advertiser’s program (through the CJ Account Manager) before being able to use that advertiser’s links on their Web sites. As a publisher, once you have placed ads on your site, you can monitor your transactions in the CJ Account Manager. For the best results, you need to have steady traffic to your Web site, and you need to test different links and advertiser programs to find the ones that are best suited to your site and your audience.
February 11th, 2007
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