Three Tips for Optimizing Paid Search Campaigns

In addition to search engine optimization, there exists the pay-per-click / paid search / paid inclusion branch of search engine marketing. We’ve all dipped our feet into search advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Yahoo Search Marketing or Microsoft adCenter (or even more vertical-specific networks).

Certain keywords can get quite costly, so here are some tips for optimizing paid search campaigns and getting the most bang for our budget bucks. These tips all center around efficiently allocating our funds.

1. Choice of Network

AdWords campaigns can be specifically targeted to the search network (i.e., in the SERPs), and/or the content network (i.e., in AdSense). Similarly, Yahoo Search Marketing campaigns can be directed to their search network and/or their content network (Yahoo Publisher Network). The search network is generally where you’ll get better conversions and ROI, so bid up if you’re exclusively advertising there.

If you’re still advertising in the content network, then be sure to exclude poor sites from it using site exclusion options.

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Tags: adCenter, AdWords, pay-per-click, search traffic, SEM, Yahoo Search Marketing