Content and Search Networks

Another option you will be offered when setting up campaigns is where you want the ads to be displayed. The Google search option displays your ads on their search results pages when one of your keywords is search by a Google search user. This is the option that will likely bring you the most traffic.

The second option is referred to as the content network. If you select the content network your ads will be displayed as an Adsense ad on various websites that have contracted with Google to display these Adsense ads. For more information on Adsense, see that section here on the NBB site.

Both options have merit. For maximum efficiency you will want to run your ads on the search network. However many campaigns can be profitable on the content network as well. If you have a product that you decide to advertise on both networks, be sure to set the ads up under two separate campaigns. We do this to separate the bid amounts for search network vs. content network.

The cost of a click on the content network is going to cost you much less per click, but the CTR will be much lower. A good CTR on a search network ad may be 5% and above, where on the content network you may only see a CTR of .5 to 1% at best. Of course this will vary depending on your product and the quality of your ad. The reason you will want to at least test your ads on the content network will be because of the relatively low cost of running these ads. A click thru that may cost you 40 cents on the search network may only cost you .10 on the content network. So at the very least, test the content network with your offer.

The Other Guys

The information in this section has been specific to the Google Adwords program. It is also worth noting that similar pay per click advertising programs are available on the MSN Network as well as Yahoo. I have provided a link to both of these programs in the left column.

I have always had the best results and received the most traffic from the Google program. However you can find additional traffic by participating in these other programs as well. Most people stick with the same search engine for their internet searches. So if somebody is a loyal Yahoo search user, they are never seeing your ad that is placed on the Google ad network. Why not use all three pay per click programs for maximum exposure. If your ads are converting on Google the chances are good that they will also convert on the other networks.

Summary

What I have given you on these 7 pages is a very basic introduction to the Google Adword program. There are many strategies for approaching adword advertising. Please don't cut corners on educating yourself about adwords before using them. It is not time for amateur hour here. I have read all the various books on advertising with adwords and I have made a few recommendations in the column to the left. You should also review the Google site for further information.

If you go into adwords without the proper education, you will lose money and I can say that with a fair amount of certainty. Google Adwords can be a VERY profitable way to advertise your product, but you must know what you are doing.

Recommended Reading

The first book I ever read on pay per click advertising was Perry Marshall's The Definitive Guide to Google Adwords. This book gave me a very solid understanding of what pay per click was and how to use it wisely to profit in my business. I used PPC advertising when I launched my first product in January 2005 and I have been using it every day since. I did so because of the confidence that Perry's guide gave me.

His book doesn't contain all the jedi tricks that you can learn in other publications. He concentrates on the nuts and bolts of campaign setup, the proper use of keywords, how to test your ads etc. This is the foundation you need to have BEFORE you start trying to go jedi with it. Much of the jedi stuff can be very trendy and what works this month, may not work next month.

The information in Perry's book has stood the test of time and has held up year after year. It is very important to invest in your pay per click education and Perry's book is THE place to start. He offers a free five day email course in exchange for your opt-in at his site. Don't worry he is not the sort of guy that pounds you with all the launch crap that so many others do. In fact I don't know if I have ever received an affiliate offer from him. His emails are the type that you look forward to receiving.

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