Understand Pay Per Click

Search Engine Marketing

(Paying for “Performance” not “Possibilities”)

Often called “pay-per-click” ads, these are the text ads we see on the right-hand column of any Google, Yahoo or MSN search results pages as well as other positions on search results.

Depending on the client category, we will be able to recommend strategy based on keywords, create the ads, place the ad across a wide network of search engines and maintain this buy and report on the buy’s effectiveness.

First Page Search Engine Placement in 48 hours or less – Guaranteed (based on industry and search terms desired and geographic area desired)

oLocal Search Marketing. Based on a specific city or zip codes. You pay only for sales leads coming from within the local market you serve.

oRegional search. Based on a region or group of cities or zip codes often referred to as a DMA or “designated market area”.

oNational Reach. This package allows for the greatest reach when physical locations matter less. Most often used by clients with multiple outlets available nationwide or having ecommerce capabilities and expecting to draw business independent of location-based restrictions.

The concept behind Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is fairly simple: When a consumer or business person searches the Web through a search engine like Google, Yahoo, AOL or MSN, they are seeking products, services or information that relate to the search terms they have entered.

The better search engines have developed search logic and definitions that produce the most relevant web sites for the search terms used.

This type of activity is unique among all types of advertising media because it creates a real-time, “point-of-purchase” opportunity by providing instant marketplace communication between shopper and seller at the precise moment the consumer is seeking information on those products and services. Many of these searches are of a direct or indirect commercial nature. The Kelsey Group reports that as much as 25% of these searches are local in nature.

Marketers understand that being able to communicate with a consumer who has voluntarily entered buying cycle activity, by researching a product or service to try and satisfy an immediate need or future need, may represent an unparalleled sales opportunity.

Consequently, search engine results are some of the best sources of targeted lead generation available to any advertiser across any media.

And perhaps the best part is that you pay only for actual actions taken by consumers. If they don’t click on your offer, you are not charged.

Competitive Analytics: Where are your client's sites ranked? What are they paying for search engine leads?

1.Search Engine Ranking Reports: This report will define your current search engine ranking status from a local, regional and if applicable, national position.

2.Local Competitor Search Ranking Report: Illustrates where your local or online competitors rank in like fashion.

3.Competitor Bid Report: These reports allow us to show you who among your competitors is paying to appear on search engines and how much they are paying for that placement and for which search terms.

Advanced Campaign Management:

“First Generation” Search Marketing Campaign Management – Many Search Engine Marketing (SEM) firms use their own search experience and knowledge of what “good search marketing” entails, but there may not be much in terms of true technology management capabilities and more importantly measurement and reliable campaign performance tracking and adjustment tools.

Rules and “Human-Logic” Management – Another approach is to use tools that automate an "if this, then that" approach that addresses optimization only on an individual keyword level. These tools require people to monitor and adjust “rules” governing CPC / CPA to meet campaign objectives. Even with all the human effort, managing hundreds of keywords sacrifices volume and/or margin as no humans can go through all of the calculations needed to be aware of all the yield scenarios once, let alone multiple times a day needed to run the campaign at optimal efficiency. Most importantly, rules-based systems don't work well on Google, the largest Internet advertising publisher, because Google algorithms are pretty unclear with regards to how ad performance is determined.

Our Approach at Left Brain Studios– By working with in-house systems and SEM technology partners like Reach Local, we are able to utilize advanced portfolio algorithms for campaign analysis and measurement, enabling a keyword portfolio comprised of thousands of keywords to be managed “on the fly” and altered accordingly to allow for the highest degree of click through possible in a given category. Whereas other systems make decisions on each individual keyword in its own context, our optimization software looks at all the yield scenarios across an entire keyword set, and optimizes accordingly to increase efficiency. Keywords are optimized in concert to meet campaign objectives.