Sponsored Links on MSN

Overture - Feeding into MSN

[KatyCee]

Please help me to understand the following problem that I am experiencing with Overture and specifically the sponsored links that feed into MSN. We have a small Pay per Click campaign with Overture - for certain targetted keywords. If I am to understand correctly the various forums correctly then the top 3 bids on Overture seem to feed into MSN ( Sponsored Links ). For all our campaigns and search terms we do not appear in MSN sponsored link section ( even though in all cases bidding Number between 1 and 3 ) . Infact in one case there are bidders whose maximum bid on Overture is less than ours but who appear as an MSN Sponsored Link! I am confused

Is there something that I am doing wrong on the Overture registration? ( I do know we have successfully been reviewed - and actually when I search the Overture site - we appear in the order we would expect)!?!?

Are the results affected Geographically in Overture / MSN.. as although based outside the US or UK - I am looking to specifically target UK/US Markets. I have logged on anonymously ( as someone on a previous forum suggested )and the results appear to be the same - regardless of region.?

Because the search terms I have chosen are particularly targetted - a low bid will often give us a number one spot - is there perhaps a minimum bid ( above the standard 10c minimum ) or minimum account balance that must be paid before you 'qualify ' for a MSN Sponsored Link Spot?

Does anyone have some advise for me? Or maybe some other forum users have experienced the same problem?

Thank you.

[Birdman]

I believe there is a preference setting where you choose what regions your ads appear in. I chose USA only, so I know it is there.

Good luck and welcome to Webmaster World!

[glengara]

I may well be mistaken, but I seem to remember somerthing about bids below 15c may not appear on MSN as they're below the Looksmart PPC minimum.

[KatyCee]

Thank you for this advice. I have spent the best part of the day playing Sherlock Holmes trying to figure this all out.

Overture got back to me with a pretty standard response saying that they only feed results into MSN that fall into one of the following categories:

? Computing
? Entertainment
? Finance
? Health
? Homelife
? Shopping
? Travel

I am travel site - so I guess that theory goes out the window but I don't think the guy answering my email was reading it correctly.

Glengara suggested that it is possibly because the bid must be more than the Looksmart minimum - but my bid amount is above that minimum - and still not showing. ( In this particular situation there are 3 bids all at 30c which is above the Looksmart Minimum!) If my Overture Listing is not going into MSN where is it going - because the money in my account is being used up!

When I compared and viewed bids on Overture vs Sponsored Links on MSN I could not find a sponsored link that shows on MSN unless someone starts the bidding at about the 1 dollar mark! I am going to raise my bids for a bit and see what happens.

What I am learning fast and furiously is that SEO is not an exact science! I am number one on Google for a particular well fought after search term, I feature as a Sponsored Site for Looksmart as well as appearing number 10 in their reviewed directory listing... but I can not find my website under MSN under this search term. I understand from the forum that MSN do there own special algorithms to the information that Looksmart / Inktomi send to them... but this is just really weird? I don't think it is possible that MSN has blacklisted me as I still appear for some search terms ( just not the ones I want to do particularly well for! )

My apologies to the Forum members for such a long message!