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This partner site shows PPC ads WITHOUT a user needing to do a search. They even have DIRECT LINKS to the keywords (or related keywords) that when clicked, show the ads. This is similar (actually worse) than pre-filling in search boxes with keywords (Google AdSense doesn’t even allow this). This greatly reduces the quality of the targeted traffic, and hence the conversion rate.
I have had to drastically alter my Overture campaign specifically due to this site (thus causing me to miss out on search traffic that does convert). I hope this isn’t a new trend in the type of Precision Match partners being added to the network.
Have other advertisers noticed similar Precision Match sites?
S
Looked through the domains you stickied me, and it looks like they are domains being held by DirectNIC.com, who markets domain related services.
How do these domains display Overture listings without the user typing in some type of search query?
The related keyword direct links, are definitely a fairly complex functionality. (I wonder if Overture supplies this data to publishers?)
I'd like to get an answer on the proof that the ads are displaying without the user entering some form of search query before I pass all of this along to someone at Overture.
It seems that Overture is adding parked domains to their Precision Match network. I wouldn’t mind so much if they were on their content network, but they are Precision Match partners and there is no way to opt out.
For certain keywords, these sites started dominating my clicks, forcing me remove, or greatly reduce my bidding on these keywords. This shows how important it is to constantly monitor the performance of your keywords. Overture can change their search partners at anytime, and the effects can be sudden and dramatic.
“The related links won't show until a user performs some type of search though... I was under the assumption that search listings were somehow appearing automatically by your post?”
The parked domains have a number of direct links on the landing page that when clicked show the ads. The user does not have to fill out a search box.
This is no new thing. I've seen it for at least the past years. If there's a high-priced keyword, there'a a sleazy affiliate looking to create a site about it. At least Overture doesn't open its doors to any sleazeball who applies, the way Google does.
At least I can opt out of those sites. Google doesn’t have parked domains with direct links to ads in their premier network. Not only does Overture have these partners in Precision Match (so I cannot opt out), they charge the same amount per click as if someone has searched for the keyword in Yahoo’s search engine.
According to my logs, the parked domain partners seem to have been added around October ‘04. Unfortunately, I think we will be seeing more of this, as the pressure to produce quarter-over-quarter growth to support a high stock price is just too great.
Google doesn’t have parked domains with direct links to ads in their premier network.
[google.com...]
You can't opt out of domain park. I've had to shut down accounts because domain parking resulted in too many "legitimate" hits.
http://www.google.com/domainpark/You can't opt out of domain park. I've had to shut down accounts because domain parking resulted in too many "legitimate" hits.
Those appear on Google’s content network, and I can opt out without loosing Google search traffic. The parked domains I am referring to are in Overture’s Precision Match network (they should be in their content network IMHO).
I have sites that appear on parked domains that are not using content syndication. This has been one of the top few complaints about AdWords for quite some time.
You can also do searches on many domain parked sites. Some of these sites even do link building.
Domain Parking - the intro:
[webmasterworld.com...]
Domain park isn't AdSense - they are very different programs.
Thanks for the info. I assumed it was AdSense (which I thought was content network only) because the link you supplied called the service “AdSense for domains”. I participate in AdWords (not in the content network) and haven’t seen any traffic from those types of domains (at least not yet).
I believe the distinction between the Precision and Content network is blurring. I have even noticed some Overture sites (not parked domains) that were previously in the content network moved to the Precision Match network. This results in less control for advertisers.
It really depends on what partners are involved - as with everything, some are better than others. If you hook up with a few good publishers, or are in an area that just doesn't have the volume/pricing of some highly competitive areas - content match can work well.
I've seen a few precision match publishers where I'd have to agree with you completely on their quality.
It's always come down to control.
For some reason, PPC distributors think that the display control should be handed to the publisher, where as an advertisers - there are many ads I run that I want people to know it's an ad.
