PPC/PFI for UK search engines.

What else other than google and overture?

[iThink]

I'm working for a USA based small online retailer which is looking to target UK market for some of the products. We have already put in place a website with .co.uk domain on an IP address in UK with unique content and looking for some decent rankings on google.co.uk. To kickstart our marketing efforts we are looking at PPC/PFI search engines and have already started using adwords and overture. This is the first time I'm involved in marketing effort related to UK market.

Other than google adwords and overture, what other PPC search engines provide good ROI with least click fraud? I'm considering espotting and Mirago. Any other names?

We have around 70 product pages. Are PFI search engines in UK like AJ, inktomi and looksmart worth the effort and money? PFI for our USA based site provide hardly any sale. Thats why this doubt and question.

I know it is difficult to give an exact answer in the absence of exact stats related to the business but still maybe someone can provide the general answers to my questions.

[IanTurner]

I would look at ESpotting being your primary target. It has some market penetration with 2nd tier UK Engines. Mirago is nice but whether they have enough penetration in the marketplace is debatable (if your in a very consumer led market -you will probably be okay - for a niche market its probably not worth it)

You should also look at getting entries in the major directories (Yahoo UK and Looksmart UK) and maybe then consider 2nd tier UK directories such as [toxiclemon.co.uk,...] [britishservices.co.uk,...] [splut.com...] amd others from this list [webmasterworld.com...]

Depending on your marketplace some will perform better than others - it is difficult to give specifics without more detail.

[edited by: IanTurner at 7:58 am (utc) on Oct. 5, 2003]

[iThink]

Thanks for your reply.

The retailer is involved in healthcare related products (no not prescription or non-prescription drugs). They are bought by individual consumers mostly 35+ years old. After reading your reply, I'm looking at Mirago and all the directories mentioned by you.

Thanks again.

[elgumbo]

It may also be worth your while looking at webfinder . com. Only works if you get the top spot - which is shown as the 2nd result on Freeserve (one the UK's largest ISP's).

Just to warn you though, Webfinder's customer service is terrible and it takes them an age to approve keywords but it may be worth it for the freeserve spot.