Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Is this widespread?
Some of the terms the merchants are bidding over $10 for the top spot and we are getting in the range of $.25 now.
I wonder if this is a two part issue.
1: Smart pricing, courtesy of Google itself.
2: Advertizers bidding on a dual campaign basis. That is one campaign for the serps and a much lower bid campaign for content sites.
Anyone know of software that can be acquired for this purpose? To setup one's own cpc system and deal direct? I know they exist, but can anyone recommend one?
Ownerrim ... check out phpadsnew. It is capable of handling text ads and CPC campaigns. You can have something like a Sponsored Text links section in your site and phpadsnew can manage it on the fly.
In fact, there's only about 3-10 thousand of these people doing business in the country and they have only just recently realized they could advertise online.
Regarding whether or not they've ever heard of the site, I'd say a large percentage of them have. It's been talked about in forums that cater to them specifically. I've been solicited by a couple of their professional organizations and have had an offer to sell the site (didn't respond because they don't have a clue what the thing is worth longterm. they would just want to buy, turn it into their own lead generating vehicle and effectively destroy any reason for visitors to come to the site--and any reason for other sites to link to it as well)
The neat thing about it is this: many of them have websites. But none of them did their websites and have never heard the phrase SEO. Most of them, despite their advanced degrees, can barely operate a computer or open an email attachment. Think of a biologist or a judge, or an architect. What does that person know about search? Nothing.
I only know about this niche because I've worked in it for years, in different capacities
For a small portion of our sites we replaced aff links with adsense and saw our earnings increase. In the past week the CPC has gone down to where we have changed all the links back to affiliate programs.
Why not use AdSense and affiliate programs?
The industry is a fairly small but lucrative one populated by a specific kind of highly educated professional. These people make quite a bit of money. But they do depend on leads. [....]In fact, there's only about 3-10 thousand of these people doing business in the country and they have only just recently realized they could advertise online.
The drop that you're experiencing is caused by the advertisers realizing that the market is being overpriced and the subsequent market level adjustment, nothing else.
I don't know if CPC is going down or stabilizing. Or maybe it has to do with the summertime? I know a ton of people are on vacation right now. 4th of July weekend and the days around it were a wash for us, along things are more or less back to normal now.
Maybe try AdSense again in the Fall?
I'll tell you why not to do both: because the lower paying ads could suck away higher paying traffic, if there's any cross over of content. Even if they're in the same field, someone might choose a lower click rather than a higher one.
I've tested both ways (including blocking of certain advertisers), and I haven't noticed any drop in affiliate revenues as a result of using AdSense. On the contrary: My affiliate revenues have increased.
It's worth remembering that, for every person who clicks on an AdSense ad, there are many, many others--usually a large majority--who don't click and are therefore virgin prospects for your affiliate links.
