WebSearch - low payouts?

Does WebSeach pay less per click than AdSense

[btas2]

Is anyone seeing any real value coming in from using Google WebSearch?

I've been running it for a month, but the average pay per click is less than 20% of that from Adsense - plus I don't get that many clicks (that's my problem of course, not a WebSearch problme).

Now maybe people are searching on wierd and obscure topics for which there are only poorly paying ads. If they're searching on topics they can find on my website, I see the same ads being served as AdSense serves. I suspect that most searches are probably done "on topic", but I've no way to check that.

Anyone else suspecting that the pay per click for the targeted WebSearch ads is much less than for the Adsense ads?

I guess there's no downside to running WebSearch is there?

Also, anyone know what "Revenue from WebSearch ads may be offset at the end of the month by fees applicable to WebSearch" means? Does this only apply if you're an advertiser with them? I presume there are no fees to run the WebSearch feature (at least none that I could find).

[brianng]

Yes most of the click from websearch only worth like 2 cents. If your websearch has a large impression, google will charge you a fee that less than 1% of your revenue from websearch.

[europeforvisitors]

My search EPC is considerably lower than for content ads, but CTR and effective CPM are very high. Actual revenues are quite modest, because only about 0.5% of my impressions are for search.

The way I look at it, search covers my hosting expenses and monetizes a service (Google SiteSearch) that I was already providing to readers.

[ChrisKud5]

I still do not understand why people with fairly small sites (less than 10,000 pages) would rather use a site search that pays little, rather than a search with regular adsense on it that pays out at regular adsense payouts.

Why people waste their time with sitesearch is beyond me. I remember these conversations weeks ago where i laid out how websearch payments were going to be far less than traditional adsense. People used sitesearch none the less, and now have made a fraction of what they could have with a search with adsense.

Anyone who uses adsense has the goal of making as much money as possible. Settling for less revenue by chosing one alternative over the other is just plain stupid.

Combine that high CTR with regular priced adsense and what do you get? If you are getting 2 cents per click on websearch and 20 cents per click regular adsense, that is a 10x increase. Why on earth absorb the oppertunity cost of using websearch over something else...........

[europeforvisitors]

In a nutshell, Google Websearch is good for publishers who:

1) Want to provide internal and external search as a service to users.

2) Want to provide users with a familiar (meaning Google) search interface.

3) Don't get enough internal search traffic to justify spending time, money, or bandwidth on search scripts or third-party providers.

BTW, you may recall that this topic was discussed at length in an earlier thread:

[webmasterworld.com...]

[birdstuff]

I agree with ChrisKud5. I tried websearch and the earnings were paltry. I went back to my own site search script with regular AdSense on the results pages and the earnings are back up to where they were before.

I guess it all depends on personal preference, but I prefer to maximize income whenever possible. I'm not interested in subsidizing a web search function for Google (which is in effect what using websearch does). I would prefer that my visitors leave my site via the Directory and article pages (and the AdSense ads on them).

[trader]

I tried Web Search on several good traffic sites but have now deleted or moved it to a harder to find location on the main page, or put on a less important subpage.

Websearch seemed to greatly lower income to Adsense as instead of clicking an adsense ad for a product of interest they instead did a websearch, which only pays a tiny fraction of Adsense based on EPC

[europeforvisitors]

Websearch seemed to greatly lower income to Adsense as instead of clicking an adsense ad for a product of interest they instead did a websearch, which only pays a tiny fraction of Adsense based on EPC

I haven't found that to be true at all, but different Web sites will have different experiences.

[asinah]

My earnings didn't go down from the day I used Websearch and in fact some of my Websearch channels report earnings as high as our Adsense channels.

I guess for some sites WebSearch/SiteSearch works fine and for some sites it doesn't work.

[ChrisKud5]

If a site does not get enough search traffic to justify spending 20 minutes setting up a search script, than why even spend the time to put websearch on it? By that logic you use it would be more useful to write more content than screw with websearch if a site gets very little search traffic. Why waste time on a site search if it gets next to no traffic?

This situation has a clear cut answer, if you want to maximize revenue use a search with adsense, if you want to waste your time and make little money, use websearch. If you cannot justify spending a little time on a better revenue producing search function, how do you justify the time to set up websearch? You have a less chance of making money with websearch, but you say that the search traffic is so small it does not matter, than why provide a search to such a small small market of people in the first place?

That logic makes no sense, if you are going to have a site search, and you run a for profit site, than go with the option that pays the best. Setting up websearch to minimize the workload and not caring about revenues is just being lazy. If you get such little search traffic that it makes no difference, write some more content and don't bother with any search. If you are in the business of making money, don't screw around with things that are not going to make you money. It is cut and dry, no two ways about it.

[europeforvisitors]

If a site does not get enough search traffic to justify spending 20 minutes setting up a search script, than why even spend the time to put websearch on it?

As a service to users who want it. (I realize that serving users isn't a high-priority item with all WW members, but for some of us, it's a strategy that has paid off quite handsomely.)

[btas2]

Well when I added WebSearch I didn't see any drop in AdSense revenues, so it did no harm. It just did very, very little good. Potentially it was worth a shot since the effort in setting it up was essentialy zero. Just converting from the free Google search to WebSearch.

However I have now removed it and replaced it with a non-Google search function which displays AdSense. As far as I can tell this is acceptable under AdSense terms of use - at least my interpretation of their terms of use.

In a week or so I should have an idea if it's working better, when the channel stats start comming in.

If anyone has heard of Google objecting to AdSense ads being displayed on search results pages, please let me know!

[hunderdown]

btas2,

You said, "However I have now removed it and replaced it with a non-Google search function which displays AdSense."

Are you getting targeted ads on that page? If I understand the workings of AdSense, I don't see how you could be, since the bot has to visit the page first--and each search results page would be different.

Am I missing something? If this is working for you then I am tempted to do the same.

[sean]

EFV, if ChrisKud5's search script has comparable functionality, couldn't you make more revenue while providing the same service to the user?

[europeforvisitors]

EFV, if ChrisKud5's search script has comparable functionality, couldn't you make more revenue while providing the same service to the user?

Not enough revenue to offset the convenience to the user of having a familiar Google interface for both internal and external search. (More than 99.5% of my traffic is on editorial content pages, not search.)

IMHO, it's always a mistake for a publisher to assume that he knows more about how to run another site than the owner does. :-)

[my2cents]

Real value coming in from using Google WebSearch? NOPE - Not here.

[asinah]

ChrisKud5, u posted : Setting up websearch to minimize the workload and not caring about revenues is just being lazy..

LOL - Looks like you have been to long in Singapore

[paulroberts3000]

I still do not understand why people with fairly small sites (less than 10,000 pages) would rather use a site search that pays little, rather than a search with regular adsense on it that pays out at regular adsense payouts.

I just worked out that I can get 363% more for my search clicks by using adwords ads on a google API search page. (just search for 'Google API Search Engine Script')

I now have all the customisations I want, search results formatted nicely etc. and I should be able to earn more money. They are deducting a fee for WebSearch, I expect a little more for my money.

it didn't take any longer to set up than websearch, I'm just getting alternate ads at the moment (clicksor which pays) I'll see how it goes...
;>

[trillianjedi]

I thought displaying ads in search results was against the AdSense TOS?

[Pibs]

When you say search results, does that apply to simply searching and finding a page on my site that happens to have adverts on it?

Pibs

[trillianjedi]

I've re-read the TOS and it seems there is nothing to stop you showing Ads on search results pages.

TJ

[Pibs]

Thanks, we rely on energetic peeps like you!

Next question, anyone know of an easy paste script to search the directories of my site?

:o)

Pibs

[trillianjedi]

Thanks, we rely on energetic peeps like you!

That's a bad idea - you should always read a TOS for yourself.

That's my interpretation of it. I may have missed something. If in any doubt, email google.

TJ

[Pibs]

:o(

True.

Pibs

[renee]

websearch has been good to me. i get about 8 cents per click. and my websearch revenue is about 80% of my adsense revenue! and my adsense revenue did not go down after i moneytized websearch. like EFV, i was already using google search in my sites prior to websearch.

[Prash_seo]

Hiya Renee,

Good Show!

What's ur website Topic/Category?

regards,

Prashant.

[paulroberts3000]

I'm now getting regular adsense ads on my google api results pages.