Search Network vs Google

What is the click volume difference?

[davewray]

This question is to anyone who has chosen to show ads just on the Google website itself and has turned off the Search Partner network (not talking Content here), what is the difference in search volume on average? Will you get 50% of what you used to get if you turn the Search network off? I know it would vary by industry, but average numbers would be great if you have any experience with this! Also, did you note an increase in ROI by turning off the Search Network, or was ROI higher when the Search network was on as well? Thanks in advance!

Dave.

[DamonHD]

Hi,

I'm sure that my experience should not be regarded as representative, but VERY roughly:

1) I can get 2x to 100x the volume on Content over Search, especially at low CPC bids.

2) With work (eg lots of -ve keywords for Content), I get similar Cost Per Action (CPA) on both.

My main site is pro-bono and non-profit, and thus I quote CPA (in fact, cost-per-conversion to a "sticky" visitor for me) rather than ROI.

I find that using the ad scheduling to modulate bids down during peak periods (when I assume competitive bidding to be strongest) seems to help keep CPA down at a little cost in volume.

Rgds

Damon

[davewray]

Hi Damon...Acutally, I'm not interested in using the Content network at all. I was kind of curious about the difference in volume between Just Google, and Google + Search Partner network. Does the Search Partner network add a lot of volume?

On the subject of negative keywords...do negative keywords only apply to the content network, or do they apply to the search network as well?

Dave.

[jbgilbert]

ain't that the truth.

We just learned some things about the "search network" that is bothering us big time and are about to do just the testing that is being asked about here.

For example... did you know that if you go to one of the major shopping sites like bizrate and do a search or their site using some of your adwords keywords that the results page (at the bottom) will likely show your ad!

And, the delivery is from the "search network" NOT the content network!

There are many, many, many instances of this these days!

[One Thing Well]

A week ago I turned off Search Partners for a major keyword because of a .01% CTR much of which I rightly attributed to Partner traffic.
Yesterday, that keyword had 3,700 impressions just on Google.
the keyword on Search Partners showed 2,029 impressions.

This is unusual but possible in the travel industry as Partners includes some impressions that IMHO should be Content matches but that is another story.

A note on my method. In the Campaign with Search Partners enabled, I bid 20% less than in the Google only Campaign. Doesn't completely separate the two but gives a decent idea.

Now the theory, Search Partner traffic will be about 10 to 15% of what Google traffic is. That's the search share of AOL plus some of their other small time partners added together as a percentage of Google's 50%+ search share.

I am considering segmenting out all my Search Partner traffic like I used to have to do for Content traffic.

Hope something here is helpful.

[davewray]

One Thing well....that is interesting, thank-you. I may just have to experiment myself. Yeah, it is amazing how many folks equate Search Partners to the Content Network. The unfortunate thing is that there are some really great Search Partners out there...it's just that there are some REALLY bad ones too which kind of ruins the whole thing really. If only we could pick and choose which Search Partners we wanted showing our ads we could really improve ROI!

Dave.