Adwords Content Network Skyrocketing Clicks

Google Rep denies problem but data doesn't support

[mattb]

We have had an ongoing problem since Fall 2005. On what appears to be random and obscure keyword combinations, our content impressions and clicks have gone through the roof. We normally see less than 1 content click for each 10 search network / Google clicks. In the last 6 months we have had 3 or 4 word campaigns that have behaved just the opposite. The content clicks will spike to 10x the search clicks. We've notified Google of the issue and they investigate but find no fraud. We then drop the content bid to a low number and the problem goes away. My problem is that it keeps popping back up on other keyword groups. Did anyone else have this problem and come to a good solution?

[DamonHD]

Hi,

I keep my bids very low on anything other than pure Google Search, and ban/filter the most egregious sites (and one whole country, regrettably) that I find referring worthless traffic to me.

My cost-per-conversion is as low as it has ever been.

When it starts to blip upwards I check filters, etc, again.

Rgds

Damon

[venrooy]

I keep my bids very low on anything other than pure Google Search

How do you seperate google's search network from pure google search?

[Lil_Noodles]

I have just started AdWords in the past month or so, and I noticed I added a new keyword (actually a phrase), and now almost all of my ad dollars are going to Content Search. I am getting double the CTR I normally get from ads in Google Search results. But I have not yet checked on whether those clicks are resulting in people spending money on my site.

Does anyone have any thoughts on why people are clicking on these Content Search ads, yet not buying?

[poster_boy]

...ban/filter the most egregious sites...

Damon, how have you accomplished this?

[DamonHD]

Hi,

1) If I have either the Search Network or the Content Network enabled then I usually keep all my bits very low.

2) When using the Content Network then I usually have separate content bids (turing off the Budget Optimizer), and have them set really rock bottom!

3) I rarely bit for all countries, and in particular I omit one or two that are troublesome for some campaigns.

4) I make heavy use of negative keywords to keep out some of the lowest-value traffic from the Search/Content networks. Most any bad word to do with sex/p0rn that I see being used in referrals from parked domains for example!

Rgds

Damon

[poster_boy]

But, how have you filtered/banned individual sites from the search network?

[Bowdii]

Glad this thread was started...

I was just looking at where my dollars are being spent and I would about 80% is on the content search. But it has the lowest CTR - 0.2%.

Is content search really worth it? How do I make a decision to scrap it?

[DamonHD]

Hi,

You can't ban individual Search Network sites.

It is a facility that I have asked for.

Rgds

Damon

[DamonHD]

Hi Bowdii,

If managed properly, both the Search and Content Networks can be very worthwhile, but you do have to do the things that I mention above such has have lots of negative keywords and keep a close eye on cost-per-conversion.

Rgds

Damon

[Bowdii]

DamonHD - How do you choose your negative keywords? I know the obvious ones to add but is there away to check what keywords are being search for when your ad is appearing? Hopefully that makes sense..

Thanks for replying..

Bo

[running scared]

Is content search really worth it? How do I make a decision to scrap it?

Track through to conversions

> Choosing negatives

Review all actaul search phrases (as oppossed to the phrases you are bidding on) that you are getting clicks on. Also look at content sites sending you traffic and identify words that mark them as being irrelevant.

[DamonHD]

Hi,

I look at the referral URLs (and maybe visit the pages concerned) to work this out.

Rgds

Damon

[DamonHD]

Hi,

Yes, tracking through to conversion is important to discover/monitor good value; cheap clicks are good only if they convert, and it is not all obvious what will and what won't.

Rgds

Damon

PS. Please convert "bit" to "bid" throughout in a previous post; must have been having a binary hair day...