Does anybody get any similar to this recently?
Anyhow, just a reminder, the topic is not called "G$$gle is so great", the topic is called "Sudden increase in CPC". I'd be asking moderators to delete irrelevant posts.
To ConfusedWriter:
I am quoting from your G$$gle link:
If your keyword or Ad Group's maximum cost-per-click (CPC) meets the minimum bid, your keyword will be active and trigger ads. If it doesn't, your keyword will be inactive for search
The cost jumped 10-fold, from $0.10 to $1.00 and occasionally more. Lots of keywords got disabled. Simple logic, really simple, this is not rocket science.
reddog: I'm not surprised actually, if Google's ultimate goal is to improve user experience...
And how do you know that? Did they call you and tell you their ultimate goal? In fact, being a huge corporation, their goal is to create monopoly.
My impression is that Google is focusing on quality pretty much above all else (including revenue at the moment) and figuring that improved quality will bring in improved revenues (for everyone, but specially for Google) down the line. It's called long-range planning. I'm not saying they are necessarily going about it the right way, but I think that's what they're aiming at. I come to this conclusion by way of my own observations for my own sites, my client's sites, my AdSense accounts, my AdWords accounts, various communications with Google and the articles and interviews I've read.
And I'll even look at Pluto options with an open mind.
Who ever gets the most eyeballs gets the most advertising dollars. Relevant results create more eyeballs, pretty simple to me and I hear Pluto ain't so bad this time of year.
1) quality has nothing to do with it
2) the only reason there is an increase in bids is because of Google Analytics
3) Google is the Devil
Looks like we're getting somewhere now...
Im sure google are trying to improve quality of the results, but at the same time they of course would like more revenue - who wouldnt. Most of the people who read this forum would frankly shaft each other for a little more cash in their pocket (legally of course) so lets not get high and mighly about google doing the same to advertisers, whether its intentional or not. If its a mistake they will fix it, if not then we have to move on if adwords has becomes unprofitable.
The one thing that does annoy me, assuming the changes are to improve quality, is that google created the problems themselves when they let adsense run amok. The natural SERPS are full of made for adsense trash sites, and adwords is just as bad. If this update removes some of those sites from adwords then great, but its still a problem of their own making. But there you go.
Maybe Google is changing several things at once or changing one thing has broader implications?
What I think is sort of funny is nearly all that's left on the ad side now is shopping search engines, ebay and one or two megastores (amazon, taget, etc). Considering that there are, what... like 4 or 5 major shopping search engines so the block is filled.
This is not the case in our particular consumer goods space.
Ours is dominated by manufacturers selling their own brands direct, followed by online retailers selling multiple brands, followed then by Amazon and the shopping comparison engines.
Any affiliate-only and drop-shippers were priced out two or three years ago.
I'd be surprised if any of the advertisers in the space saw any changes at all in their ad costs.
Any affiliate-only and drop-shippers were priced out two or three years ago.
And this is now across the board IMHO.
So jacking up the prices in little less competitive niches is a nail in coffin of mom-and-pop eCommerce. Thank you, G$$gle, you did it, you stepped and burried webmasters that made you who you are. And how? With garbage-like "quality" of serps, millions of made-for-adsense sites and lots of spin doctors.
Welcome, MSN.
