How good on Content network Conversions?

Worth it?

[silverbytes]

I suspect content network clicks does not convert. Please roi trackers, comment about your experiences with content networks conversions. To me just google search works and nothing else. What about you?

[utahclimber]

I've been running a few test campaigns with different demographics that I thought would be great for my site and I'm getting zero conversions; tons of impressions but not a single sale.

Worthless in my opinion.

[Green_Grass]

Good for me. Cheap source of clicks. I think one needs to persevere a bit for the adwords system to get the 'right' places to place your ads for the best CTR. I have stuck to it for the last 3 months and now getting decent results.

[silverbytes]

..Cheap source of clicks. I think one needs to persevere a bit for the adwords system to get the 'right' places to place your ads for the best CTR. ...

Cheap source of clicks means nothing if conversions are bad. Means just work and time spent.
About "right" places you can't pick it up using content network ads, Google decides for you.

But if you mean site oriented campaings, that's a different thing. I belive you can select a few sites that may work for your keywords, but picking 1 by one and testing conversions is a huge task...

[deep_alley]

Conversion rates are ALWAYS lower on the content network when compared to the search network. Cost per conversion also tends to be higher. But still worth it (for me at least) since the absolute number of conversions goes up.
Also I have noticed many times that a lot of the sites my ads show up on are not relevant. Its a pain excluding them.
Site targeting has been the costliest though. It's also too tedious as sites have to be carefully selected.

[eWhisper]

Conversion rates are ALWAYS lower on the content network when compared to the search network.

Every couple of weeks I see another example of content preforming better than search.

Search and content are two different user mindsets.

[mimmo]

I regularly perform in-depth analysis of the conversion rates from Google Content and Search network. It is not that easy to distinguish between the two type of clicks.

My conlcusion is that since the Content network can be fine-tuned using the site exclusion rules, while the Search network cannot, the Content network can result in better ROI than the Search network.

[Green_Grass]

Silverbytes

I guess , I was not very clear. My conversions on 'Content ' clicks are as good as 'Search 'Clicks.

At times CTR on Content Network is better than Search Network. Maybe because my ads are displayed much lower down on Search ( as I keep bid prices low) while on content position 8 or 9 is also O.K.

G has taken 3 months or so to find ' the right ' places (sites) to place my ads for best results. The G algo is not all useless! At times it works also. I understand that I have no control over Content placement ( except in site targetted CPM campaigns which have horrible CTR and worse conversions for me).

I like to pay low for my visitors so I guess, I find Content clicks good.

[silverbytes]

since the Content network can be fine-tuned using the site exclusion rules, while the Search network cannot, the Content network can result in better ROI than the Search network.

It's a real pain to fine-tune the whole content network excluding sites. You should review all sites were you ad is showing then exclude the bad.

If you found an easy way to do it please share it.
I find content network a source of clicks and ads showing in non related sites.

[mimmo]

We have a small program that scans our web logs and extracts all Content search sites where our ads are shown. For each site it counts how many clicks we get. Then I manually check them and exclude if I think they are not OK for our target. When I first started I had to exclude many, but now things are more stable and I only get the clicks I want so I can raise the bids.

[silverbytes]

That sounds great! Is custom made or buyed?

[deep_alley]

Its good to hear that some people are getting better conversion rates on content. I guess I havent put in much time and effort into content optimization. Has anyone tried different strategies for content as compared to search? (especially now that Search/Content can be targeted seperately).

[DamonHD]

Hi,

I get reasonable cost-per-conversion on all G's networks, but ONLY if:

1) I carefully target by language and country.

2) I have *lots* of negative keywords.

3) I block really egregious traffic (by source URL) that I see coming in (content network).

4) I keep a keen eye on max CPC, etc.

5) I'm prepared to reduce volume to keep down cost-per-conversion.

6) I'm prepared to temporarily turn off a particular network for a while if the traffic goes very bad, eg possibly because of some fraud event going on elsewhere, such as a teenager clicking their way to a "I've just been banned for NO reason" email...

Rgds

Damon

[mimmo]

This is exactly what we do, great list!

[mimmo]

silverbytes, we have made a custom program which is not ready yet to be used in other scenarios because has dependencies on our own landing pages.