Comments on: Tips for Success on the Google Content Network http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/ Affiliate Marketing and PPC Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:47:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Damian http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Damian Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:04:17 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-79 Hi Thumoney, great article, thanks! Have you manged to work out how Google defines a theme? The examples given in: http://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=54591 show different approaches. For some adgroups (e.g. Spiderman Toys), the keywords comprise the title itself, synonyms of the title (e.g. spiderman figure) , and plurals of both the title and synonyms (e.g. spiderman figures). Whereas in other adgroups (e.g. Spiderman Clothes) the keywords are hyponyms of the title (e.g. spiderman t-shirt) , and plurals of the hyponyms (e.g. spiderman t-shirts). So, which is the best way to go - synonyms or hyponyms? Also, it's not clear whether to include mis-spellings in the group, or indeed any other semantic relations. Any thoughts? Thanks Damian. Hi Thumoney, great article, thanks!

Have you manged to work out how Google defines a theme?

The examples given in: http://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=54591 show different approaches. For some adgroups (e.g. Spiderman Toys), the keywords comprise the title itself, synonyms of the title (e.g. spiderman figure) , and plurals of both the title and synonyms (e.g. spiderman figures). Whereas in other adgroups (e.g. Spiderman Clothes) the keywords are hyponyms of the title (e.g. spiderman t-shirt) , and plurals of the hyponyms (e.g. spiderman t-shirts).

So, which is the best way to go – synonyms or hyponyms? Also, it’s not clear whether to include mis-spellings in the group, or indeed any other semantic relations.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Damian.

]]> By: Thumoney http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-78 Thumoney Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:09:58 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-78 Kathy, the statement is more or less a more technical one. If you look at the overall picture, you still can split test, but it's not as precise as in search. If you want to make it 100% valid, you would have to select one single page and split test the ad only on that in the content network. In general I think it's still a good method to do the split-testing. You have to watch the site-specific stats closely though, and compare them, in order to not improve on the one site but come out worse on the second site. Another way would be to open a new adgroup for a new ad, and do a "split test" that way. You could keep the placements that are good in the old adgroup and try to find new ones in the new adgroup. All in all, from my epxerience, it's still valid to do split testing, just be aware that it is different on content. Kathy, the statement is more or less a more technical one. If you look at the overall picture, you still can split test, but it’s not as precise as in search. If you want to make it 100% valid, you would have to select one single page and split test the ad only on that in the content network.

In general I think it’s still a good method to do the split-testing. You have to watch the site-specific stats closely though, and compare them, in order to not improve on the one site but come out worse on the second site.

Another way would be to open a new adgroup for a new ad, and do a “split test” that way. You could keep the placements that are good in the old adgroup and try to find new ones in the new adgroup.

All in all, from my epxerience, it’s still valid to do split testing, just be aware that it is different on content.

]]> By: Kathy http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-77 Kathy Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:39:03 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-77 i am intrigued by your statement that split testing is ineffective on the content network.. it makes perfect sense. but if you can't split test, how do you go about improving CTR? i am intrigued by your statement that split testing is ineffective on the content network.. it makes perfect sense. but if you can’t split test, how do you go about improving CTR?

]]> By: Kirill Leytsikhovich http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Kirill Leytsikhovich Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:12:07 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-65 Unbelivable article! :-) Thumoney, it was awesome man! Thanks a lot! Really cool stuff! Unbelivable article! :-)

Thumoney, it was awesome man!

Thanks a lot! Really cool stuff!

]]> By: Thumoney http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-38 Thumoney Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:56:28 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-38 Hi Clint, thanks. The Newsletter will see some completely different articles. I started this site I think 1-2 month ago and still building it, while building up my affiliate markting volume too. But the idea is to create a great autoresponder list on the Newsletter and send some exclusive information over it, that won't be on the site. Now, seperate search and content right now in your campaigns. :) Seriously, it's very helpful. You are right, the Quality Score in search is not affected by Content. But if you run it and dont pay much attention to it, why even run it? Maybe you even lose money there and it drags you down. You have to pay real distinct attention to both, search and content. Search is PPC Advertising. While Content is really Contextual Media Buying. Hi Clint, thanks. The Newsletter will see some completely different articles. I started this site I think 1-2 month ago and still building it, while building up my affiliate markting volume too. But the idea is to create a great autoresponder list on the Newsletter and send some exclusive information over it, that won’t be on the site.

Now, seperate search and content right now in your campaigns. :) Seriously, it’s very helpful.
You are right, the Quality Score in search is not affected by Content. But if you run it and dont pay much attention to it, why even run it? Maybe you even lose money there and it drags you down. You have to pay real distinct attention to both, search and content.

Search is PPC Advertising.
While Content is really Contextual Media Buying.

]]> By: Clint Pachl http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Clint Pachl Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:10:20 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-35 Awesome article; so insightful! I run a very good Search Network (SN) campaign with a CTR ~10%. I also have the the Content Network (CN) enabled (by default). I never pay attention to it much, it the CTR is usually less than 1%, which brings my total CTR down. According to Google (http://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=115578), the Google Search Quality Score is not affected by the CN. However, you make an excellent argument for separating the Search and Content Networks into different campaigns that I have never even thought of! I do lots of A/B testing and its very effective for search. However, you make a great point about why it doesn't work for the CN. I'm so glad you pointed this out; I would have been trying to do split testing on the CN without realizing its ineffectiveness. I have not read such a densely informative article on the subject in quite some time. Thank you. I'm off to my AdWords account to separate my search and content advertising! P.S. What is the difference between subscribing to your Insider Newsletter and your RSS feed? Awesome article; so insightful! I run a very good Search Network (SN) campaign with a CTR ~10%. I also have the the Content Network (CN) enabled (by default). I never pay attention to it much, it the CTR is usually less than 1%, which brings my total CTR down. According to Google (http://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=115578), the Google Search Quality Score is not affected by the CN. However, you make an excellent argument for separating the Search and Content Networks into different campaigns that I have never even thought of!

I do lots of A/B testing and its very effective for search. However, you make a great point about why it doesn’t work for the CN. I’m so glad you pointed this out; I would have been trying to do split testing on the CN without realizing its ineffectiveness.

I have not read such a densely informative article on the subject in quite some time. Thank you. I’m off to my AdWords account to separate my search and content advertising!

P.S. What is the difference between subscribing to your Insider Newsletter and your RSS feed?

]]> By: Thumoney http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Thumoney Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:59:04 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-32 Hi Yasir, what you describe is one of the most common problems on the content network and I will dedicate my whole next post to it. You say that your CTR is good, which would mean about 1% or at least 0.5% which should assure that you are shown on most niches. I guess your keywords are not too special and you don't use negative keywords in excess. Then the most likely reason for stopped impressions is a content slap. It seems to happen the same way as a search slap with the frustrating difference that you can't see it in quality score. (A slapped campaign on search has a quality score of 1/10 on the active keywords) If that's the case it's difficult to get the campaign going again. Try to get in contact with your Google Rep (use the contact form if you dont have a persons contact) and then ask POLITELY what the reason might be and what you could do to improve! (I sometimes see people yelling at Google Reps in their emails, you really want to avoid that! :)) I personally had also some success by pausing the campaign and activating it the next day again. I really don't know what that was all about, but maybe you want to try it if all fails. The other options would be opening a new campaign with that domain and opening a new campaign with a new domain. Feel free to report back and look out for my next post coming shortly... Hi Yasir, what you describe is one of the most common problems on the content network and I will dedicate my whole next post to it.

You say that your CTR is good, which would mean about 1% or at least 0.5% which should assure that you are shown on most niches. I guess your keywords are not too special and you don’t use negative keywords in excess.

Then the most likely reason for stopped impressions is a content slap. It seems to happen the same way as a search slap with the frustrating difference that you can’t see it in quality score. (A slapped campaign on search has a quality score of 1/10 on the active keywords)
If that’s the case it’s difficult to get the campaign going again. Try to get in contact with your Google Rep (use the contact form if you dont have a persons contact) and then ask POLITELY what the reason might be and what you could do to improve! (I sometimes see people yelling at Google Reps in their emails, you really want to avoid that! :))

I personally had also some success by pausing the campaign and activating it the next day again. I really don’t know what that was all about, but maybe you want to try it if all fails. The other options would be opening a new campaign with that domain and opening a new campaign with a new domain.

Feel free to report back and look out for my next post coming shortly…

]]> By: Yasir Ch. http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Yasir Ch. Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:45:57 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-31 It is really an impressive article. But i am still confused of my problem i.e Whenever i tried to run content network campaign, it runs week or two and suddenly stops even my ctr and other things are too goood. I am monitoring the sites of low ctr and add them in exclusion palcement but this happens always. My concerns are: - My any website which is not appearing on content network, Is it useless now. or there is a way to appear this website again on content network by any tweek settings of adwrods. - What is the exact procedure to avoid this problem. Please help me , i will be greatful to you. It is really an impressive article. But i am still confused of my problem i.e
Whenever i tried to run content network campaign, it runs week or two and suddenly stops even my ctr and other things are too goood. I am monitoring the sites of low ctr and add them in exclusion palcement but this happens always.

My concerns are:

- My any website which is not appearing on content network, Is it useless now. or there is a way to appear this website again on content network by any tweek settings of adwrods.
- What is the exact procedure to avoid this problem.

Please help me , i will be greatful to you.

]]> By: Thumoney http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Thumoney Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:39:31 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-22 I select a theme of about 20-30 keywords, including the most obvious ones (the "main keywords"). Mostly they include a lot of keywords that worked on search. If I want to broaden the reach (for instance a health product on men-related websites) then I want to use different keywords, yep. Another good way to find keywords for an adgroup is to use the "wonderwheel" on google.com search: It's right below the search box to the left: click "Show options..." and in the left bar then "Wonder wheel" and you will get the most related keywords for a main keyword. That was a suggestion by a Google rep. Of course the Content Network algorithm will try to find more websites that fit your theme. As far as I know it's a kind of fuzzy logic that constantly tries to expand and match your campaign to websites, IF your campaign is working ok, which means has a good CTR. I'm currently experimenting with adgroups of completely different keywords (but still related) for the same product. I will post the results on the site later ... So far it looks like you can get fastly different numbers of impressions with different keyword-groups. The question of course remains: what is working and what not. For instance for a men's health product I use 3 groups: a) tight kewords for the product-category b) health related keywords and c) men related keywords. You want to optimize those adgroups 1 by 1 and keep a look at them of course. The goal would be to find converting websites that are very different to each other and focus on them with an own adgroup and ads on the Content Network. I select a theme of about 20-30 keywords, including the most obvious ones (the “main keywords”). Mostly they include a lot of keywords that worked on search. If I want to broaden the reach (for instance a health product on men-related websites) then I want to use different keywords, yep.

Another good way to find keywords for an adgroup is to use the “wonderwheel” on google.com search: It’s right below the search box to the left: click “Show options…” and in the left bar then “Wonder wheel” and you will get the most related keywords for a main keyword. That was a suggestion by a Google rep.

Of course the Content Network algorithm will try to find more websites that fit your theme. As far as I know it’s a kind of fuzzy logic that constantly tries to expand and match your campaign to websites, IF your campaign is working ok, which means has a good CTR.

I’m currently experimenting with adgroups of completely different keywords (but still related) for the same product. I will post the results on the site later …
So far it looks like you can get fastly different numbers of impressions with different keyword-groups. The question of course remains: what is working and what not. For instance for a men’s health product I use 3 groups: a) tight kewords for the product-category b) health related keywords and c) men related keywords. You want to optimize those adgroups 1 by 1 and keep a look at them of course. The goal would be to find converting websites that are very different to each other and focus on them with an own adgroup and ads on the Content Network.

]]> By: leadicious http://www.thumoney.com/tips-for-success-on-the-google-content-network/comment-page-1/#comment-20 leadicious Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:59:33 +0000 http://www.thumoney.com/how-to-get-success-on-the-google-content-network/#comment-20 Thumoney, Cool post man! Do you use the same search campaign keywords? Or do you create new one? How do you group the content network keywords? I personally use completely different keywords for content, and I group them in different ways (trial and error) until I get decent volume of impressions and then work on CTR. Best, Leadicious Thumoney,

Cool post man!

Do you use the same search campaign keywords? Or do you create new one?
How do you group the content network keywords?

I personally use completely different keywords for content, and I group them in different ways (trial and error) until I get decent volume of impressions and then work on CTR.

Best,
Leadicious

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