One of the most commonly asked questions about optimizing content campaigns is “what is a good click through rate?” The short answer…well…it depends. Your click  through rate is going to vary based on:

• your account structure (keyword themed or placement targeted)
• the types of sites you are targeting (general or targeted, top domain or specific pages)
• the ad formats that you are using (text, image, video, mobile)

You really shouldn’t grade your account, campaign, AdGroup or even your ad copy based on average click through rates. If you run a placement report, you will find that click through rates vary campaign to campaign, AdGroup to AdGroup, placement to placement and ad to ad.

If your CTR isn’t what you expected or would like, dig deeper and analyze the individual sites, the pages your ads are showing on and the ad format and copy. Some general sites are just going to get lower CTR’s by nature and some ads may perform better on some sites but terrible on others.

For higher traffic and general topic sites, try a more generic ad and landing page and a softer call to action (like a free trial or report). As you get more specific with your targeting, use different landing pages and ad copy for the different audiences. Example: if you are targeting CEO’s with placement targeting, the ad copy and landing pages should be different from the placements, landing pages and ads that target merchandise buyers.

To evaluate your click through rate on the content network, use your networks tab to look at the details for your automatic and/or managed placements or better yet, run placement reports so that you are looking at all the variables for each AdGroup and ad.

For more information on Content Network strategies stay tuned to my YouTube channel, blog or you can still sign up for the Content Network Boot Camp.

A LOT has happened in the content and placement targeting space since my last email blasts.  I promised I would kick off a fresh new newsletter, blog and YouTube channel in 2010 so this newsletter is the first of many to come. *Preview* – I’m working on a video kick off where I show off my other ninja skills for walking on my hands!

Live Online Coaching Series:

Want to know how to save money and be more efficient at optimizing your Contextual Advertising? Next Wednesday, I will be kicking off an Intermediate Content Network Boot Camp with Perry Marshall. It will be four weeks of live coaching in a webinar format with 24/7 access to recorded material and lots of bonuses. The live beginner course sold out quickly and this course is over half way sold out.

AdWords Masters Summit – Maui – March 1-3, 2010

If you want to combine a Maui vacation with three days with some of the top Internet marketing speakers, trainers, coaches and gurus in the country…come with me to the AdWords Masters Summit in Maui, March 2010. I will be speaking along with Perry Marshall, Bryan Todd, Glenn Livingston (Rocket Clicks), Richard Stokes (AdGooroo.com), Amit Mehta (PPC Classroom), Jonathan Mizel (Traffic Evolution) and MORE.

Contextual Advertising Basics – Radio Interview

Want to know more about content and placement targeting? I got the opportunity to discuss the basics of contextual advertising with Ed Frazier and Lisa Mckibben on the “Everything Internet” show on CNN 1190.

Radio Recording
“Everything Internet” Show Info:

That wraps up the first edition for 2010. Future newsletters will cover a variety of contextual advertising topics:

* Beginner to advanced strategies for everything from:

• developing keyword themes
• setting up placement targeting
• analyzing placement reports
• strategies specifically for image, video and mobile ads

* Information and reviews on other content networks (beyond Google AdWords)
* Information and reviews on some of the great tools and services to help you kick off, expand, optimize and manage your content and placement targeted accounts
* Information on opportunities for conferences and trainings on contextual advertising
* Where to find free tools, blogs, tweets, videos and more to help you learn more about content network strategies.
* YouTube and mobile strategies will also be coming soon

If you have specific questions or topics about contextual advertising that you would like to see covered in the future…just drop me an email.

~Shelley Ellis

Only a few seats are still open for the Intermediate Content Network Boot Camp starting January 20th, 2010

I may not look it but I am considered a “dinosaur” in the paid search industry. I have 20 years  experience working in marketing and with the Internet and 10 of those years were focused entirely on search engine marketing  (SEM).  My followers include some of the top speakers, teachers and trainers in online marketing.

If you want to save time and money…and get more targeted traffic, leads and sales…my experience and knowledge of the paid search industry can give you unique ideas that fit your product, marketing goals, resources and budget.

OutSourcing Your Paid Search:

Services Available:

• New Account Set up, management, optimization
• Changes to campaign settings that will save you money
• Negative keyword ideas for filtering unwanted traffic
• Keyword expansion ideas
• Geo Targeting For Local Businesses
• Ad copy
• Landing Page reviews
• Strategies for micro-targeting your audience
• Strategies to maximize budgets and lower CPC’s in competitive industries
• More!

OutSourcing Options:

• Google AdWords – Paid Search
• Google AdWords – Content Network
• Display, Video and Mobile Advertising
• Yahoo, Bing – Paid Search
• Contextual Ad Networks

From: Shelley Ellis, Dallas, TX

I listen first. Your company, products, services and ideas are unique. So are your resources, budgets and goals. I focus on the concepts and strategies that will work best for you.

My background and experience includes working hands on with several hundred different search engine accounts across a variety of industries. My clients have ranged from tiny companies where every penny counts to Fortune 500 (Coca Cola, Hallmark, Kimberly-Clark, Ritz-Carlton, USAA, Mary Kay, Avaya, etc.) where the annual budgets ranged in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

I am well respected in the Internet marketing industry and have done teleseminars and been featured in blogs for Perry Marshall, have been a guest speaker on PPC Rockstars and I have contributed to the Great Finds blog for iCrossing, a major digital marketing agency. I have also spoken at DFWSEM and AdSpace/Content Revenue Strategies (part of AdTech).

I have been a pioneer in contextual marketing. While everyone else was bashing content and telling people to exclude the Social Media sites from their content advertising, I was blogging on how to use Google’s content network with MySpace and discussing the capabilities of the new enhanced online campaigns on PPC Rockstars. Google has even used my Social Media ideas for their EOC training materials!

Beyond paid search and content marketing, I have used keyword strategies to develop taglines and domain names and to make email campaigns and blogs more successful. I would also love to share my recent personal success with a number of social media marketing strategies.

Contact me to set up a free marketing evaluation to review your paid search and/or contextual advertising strategies for ways to get more out of your advertising budget and for improving and expanding your current marketing strategies.

Talk with you soon,

~Shelley

Mentions in News, Articles and Blogs:

Perry Marshall – Expert Series

Perry Marshall – Category Filtering

Jim Yaghi

AThirdMind.com

DFWSEM Speaker 2/19

NBC Channel 5 / Social Marketing

Dallas Morning News / Training for LaidOffCampDFW

AdSpace 2009: Speaker – Measurement and Metrics

Content Revenue Strategies 2009: Advisory Board and Speaker

#BringItUnplugged Panelist

PPCRockstars

CNN Radio 1190 – “Everything Internet Radio Show”

Connect:

http://twitter.com/itsjustshelley

http://www.facebook.com/itsjustshelley

http://www.linkedin.com/in/itsjustshelley

Certifications/Qualifications:

I may not look it but I am considered a “dinosaur” in the paid search industry. I have 20 years  experience working in marketing and with the Internet and 10 of those years were focused entirely on search engine marketing  (SEM).  My followers include some of the top speakers, teachers and trainers in online marketing.

If you want to save time and money…and get more targeted traffic, leads and sales…my experience and knowledge of the paid search industry can give you unique ideas that fit your product, marketing goals, resources and budget.

Search Engine Marketing Consulting – In Just One Hour:

You could get:

• Changes to campaign settings that will save you money
• Negative keyword ideas for filtering unwanted traffic
• Keyword expansion ideas
• Advice on Geo Targeting
• Ad copy suggestions
• Landing Page reviews
• Strategies for micro-targeting your audience
• Strategies to maximize budgets and lower CPC’s in competitive industries
• More!

Search Engine Marketing Consultation Options:

• One-on-one training using desktop sharing
• Phone consultations (live Q&A)
• Account reviews
• Projects (such as building placement targeted lists)
• Industry research

From: Shelley Ellis, Dallas, TX

I listen first. Your company, products, services and ideas are unique. So are your resources, budgets and goals. Every consultation is different with a focus around what concepts and strategies will work best for you.

My background and experience includes working hands on with several hundred different search engine accounts across a variety of industries. My clients have ranged from tiny companies where every penny counts to Fortune 500 (Coca Cola, Hallmark, Kimberly-Clark, Ritz-Carlton, USAA, Mary Kay, Avaya, etc.) where the annual budgets ranged in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

I am well respected in the Internet marketing industry and have done teleseminars and been featured in blogs for Perry Marshall, have been a guest speaker on PPC Rockstars and I have contributed to the Great Finds blog for iCrossing, a major digital marketing agency. I have also spoken at DFWSEM and AdSpace/Content Revenue Strategies (part of AdTech).

I have been a pioneer in contextual marketing. While everyone else was bashing content and telling people to exclude the Social Media sites from their content advertising, I was blogging on how to use Google’s content network with MySpace and discussing the capabilities of the new enhanced online campaigns on PPC Rockstars. Google has even used my Social Media ideas for their EOC training materials!

Beyond paid search and content marketing, I have used keyword strategies to develop taglines and domain names and to make email campaigns and blogs more successful. I would also love to share my recent personal success with a number of social media marketing strategies.

Just one hour with me and you will walk away with a host of ideas for ways to get more out of your advertising budget and for improving your current marketing strategies.

Talk with you soon,

~Shelley

Mentions in News, Articles and Blogs:

Perry Marshall – Expert Series

Perry Marshall – Category Filtering

Jim Yaghi

AThirdMind.com

DFWSEM Speaker 2/19

NBC Channel 5 / Social Marketing

Dallas Morning News / Training for LaidOffCampDFW

AdSpace 2009: Speaker – Measurement and Metrics

Content Revenue Strategies 2009: Advisory Board and Speaker

#BringItUnplugged Panelist

PPCRockstars

CNN Radio 1190 – “Everything Internet Radio Show”

Connect:

http://twitter.com/itsjustshelley

http://www.facebook.com/itsjustshelley

http://www.linkedin.com/in/itsjustshelley

Certifications/Qualifications:

From the basics to advanced optimization strategies, everything is covered for traditional content targeting (keyword themes) and placement targeting. Get ideas to help you “break away” from the old and unsuccessful content network strategies and learn filtering techniques that only a handful of companies even know about. Learn about display (banner ad) advertising options and all the different ways to use video and mobile for advertising and how to put your advertising into YouTube videos. Tap into the most comprehensive resource for tools, articles, conferences and experts in the content targeting arena.

Training:

• The original training series (June-August 2009) is still available – click here.
• A live training and coaching series in collaboration with Perry Marshall with step by step materials will be starting November 18th. For more information – click here.
• Personalized training, coaching and consulting is also available. Please contact me for more information.

Testimonials:

Glen from Montreal, Canada - The breadth of knowledge was amazing. There were more topics covered than I thought would be. No matter how much experience you have with the Content Network, you will learn something.

Kevin from Jackonsville Florida – The best training available on the content network period.

Laura from Dallas Texas - This program introduced me to a new way to use Google adwords that I was not even aware of. It also gave me step by step action items that will make my campaign a success.

I may not look it but I am considered a “dinosaur” in the paid search industry. I have 20 years  experience working in marketing and with the Internet and 10 of those years were focused entirely on search engine marketing  (SEM).  My followers include some of the top speakers, teachers and trainers in online marketing.

If you want to save time and money…and get more targeted traffic, leads and sales…my experience and knowledge of the paid search industry can give you unique ideas that fit your product, marketing goals, resources and budget.

AdWords Consulting – In Just One Hour:

You could get:

• Changes to campaign settings that will save you money
• Negative keyword ideas for filtering unwanted traffic
• Keyword expansion ideas
• Advice on Geo Targeting
• Ad copy suggestions
• Landing Page reviews
• Strategies for micro-targeting your audience
• Strategies to maximize budgets and lower CPC’s in competitive industries
• More!

AdWords Consultation Options:

• One-on-one training using desktop sharing
• Phone consultations (live Q&A)
• Account reviews
• Projects (such as building placement targeted lists)
• Industry research

From: Shelley Ellis, Dallas, TX

I listen first. Your company, products, services and ideas are unique. So are your resources, budgets and goals. Every consultation is different with a focus around what concepts and strategies will work best for you.

My background and experience includes working hands on with several hundred different search engine accounts across a variety of industries. My clients have ranged from tiny companies where every penny counts to Fortune 500 (Coca Cola, Hallmark, Kimberly-Clark, Ritz-Carlton, USAA, Mary Kay, Avaya, etc.) where the annual budgets ranged in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

I am well respected in the Internet marketing industry and have done teleseminars and been featured in blogs for Perry Marshall, have been a guest speaker on PPC Rockstars and I have contributed to the Great Finds blog for iCrossing, a major digital marketing agency. I have also spoken at DFWSEM and AdSpace/Content Revenue Strategies (part of AdTech).

I have been a pioneer in contextual marketing. While everyone else was bashing content and telling people to exclude the Social Media sites from their content advertising, I was blogging on how to use Google’s content network with MySpace and discussing the capabilities of the new enhanced online campaigns on PPC Rockstars. Google has even used my Social Media ideas for their EOC training materials!

Beyond paid search and content marketing, I have used keyword strategies to develop taglines and domain names and to make email campaigns and blogs more successful. I would also love to share my recent personal success with a number of social media marketing strategies.

Just one hour with me and you will walk away with a host of ideas for ways to get more out of your advertising budget and for improving your current marketing strategies.

Talk with you soon,

~Shelley

Mentions in News, Articles and Blogs:

Perry Marshall – Expert Series

Perry Marshall – Category Filtering

Jim Yaghi

AThirdMind.com

DFWSEM Speaker 2/19

NBC Channel 5 / Social Marketing

Dallas Morning News / Training for LaidOffCampDFW

AdSpace 2009: Speaker – Measurement and Metrics

Content Revenue Strategies 2009: Advisory Board and Speaker

#BringItUnplugged Panelist

PPCRockstars

CNN Radio 1190 – “Everything Internet Radio Show”

Connect:

http://twitter.com/itsjustshelley

http://www.facebook.com/itsjustshelley

http://www.linkedin.com/in/itsjustshelley

Certifications/Qualifications:

When you set up keyword targeted AdGroups in Google, you would think that you would be targeting the content (keywords) of the pages that you want your ads to appear on. Right? Not necessarily…

I have had many conversations lately about a theory I have on a Google scoring system for determining ad distribution using keyword themes to target their AdSense content network. I just read an article on AdSense strategies that helped confirm my theory.

Here are some of the things you need to pay attention to when you are targeting a specific page or specific types of pages:
*Page Titles
*Page Description Tags
*H1 and H2 Tags
*Bold text and external links
*Image tags

In some cases, I have even seen some emphasis placed on keywords used for navigation.

The best way to figure out how Google is targeting your ads is to really dig deep into your placement reports. Look at your keywords. Look at the pages that are showing your ads. Look for those keywords on the pages and pull up the source code for the page and look there.

**Note: MySpace and some other sites on the content network do distribute ads differently. For instance MySpace will distribute ads at about 50% targeted to the searcher’s profile and the other 50% relevant to that page (discussion forum, groups, etc.)

If you have a Facebook fan page or if you are a social media company and you build or manage Facebook pages for clients…you HAVE to check out the Sprout Facebook Page Builder.

Seriously, you don’t have to have a Facebook fan page that looks like everyone else’s. Spice up the design. Add interaction. Check it out:

http://www.facebook.com/sproutinc
http://sproutinc.com/facebook-fan-pages-by-sprout/
pricing – http://sproutbuilder.com/account/subscribe

I am addicted to domains…there, I admit it!

Over the years I have purchased domains for my web design company, for a directory of off duty firefighter’s companies and services, for a sign company, for my paid search company and for a variety of special interests that I have been involved in.

I think part of my addiction is that I am so GOOD at the domain name game (it has to be that pay per click keyword background!). I love NameDroppers.com and I have tried a few similar sites where I can not only see if the domain name has been taken but I can see similar domain names and even domain name recommendations.

For the first time in ten years, I have started letting domain names “go back”. For someone with my level of domain name addiction…that’s really tough! Maybe it is the economy and the fact that I’m cutting back just like everyone else. Maybe I have realized that I can never follow up on all the new business ideas I conjure up when I get into a domain name brainstorming mood.

So today is a sad day as I say good-bye to more domains…knowing that they will be scooped up by the buzzards known as domain page holders. (she sighs and hears the bagpipes playing in her head)