Pay per Click

[Steven Turetsky]

Does anybody use pay per click advertising? I am considering trying it, but have my reservations. Normally when doing a browser search, I ignore the sponsored listings and go to the generic.

I already dominate most of the pages for areas I target, but would like to improve certain areas where my ad shows up lower on the page.

[Greg Filian]

Does anybody use pay per click advertising? I am considering trying it, but have my reservations. Normally when doing a browser search, I ignore the sponsored listings and go to the generic.

I already dominate most of the pages for areas I target, but would like to improve certain areas where my ad shows up lower on the page.

I've used it for a couple of years now and for me it's cost is reasonable so as to keep people clicking my site. However I'm in a nich market. I use keywords for my industry. I also dominate in most of my area in an "organic" search. As with most advertising you have to stick with it for a good while to see uptick in traffic.

I'm looking into search engine optimizer companies, SEO's. My understanding of the newest internet formula is the importance of "back links". These companies create them for you. I have about 200 back links, my top competitor has 900. They told me they charge $30 per hour and can creat about 1-2 back links per hour. They also told me I should do it for a minimum of 3 months to get the best value (no minimum contracts). I'm going for a $300 per month program with it as soon as I get out of my 1 year contract with Superpages (IMO not worth the money).

Expert Mobile & Manufactured Home Inspections O.C. & San Diego Co. (http://www.MobileHomeInspectors.com)

[Jim Luttrall]

I did the pay per click several years ago and I always noted a spike in cost during the slow seasons leading me to believe most of those costs were my competitors or web developer research. I eventually stopped the pay per click when my organic results came up.
I could be proven wrong, but my personal feeling is that the expense is not worth the results.

[Steven Turetsky]

@ Greg, Thank you for your response. Although I do standard Home Inspections and have a website dedicated to that market, I also am more dedicated to my niche specialty (EIFS/Building Envelope/Moisture Intrusion/Thermal Imaging) market. Like you, I also dominate searches in my area.

There are a few local areas that I would like to improve my standings in. Don't get me wrong, even in these areas I show up on the first page, but I would still like some improvement.

I am also considering creating additional website address to link to my existing site, or to a dedicated page on the particular site. But somebody once told me if I do that it could hurt my SEO standings. I am looking into it.

As I stated above, when I do a web search, I usually ignore the sponsored sites, and usually find them to be links to businesses that are not local or related either. Thus my reservations.

If you are looking to create link backs, you should visit homeinspectorpro.com, there are a ton of guys there exchanging linkbacks.

@Jim, I was thinking the same thing. My initial research is that the cost is a couple of bucks per click. That could get expensive, especially if they are really not clients looking for an inspection.

[Greg Filian]

@ Greg, Thank you for your response. Although I do standard Home Inspections and have a website dedicated to that market, I also am more dedicated to my niche specialty (EIFS/Building Envelope/Moisture Intrusion/Thermal Imaging) market. Like you, I also dominate searches in my area.

There are a few local areas that I would like to improve my standings in. Don't get me wrong, even in these areas I show up on the first page, but I would still like some improvement.

I am also considering creating additional website address to link to my existing site, or to a dedicated page on the particular site. But somebody once told me if I do that it could hurt my SEO standings. I am looking into it.

As I stated above, when I do a web search, I usually ignore the sponsored sites, and usually find them to be links to businesses that are not local or related either. Thus my reservations.

If you are looking to create link backs, you should visit homeinspectorpro.com, there are a ton of guys there exchanging linkbacks.

@Jim, I was thinking the same thing. My initial research is that the cost is a couple of bucks per click. That could get expensive, especially if they are really not clients looking for an inspection.

In my nich, manufactured homes, I'm usually #1,2 or 3 on page 1 (google and yahoo) depending on what day and which key words I search. Years ago I learned that google likes click volume, quality of information (as related to your topic), they like that your domain name is what you do, and changes / additions of quality information to your site. The longer someone stays at your site the better. They don't like you using your keywords more than a handfull of times on each page.

Recently I learned from a SEO company sales person that google web crawlers check every 21 days for new info, (increases in site traffic, new related articles, and back links).

In my adwords campaign cost per clicks for my nich is about .65. It's worth it for me. Even if the clicks don't buy, my clicks increase. Also if you use adwords (google) and you put your phone number in your add people may call you without you having to pay for the click to the site.

Marketing the internet is very interesting and important to me. Anymore bits of wisdom are appreciated.

I'll go look at the other site you mentioned.
Thanks,

[Nick Ostrowski]

I did the pay per click several years ago and I always noted a spike in cost during the slow seasons leading me to believe most of those costs were my competitors or web developer research. I eventually stopped the pay per click when my organic results came up.
I could be proven wrong, but my personal feeling is that the expense is not worth the results.

My experience mirrored your Jim. I feel the same way about it.

[John Arnold]

My experience mirrored your Jim. I feel the same way about it.

Nick - I was glad when you quit pay per click. I was getting tired of clicking on your ads all the time...talk about boring.
Just kidding of course. Heh, heh.
I tried pay per click a couple of times. Not sure why I didn't learn my lesson the first time.

[Scott Patterson]

i used the pay for click or key word advertising about 5years ago when I relocated. I honestly do not think it made any difference. My website was pulling up on the first page anyway and most of the time in the top 3 spots. I have owned my domain name since early 1998, so it is an established domain with a great deal of history. Honestly I think I could put up a blank page and it would pull up good due to the age of my domain name.

If you site has good content and an older domain name you really do not need to pay to be seen.

[Robert Pike]

Yes, I have tried pay per click from several companies and I thought the business generated didn't even cover the expense.

[Bob Elliott]

Google ad words is great if you have no ranking on the first page.
The nice thing is you can 100% customize it and set the dollar amount.

No harm in trying it as it is only what you make of it and I see ads from competitors all the time popping up.

Resist the urge to click and make them spend money however as Google is wise to that.:)