In a previous post, I mentioned the concept of the quality score that Google places on each keyword within an ad group.  This blog post will shed some additional light on how the quality score is calculated and why it should be important to your business marketing strategy.

The concept of the quality score is to ensure that the most relevant content/ads receive a higher score, which in turn will help the ad become listed higher and cost less. 

The formula for the quality score is two-fold as it influences both the keyword's minimum bid and the keyword-targeted ad's position in the search results.  The precise formula for the quality score is a mystery; however, Google does give us a list of the basic components used - summarized below.

Optimizing for a keyword's minimum bid

• The keyword's historical clickthrough rate (CTR)
• Relevance of the keyword to the ad
• • For example, if you are targeting the keyword string of Sioux Falls Marketing but your ad copy does not contain this keyword string - you will receive a poor rating for this component
• Quality of landing page
• • Relevant content, navigability, load time, etc
• Historical CTR of the entire ad group

Optimizing for a higher ad position

• Historical CTR of the ad
• The ad's display url
• Matched keyword(s) on Google
• Relevancy of the keyword and ad
• Account history
• • Google actually takes into account the CTR of all the keywords and ads in your account

I'd also like to make another special note on the importance of relevant keywords within the ad copy.  If you're targeting the keyword string of business blogging, it is pertinent that this appears at least one time in the ad copy.  It seems very simple, until you begin accumulating an expansive list keywords!  The solution? Ad Groups.  
For more information straight from Google pertaining to AdWords, click here.

Happy PPC'n!

Jeff Meuzelaar
Click Rain
Sioux Falls Marketing

Blogging for business is a topic that I am hearing more and more about in the online media realm.  In addition, blogging transparency (being who you say you are) in blogs, forums, etc. seems to go hand-in-glove with the topic.  I have had the opportunity to get several blogs off the ground recently for clients in a variety of industries, all of whom see blogging as a critical partner of crafting their brand personality as well as boosting SEO efforts.

If blogging is not part of your business marketing strategy, we should talk.  Look for more on this topic to come shortly. 

Your online marketing partner,
Paul

Another solid article today from eMarketer, this time on the importance of appearing on the first few pages of a search engine results page (serp).  While that is a very obvious statement, the numbers they share in the article reinforce how, more than ever before users attention span beyond the first serp is waning. The first paragraph of the article says in best:

Online search has become so efficient that most Internet users are now impatient with anything less than great results.

I would dare say that search engine optimization is the most important piece of a successful online marketing strategy.  Business blogging, paid search, social network marketing, and other internet marketing strategies are still pieces of the pie; however, if this article doesn't drive home the importance of a strong SEO strategy, well....

While it is becoming increasingly common for an organization to begin blogging for business, it's no shock that teens are bloggers too. It's also not a huge surprise that according the Pew Internet, approximately 35 percent of all online teen girls blog, compared to only about 20 percent of teen boys. If children are our future, then digital communication is their food.  Here are some other interesting findings from the Pew report on teens and social media (you can check out the full report here...it's quite good):

• 70% of teens say they talk on a cell phone
• 60% send text messages
• 54% instant message
• 47% send messages over social network sites
• 46% talk to friends on a landline
• 35% spend time with friends in person (This seems low. Or, a sign of the times?)
• 22% send e-mail daily.
• 19% of online teen boys post video (girls are at 10%)

Teens turn into college students who eventually turn into adults with jobs and disposable income. Start reaching them via these mediums now if you want your piece of the pie.

I just completed a good whitepaper on search advertising spending while killing time in the airport. While still a cost effective marketing buy, the average cost-per-click in 2006 was $0.47, up from $0.39 in 2004 (according to JupiterResearch). Considering that growth pattern and the overall effect it can have on a marketing budget, having a comprehensive search/PPC strategy is a must....no more throwing noodles against a wall to see what sticks. As search competiton continues to heat up ($11 billion predicted to be spent on search marketing by 2011, up from $7 billion in 2006), a demonstrable search ROI is no longer optional. Winning organic search through business blogging and solid seo principles is looking more and more appealing.

I had a friend ask me today about a site (competitor) that seemed to be popping up organically on a lot of searches - some searches which were related to their business and some which were unrelated.  In looking at the site a bit deeper, not only was there some mad keyword stuffing going on, but they had embedded a small frame on their site which contained a boatload of copy - probably 2000+ words.  Are they benefiting from this in search right now?  Yes.  Will the Google cops eventually bust them?  Probably.  Just as in all walks of business, their are ethical and unethical ways to run your online marketing show.  If you are looking for blackhat seo (define) to cheat your way to the top, don't contact us.  If you want to earn it (through blogging for business, ethical seo, and online business development), we've got the Red Bull ready.   

The video clip below has nothing to do with online business development, business blogging, online marketing, or any of the other stuff we post about here.  It's a video that I saw last year and recently stumbled across it again.  Take three minutes to watch this, smile, and I can almost guarantee that you will never forget this story.

Blogging continues to remain a hot topic across all levels of business, but increasingly, larger organizations are starting to feel the pressure of the blog beast and are asking themselves a couple of key questions:

1) Do we need to have a business blog?  If so, why?
2) Who will be our blogger(s)?
3) What will we say?

All good questions, all needing answers.  Blogging for business is no longer merely an "interesting" concept.  Blogging is intended to be a open and honest online dialogue with those in your target demographic.  It’s not for press releases, speeches, or whitepapers.  Further, blogging is an online cup of coffee with your readers.  Once that personal level of communication is established, you are no longer “XYZ Business” to your audience but are now, “The folks over at XYZ.”  That’s a big difference.  We’ll talk about who should blog and the appropriate messaging down the road.

 

Why does Click Rain blog?  Communication with customers, for one.  Also, however, is a sometimes-not-so-thinly-veiled sales pitch, like this one.  Our RainBlog tool takes blogging up a notch by not only providing an easy-to-use, web-based communication vehicle, but also combining it with leading-edge technology and algorithms proven to boost organic search engine ranking (define).  Thus, blogging can now serve two very key purposes: casual yet pointed communication with target audiences and a seo boost.  Collectively, leading to online business development, leading to sales, leading to you getting the corner office.

 

How do we do it?  Well, that’s the secret sauce.  Get in touch with us and we’ll give you a peak into the kitchen.

The folks over at TopRank out of Minneapolis ran a casual survey among readers to see where their online marketing efforts would be focused in 2008.  The results were a big surprising, especially the fact that blogging topped the list of things to do.  The author, TopRank CEO Lee Odden, goes on to make some good points about the importance of business blogging to drive seo and online PR, among other things. 

 

If you’re a company doing business and/or marketing online and aren’t using a blog in some way, you’re really at a disadvantage. The longer a company goes without a blog of some sort, the greater an advantage their blogging competition will have. Of course, not ALL companies need to have a blog, but the number of qualified reasons not to is getting smaller each day.

 

Excellent insight. If you are not business blogging, you need to be. Communicating with your audience is a key benefit of blogging, but there is so much more imbedded in a good blogging strategy - seo, organic search improvement, establishing leadership on a specific topic, to name a few.