27 replies to this topic

[carbon14]

Perhaps my search habits are different than other peoples so I would like to get a guage of the people in this forum.

When I go to an engine and do a search, I normally scroll right past the "sponsored" listings and look in the web results.

I think a part of me says, "Anyone can buy there way in."

Does anyone else skip the sponsored listings, or is it worth it to invest in these a little?

[qwerty]

That depends on whether you're talking about searching for information (that is, in the role of the user) or researching keywords and competitors.

As a user, I don't click a paid link unless 1) it really appears to be exactly what I'm looking for and 2) the organic results don't.

[fred]

I don't even see the paid listing

I go right to the 'regular' result from the page.

I'm with carbon14 on this one.

[carbon14]

Addendum - Searching for information, not researching.

[Vertster]

I regularly scan both the natural and sponsored results. I click on both all the time, frequently on the same search.

[SearchRank]

I mostly sift through the non-paid editroial results. If I do click on sponsored listings, it is most always Google's and not Overture.

[qwerty]

I don't touch Overture ads. If I'm not mistaken, they still partner with Gator, and I don't want any part of that.

[Jill]

If I'm looking to buy a product, I find that the Google AdWords are usually more relevant than their regular search results. In those cases, I'll definitely click on them. I have no problem clicking on Google AdWords because they are clearly marked as ads.

On the other hand, I purposely avoid the Overture ads at all the other search engines because they are usually sneakily placed to appear as if they are regular search results. I don't want to rewards those engines for their deceipt. Although occasionally, I'll click on some of those ads (especially the high priced ones) just to be mean. Me bad.

Jill

[Vertster]

Although occasionally, I'll click on some of those ads (especially the high priced ones) just to be mean. Me bad.

I thought I was the only one that did that Must be something about being from the Boston area... (I grew up there)

[Scottie]

I'm like Jill-

When I'm looking for a commercial product or service to purchase, I'll often start with the AdWords because the editorial listings are usually informational pages. If I'm still researching the purchase or looking for other information, I don't look at the AdWords at all and stick to the editorial listings.

I do like to click on really obnoxious ads sometimes, just to make them pay.

[qwerty]

Must be something about being from the Boston area... (I grew up there)

Well, I live here and I don't do such nasty things. Then again, I grew up in NY, so I must have gotten my politeness there. But you'd think it would have worn off by now...

[polarmate]

I'm like Jill-

When I'm looking for a commercial product or service to purchase, I'll often start with the AdWords because the editorial listings are usually informational pages.  If I'm still researching the purchase or looking for other information, I don't look at the AdWords at all and stick to the editorial listings.

I do like to click on really obnoxious ads sometimes, just to make them pay.

Isn't that really helping them though? Frivolous clicks help them maintain their CTR and prevent other [possibly genuine] advertisers [with possibly genuine products] from getting to be at the top? An advertiser can have the highest bid yet drop from the top position(s) if their CTR is low.

[dragonlady7]

I had total banner-blindness about the paid ads until I got into SEO. Now that I know what they are, I click on them sometimes, especially if I'm looking for commercial services or information about products. They never appealed to me before.

Funnily enough, I got my boyfriend to consider clicking on them, and through them he found a great source for the hardware he wanted to buy. Unfortunately, he didn't really understand how they worked-- so instead of bookmarking the page, or remembering its URL, he simply clicked on their ad every time he wanted to see the page again! Then when he got home and went to show me their page, the ad was gone. He was so upset! I smacked my forehead and explained to him that he'd probably singlehandedly depleted their budget by clicking so many times.
He *did* buy $500 worth of stuff from them, though, so I can't feel that bad. And he won't do it again!
But I checked with some big Adwords users on WebmasterWorld and they grimly agreed that yes, Google will charge you again for the click even if it's the same person who's hit the back button and clicked again.
Fortunately, he didn't do this on a page with Adsense or the publisher might've been accused of fraudulent clicks (to hear them in the forum over there, it happens to all of them, though I wonder if they're all as innocent as they say they are).

Anyhow, the advertisers concluded that they don't really mind that kind of repeated clicking because they're almost guaranteed to convert, but they all thought it would be really, really nice Google would be nice and not charge them for all of them.

So, I have no residual guilt about the matter anymore, but I think it's a pretty funny anecdote about overcoming banner-blindness.

A lot of people like me and my boyfriend are willing to give Google the benefit of the doubt and trust that the ads will lead to reputable, decent pages.
I'm not willing to give that benefit to many others.

[qwerty]

Frivolous clicks help them maintain their CTR and prevent other [possibly genuine] advertisers [with possibly genuine products] from getting to be at the top? An advertiser can have the highest bid yet drop from the top position(s) if their CTR is low.

That's a good point, Manisha, at least where AdWords is concerned. I haven't run an Overture campaign in a long time, but I think position there is still just based on how much one bids.

And happy birthday, by the way

[Vertster]

But I checked with some big Adwords users on WebmasterWorld and they grimly agreed that yes, Google will charge you again for the click even if it's the same person who's hit the back button and clicked again.

Its been a while since I tested this, but this never used to be the case. I clicked on my own ad several times in a row, and only got charged once. Best to test it out with .05 cent bids. Of course, maybe the real expensive ones are pre-determined to charge everytime...