For any entry-level search publisher, it can be very overwhelming to find the right formula or form the right policies on bidding on keywords with any search provider.  Finding a balance can be tough at first, because:

- Overly high bids will rapidly deplete your daily spending limits
- Bids that are too low may not produce enough clicks

Here are some tips that should help you strike a balance.
-  Make sure you daily spending limit won’t be exceeded by a relatively small amount of clicks.
- Consider the number of keywords in your provider’s account when setting your bids, as they share the spending limits of the adgroup or campaign, depending on the service provider.

As with any search campaign, the key to success is testing, testing, testing.  Here’s some strategy for bidding during preliminary testing stages:
- Start with low bids to see what works and make adjustments thereafter
- Have patience while you are collection actionable data.  Hasty changes have been known to burn through revenue and gridlock success.
-  EACH keyword has its own value.  Don’t always depend on a per-adgroup or per-campaign global bid.
- Find your niche keywords!  Your cost will be much less, and you’ll have a better ROI.

That’s it for now!  Feel free to email me with any questions!

Last night at the local corner pub I stumbled onto a familiar debate: CPM vs CPA. The interesting spin was that the person I was talking to wasn’t a seasoned internet vet, so I had to break it down fundamentally, which ended up enlightening me to a valuable insight, which I will get to later. I honestly don’t know how the conversation led to this point, I suppose this person was genuinely interested in our industry (or was at least polite enough to sit and smile as I entertained myself).

Being the diplomatic individual that I am, I always look at both sides and try to understand where the other party may be coming from.  So yes, basically began debating with myself beginning as the ‘devil’s advocate’ by stating the main reasons the CPM model works… well #1 because the top ranking sites that have the traffic can demand it, but #2 many campaigns exist for “branding”.  I however feel that even though branding is important there is always a desired underlying action, which is more times than not, simply more sales with an overall goal of increased revenue by way of ROI.

As go on and on I begin to get a glassed-over look on the eyes of the pub patron that seems to be losing interest as I ramble on.  So at this point I feel an example would be the best way to break it down. I used Toyota for example – Toyota  which has to have the best brand image of reflecting the coveted combination of value and quality.  I am sure they pay a premium CPM for the sites they run on and this is a formula that has worked for some time, so why shake it up?  Because as outside forces evolve such as the economic climate your marketing strategy too will be effected  and ad budgets will tighten.  I feel that by running a banner and paying upon its display, in my opinion, is difficult to immediately guage your return on investment.  [Enter CPA model] Remember the end goal? = more sales less spending.  They can easily calculate the conversion of how many interested individuals who fill out the “have a local dealer contact me” form that actually convert into a sale.  Then you know the worth of that lead and are essentially not wasting advertising spend because you are not spending money until you know you will be making money. 

Seems an easy pitch right? So how about thinking ouside of the “Acai” and “Debt” boxes and open the eyes of these large forces of BRANDED advertisers to a new model that makes sense.

As I drifted back to the present I realized my bar mate’s expression went from a vacant, less than enthused look to one of genuine interest and agreement.  I then decided I had won my own debate and thought best to leave on a high note.  I signed my tab and walked out the door with a slight swagger in my step, not because of the cocktail or 2 that I had just consumed but because I was thinking… I love my job.

The end. Godspeed.

 In today’s Affiliate marketing world there are hundreds if not thousands different CPA networks. The right CPA network can make you ten times more profitable. They will stock your inventory full of offers, manage advertiser relationships, and handle billing issues. It gives you the opportunity to focus on what’s important - MAKING MONEY!

It poses the question, “what is your ideal Affiliate Network?” What are a couple key indicators to look for?

A selective application process is a key indicator. The better networks typically implement a stricter standard in regards to verifying potential publishers. By only allowing quality publishers into their network, they keep your payout higher and you offer options larger and with better quality. 

Next, get to know your affiliate manager. A good affiliate manager says a lot of a network. Your affiliate manager should know all the aspects of your business. They will be there to share their expertise, answer any questions, and help assist you to get a better grasp of the account. The best part about working with an affiliate manager is finding the right campaigns for your traffic.

Once you have given the affiliate manager all the information they need start running some offers. The best way to know if a network is the right fit for you is to test the waters.

It is that simple. So affiliates, what do you look for when you work with a network?

Talk to me,

Chris Mello

If you walk down the street in Miami, you can’t help but notice “SALE” signs screaming at you from store windows or even worse “GOING OUT OF BUSINESS” signs. They are everywhere and it seems as if they are growing like weeds. I’m sure it’s like this across the U.S. but between the real estate market & foreclosures in Miami and now restaurants and stores going out of business, it seems like we are living in the twilight zone. The ones that are still in business are struggling and are desperate for business, hence the SALE signs everywhere. So some of us are in luck as Black Friday has come early this year.

I think that e-tailers and performance based marketing can benefit from the tough times that brick and mortar stores are facing right now. As stores offer more sales & discounts, more people flock to the store which makes the shopping experience a nightmare. For those that want to avoid the hassle and unruly crowds, internet based deals will be a welcome option to purchase gifts for the holiday. I would advise offering deep discounts that can only be used online, from the comfort of people’s homes. Take advantage of the fact that people are busy and have a ton of discount options thrown at them daily. Offer them relief and a discount that can be had in the click of a mouse.

Everyone involved will be happier…the e-tailer, the performance based marketer and the consumer…this way we all make money!

Unless you have lived in a barn the past six months you know that we have had experience quite a downturn in the U.S. Economy.  So why is it that online marketing seems nearly unaffected by the economic downturn and thriving with opportunity? 

Innovation is the key for survival in any business. You either keep up with the times or your business wont. Affiliate marketers are the best at marketing what is currently hot or switching gears at the speed of light. Whether its pumping out timely political campaigns during  presidential election or positioning the right offers during the economic turmoil. Affiliate marketers have there pulse on any current event and can switch gears at the speed of light.

When times get tough costs get cut. Online marketing provides a very cost effective approach to marketing. Especially with performance marketing advertisers pay only for performance and affiliates get paid for their production. It is the truest form of results. 

Online marketing provides that crucial element of target marketing. Efficient is the name of the game whether its  email databases or targeted search marketing campaigns affiliates can specifically target and attract the exact consumer they are looking for with no wasted time or effort.

No matter what the situation is with the economy Affiliate marketing will always create opportunity. For you for me and for everyone that is apart of it.

What are your thoughts?

Chris Mello 

This week’s news has been full of talk and opinions about the proposed automotive bail out. Democrats in Congress have gone ahead with proposals to bail out automakers; Republicans are opposed to the bail out. Some are of the opinion that letting the automotive industry collapse would completely devastate an already fragile and faltering US economy.

So who will win this battle? I don’t have a clue but I can tell you that Internet Marketing is affected by all of the changes going on in our country right now. By being affected, I don’t necessarily mean that in a negative way. Some advertisers will be hurt by the decline in the automotive industry while others will thrive. It depends on how agile they are and how quickly they can adjust. On one hand, I just had a conversation last week at ad:tech NY with one advertiser who said his automotive business is really hurting. Luckily he has a great brand name so it’s a matter of changing around their business model to keep up with the changing times. Others won’t be as lucky. On the other hand, I met with another automotive advertiser whose business is at record levels because they generate leads for extended auto warranties. With the recession, people are holding onto their cars for longer, hence they need an extended auto warranty as opposed to information on purchasing a new car.

Luckily AKMG is able to roll with the punches of the tumultuous automotive industry by promoting the types of campaigns that are relevant to consumers. Now if you want my personal opinion…just buy a Mini Cooper S and you won’t have to worry about ever buying another car again! Ok I may biased since I own a Mini…but they really are the best!

Hello all!  This is my very first blog here as I am the newest edition to akmg, I recently joined on board as the Director of Affiliate Marketing.  My first day on the job was a one way flight from LA to NYC, btw… for all those who have not flown this route via Virgin - I highly recommend.  The show at Adtech will be a memorable one, not only was this my initiation into AKMG, but it also marked the historic 08 election.

When Obama was announced to be the 44th president of the United States we were just finishing a client dinner in an upscale (and very republican) steakhouse, which appeared to clear out almost immediately after the announcement.  Because we were a bit worn out from the 3 days of non stop meetings, networking and yes of course a little partying… we decided to head back to our hotel.  As we rounded closer to Times Square we could immediately feel the electricity in the air. 

Crowds were swarming, cheering and celebrating the victory of Obama.  I saw hope and optimism on the faces in the crowd, a spirit that has been amiss in this vibrant city since the tragedy of 9/11.  As I looked in the packed bars and shops on this busy street I realized maybe a little hope and optimism was what we needed to help jump start our ailing economy.  So for all us online marketers I am looking forward to closing out Q4 in a strong and profitable manner!

Cheers!

Shanti

AKMG made it through another successful ad:tech NY show and were lucky to be in NY for the 2008 Election. It was an amazing scene in Times Square once the presidential announcement was made. People were running through Times Square cheering and chanting “OBAMA”. It was something out of a movie. Now getting back to ad:tech NY. The show was filled with people from the minute it opened until the close of the exhibit hall on Tuesday evening. We had a constant flow of meetings in our AKMG ad:tech “booth”…the lobby lounge of the Hilton. By the middle of the first day, everyone knew to find us there!

You could feel that most people were focused on meeting with people they are already doing business with. We did the same. We met with many of our existing publishers and advertisers to figure out how to maximize the current relationship.  The one thing that I took away from the show is that everyone is very open to new ideas and testing creative alternatives to what they are used to doing. That is a major shift that has happened over the last few months. Earlier this year if we would have asked someone to test a new version of their offer, the answer would have been “I don’t think so, we are happy with what we have”. Now we are hearing “Sure let’s give it a shot”.

We came away with many creative ideas of how to take our relationships to the next level both on the advertiser and publisher side. Now it’s back to the grind to make everything happen quickly!

Yes that’s right.  You’re sitting at home, wrapping gifts for the holidays.  I’m pretty sure the last thing that’s going to cross your mind is going to be the fact that you’re actually creating small X-Rays any time you peel Scotch tape from anything, particularly glass! Well, you are.

Now that I’ve scared you, it’s time to tell you not to worry

X-Rays can only be emitted in this situation if there is a vacuum present.  I’m not talking about the Oreck sitting in your closet - I’m talking about an area with a complete absence of matter. So, when the tape peeling process is exposed to air, it is completely harmless.

Check out this quick video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGzRvYU0e3Q
These guys at UCLA actually made a device that un-peels Scotch Tape at 3 centimeters/second!

Become radioactive this holiday season!  The first person to invent an X-Ray machine completely run on sticky tape wins a Nobel from AKMG.

Weird!

Josh

Here’s an idea for the search crew…

Every now and again there are keyword searches made, on any PPC Provider, that have high search volume, but whose results really make ‘no sense’ because of keyword misspellings or lack of related result content.

I would like to refer to this “low-bid/largely-searched” realm as the ‘Erroneous Pocket’.

If you generate a search to access this “pocket,” you will see that the ad copy is completely misleading, or is also nonsense.  This is predominately a result of ill-attemped dynamic keyword adcopy insertions.

As advertisers and publisher, we should constantly be striving to provide clarity and direction to sell our products.  In order to steer away from the spam-spectrum, we should make a point of filling this ‘nonsense landfill’ with error-handled, concise, and intelligently-corrected ad copy!

This ‘pocket’, of course, is a great place to capitalize!   There is without a doubt great room to cultivate high-performing, low-cost placements in such ‘fuzz’ areas.  Let’s turn the trash heap into some money!

As always, contact me if you’d like to discuss this blog!

Thanks,
Josh