Adwords, Rip Off?

I've had an adwords campaign for almost a year and a half and I haven't really thought anything of it until recently when I installed analytics on my site and realized that I am getting roughly an 85% bounce rate on my adword camapaigns, or basically 85% of the people who click my ad, click out immediately. This makes me think that I am being defrauded. I usually have about 50-60 clicks readjusted each month automatically for click quality.

Anyone have similar stories?

 

Could be using the wrong keywords, although you sound experienced.

 

All the click traffic comes from the Content network; I can't really gauge what keywords the content is being filtered from.

 

Then try dividing your keywords up into many adgroups, that way you can track which keywords generate clicks from the content network. Combine this with a placement report and you could improve your account in an instant.

 

I may be misunderstanding, but I've always been able to select keywords to target my ads when I create them.

 

What I don't know how to do is determine what keywords are getting all the clicks (and for the most part fraud clicks) from the content network, not the search network.

On a side note, I will probably cancel my campaigns next week. I added a conversion tool to the download page and if I am not getting any conversions, I will terminate it.

 

Have you tried other advertising networks? You could try those and see if your bounce rate lowers.

 

Took a look at the placement report (didn't know it existed) and found some random sites pulling very high CTRs for the few amount of ads they are pushing. I am going to exclude them and hope it improves. One site ate 1/5th of my budget last month and has a virus on it.

 

You would think Google would catch those things. :/

 

I emailed google reporting it and demanding a refund. This is the response I got but I hope that it is automated and they are actually going to look at the email.

Hello,

We understand your concern regarding potentially invalid clicks. Please be assured that the security of AdWords advertisers is a top priority for us, and we dedicate a number of resources to click protection strategies.
Google strictly prohibits any method used to artificially generate invalid clicks or page impressions and closely monitors traffic to Google AdWords ads to prevent abuse. You can find detailed information by visiting the links below:

[Lots of Help Links Here]

If you have additional questions, please visit our Help Center at https://adwords.google.com/support, where you'll find answers to many frequently asked questions.

We look forward to providing you with the most effective advertising available.

Sincerely,

The Google AdWords Team

 

You could try running your content network in a separate campaign from search - I find it makes things easier for budgeting and analysis.

Also, yes, you do need to keep an eye on what sites and countries your content is showing in. Some countries are a bit notorious for click fraud; I tend to steer clear of Eastern Europe and I have heard, though I have never advertised there, that India and some other Asian countries are a problem.

 

Hi there

I dont think its a rip off, im sure there is some click fraud in adwords, but I belive using adwords is a skill like desiging a website, as some webmasters can use adwords very successfully to promote their sites.

Its a skill i havent quite mastered myself, it can also be a very expensive experiment if you are trying to use adwords !

Woc

 

Content network doesn't use keywords in the same way search does - another reason to separate them out and never have them in the same campaign.
"Ads are targeted based on content themes rather than specific keywords" http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6104

 

Bounce rate is due to the fact your landing page is not meeting the visitors expectations.

You're not being defrauded or anything other than having played with a Casino and not knowing the ground rules....

Over the last few years, I must have had 500 clients by now, tell me they lost money due to Google Adwords....yet when I look at their PPC campaigns... most have no clue how Adwords works.

Google is a casino....play at your own risk......

 

When you have sites showing ads and nothing but ads while running javascript to install viruses on your PC (which takes most of your budgets mind you), I tend to think the fault does not lie with me. It is clear that at least 25% of my ads were fraud. And considering these sites have no content or text to speak of, the content matching fails.

 

Yes of course you feel its not your fault and that Google is to blame, but unfortunately the reality is your strengths most likely lie somewhere other than in marketing and advertising and understanding Google Adwords and its nuances.....(its almost a full time job to do)

Think of it like this....you have no clue how to play craps (just an example)....would you walk into a casino then with your life savings and bet everything on one spin of the wheel?????

If I screw up the html coding on my pages, and when I upload it to the server and surf to the page....if it does not display correctly.... I do not blame the hosting company......

 

It would not be my fault if an advertising company touts their "anti-fraud" algorithms only to let such sites go and basically steal advertising money. Now I know how to actually retrieve the data that I need to do what google has been saying they have been doing all along.

Now I intend for something to be done about it. After all, illegal clicks are against google's terms of service and the advertisers should not be penalized for it. The focus is not on the bounce rate, the focus is on the fact that the bounce rate is because of a few sites with no value spam clicking.

 

Actually Google does do what they say...just like the police set out to stop crime but in life nothing is perfect not Google not the police nor you or I.

Had you known what you were doing and spent the time required to learn experiment lose money and keep experimenting you would have known that the content network is the low quality side of Adsense Publishers Network and that you would have been better served with Google search only or Partner Network....

Google is not going to call you or any other advertiser and say

"hey youre losing money, let us help you turn a profit and thereby cut into our revenues"

Newspapers do not call people who place classified ads and tell them

"hey youre losing money, let us help you turn a profit and thereby cut into our revenues"

The casino manager does not come to you after you have lost $10,000.00 playing craps and say

"hey youre losing money, let us show you how to win at craps so we can cut into our revenues"

You and you alone, are responsible for understanding how Adwords is designed to make Google and its advertisers money, while helping you out of your money ever so nicely.....just the same as you are responsible for understanding T.O.S. of their company......

Because you do not understand......is not Googles fault....

 

I disagree. Google would be responsible for the services they provide and the enforcement of their own rules. Otherwise, they are doing a disservice to their advertisers.

We clearly will have to agree to disagree on this issue. I have taken the advice of bjewelled with regard to countries to avoid. Thanks for that.

 

That is fine disagreement leads to enlightenment.

Your closing sentence proves my point. Not knowing where to advertise and where not to is not understanding your target market or how Adwords works fully.

Google cannot hold your hand to teach you...just like in real life where classrooms are full of many students and just one teacher....you get out of it what you put into it... and if the teacher is not giving you all the information you need..... then you must dig deeper to learn.

I will leave you to forge ahead... good luck