Does anyone have any experience advertising on top of the Google search results page? I mean the 2 AD spots that appear after you search on a keyword? Is this also considered Adwords? How much does an AD like this cost? Is it effective? Any information would be appreciated.
Those are just AdWords ads and do not depend strictly on amount. They seem to have more to do with your CTR. I know for a fat I am underbidding my competition but due to a well written ad, I am in the top spot and they are on the right hand side. The traffic is also way better
Who's ads display on top are determined by multiplying max cpc X CTR. That gives you your ad rank. The ad with the highest ad rank is on top.
Also keep in mind that every query does not result in ads above the serps. In some cases, the only ads are on the right of the page.
I suspect that there is a minimum ad rank. If no ad reaches that ad rank, no ad will show on the top.
I think it's tied more to the commercial nature of the query. Commercial search terms tend to include Adwords results at the top of the page while non commercial type search terms tend to display ads on the right of the page. Chicken feet (non-commercial - ads on right) Chicken recipes (somewhat commercial, ads on top of page as well as the right) Just a theory.
Visit this URL for the low-down on how best to make use of your spend. http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/text/print-18720.html I have been involved in Internet Marketing since 2000, Since the advent of AdWords. Here are a few tips:- The more your maximum CPC, the higher your ad is placed. The higher your CTR, the higher your ad is placed. Example:- Your Account: CPC = £0.10 & CTR = 5%. Therefore position value = 0.5 Rivals Account: CPC = £0.40 & CTR = 1%. Therefore position value = 0.4 A good way to improve your Click-Through-Rate (and lower price-per-click) is to place keywords in the ad as part of the title, and never bid on top level search terms like loans when cheap loans is equally competitive, as Google broad-matches these terms:- Loans will be broad matched to student loans, cheap loans, tenant loans etc., some of which may be of no use to you, therefore a separate ad per search term is required to avoid the depletion of your AdWords spend. The trick is; to see who is getting the best level of traffic from organic and PPC search terms. I have access to this data at ISP server level detailing demographics, mosaic etc., conversion of traffic and overall success of the competitor’s campaigns, this can then be replicated and enhanced upon, Rule Number One: If you want to be the best! simply analyse what the best are doing, and enhance it. I hope this helps some of your questions, if you want any others answered feel free to get in contact. Andrew Max Stubbs