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joi, 1 noiembrie 2012
Photo Gallery: Surveying New Jersey Storm Damage
5 Killer SEO Insights from Analyzing a Billion Dollars in AdWords Spend
5 Killer SEO Insights from Analyzing a Billion Dollars in AdWords Spend |
| 5 Killer SEO Insights from Analyzing a Billion Dollars in AdWords Spend Posted: 31 Oct 2012 07:54 PM PDT Posted by larry.kim This post was originally in YouMoz, and was promoted to the main blog because it provides great value and interest to our community. The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of SEOmoz, Inc. Last week, I analyzed a Billion dollars of annualized AdWords Spend.
Woot! No kidding. Over a billion dollars (USD). That's a lot of clicks! Earlier last week, I published my findings in an infographic. In my article today, I’ll share with you my top five SEO insights and strategies from having poured over all this paid search data for nearly an entire week. Why should you care? By understanding what’s happening on the paid search side of the Google SERP, you can better understand and anticipate trends in organic search. Kind of like how that Sun Tzu guy says to keep your enemies closer in his art of war thing! (Not that paid search is the enemy or anything - but you know what I mean - it's just good to know.) So without further delay, drum roll, please … 5.Global Average Cost per Click Data by IndustryMost SEOs will inevitably be asked, at some time by an employer or client, what the value of their work is. It’s a legitimate question, but can be challenging to quantify. In my study, I calculated the global average CPC’s for Q3, 2012 for the top 10 industries in Google in US dollars. Now, at a minimum, you can now tell your stakeholder how much it would cost to buy those organic clicks, on average. Here they are ordered by cost:
You might be thinking, wait - aren’t paid clicks worth more like $50+ per click? Those are the outliers in highly competitive markets. On average, paid clicks generally cost less, particularly when you include clicks from outside of the US into the mix as I did. If your industry wasn’t listed here, I found that global average cost per click on Google Search (including the Google Partner Search Network) worked out to $0.53 USD in Q3, 2012. Also, this isn’t to say that the value of SEO is limited to just the cost of paying for the clicks that get generated; there are other business benefits of SEO beyond just clicks. For example, blogging and content marketing can help establish thought leadership, and the value of the sales and leads derived from those clicks. Think of this as just one additional way to quantify the value of your SEO work in a very concrete way. 4. Local, Mobile Search Highly Effective for SEO?When Google released their "disappointing" Q3 Earnings this month, their stock was crushed - down by 10% in a single day. According to Google, CPC’s were down by “approximately 15%” and year over year advertising revenue growth rates declined from 21% to 16%. Industry analysts are placing the blame for slowing ad revenue growth rates squarely on mobile search, which is said to monetize on average at roughly half the value of a desktop search. Why? Mobile ad engagement is lower in comparison to ads on the desktop, which intuitively makes sense. When you’re doing a Google search on your smartphone, you’re likely on the go somewhere, and probably less likely to be tempted to click on an ad that isn’t absolutely critical to what you’re looking for in that moment. There’s also considerably less real estate for ads compared to the desktop. These issues are most certainly impacting Google revenue growth as mobile search volume is expected to exceed desktop search volume by the end of 2014. The upshot of this trend from an SEO perspective is that if a mobile search is monetizing at half the rate of a desktop search, then we can deduce that an organic search listing from mobile search has a greater chance of being clicked on than the same search executed on the desktop. Furthermore, since one in three mobile searches have location based intent (for example, finding a nearby business), I’d argue that there is a tremendous opportunity to be had in SEO on mobile devices, particularly for searches with local intent! 3. A Huge Increase in Paid Clicks and ImpressionsUnfortunately, this one isn’t as good of news for the SEO industry as the last one. (I’m trying to be balanced here!) If you don’t want to hear any bad news, I’d recommend just jumping ahead to the next item in the list. According to Google, average CPC’s fell by “approximately 15%” (they didn’t give a precise number), My own research pegged that number at far higher a value (down 16.5% on Google Search and down 18.2% on Google Display Network over just the last two quarters!). I also found mixed click-through rates: down 12.4% on Google Search, and up 13.8% on Google Display Network in the last two quarters. Yet despite these strong headwinds, Google’s total advertising revenues were still up around 3% for the quarter and 16% for the year. How did they manage to pull that off? By growing clicks and impressions like crazy, that’s how. By my estimates, clicks were up 21.6% in the last two quarters for Google Search and up 29.1% for Google Display Network in the last two quarters. Now, here’s where the math gets really crazy. Assume that in order to keep Wall Street happy over the next 12 months, Google needs to keep their revenue growth at or above their historical average 20% growth rate. If CPC’s continue to drop by another 15% in the next year (which I believe it will as huge increases in available ad impressions reduces competition and impacts cost per click), then Google will have to grow clicks and impressions in a big way to make up for the revenue hit. How big, you ask? Paid clicks from Google Search would have to grow from my estimated 193.2M clicks per day today, to 273.6M clicks per day – that’s up 41.6%. The number is incredibly high because it’s required to both grow ad revenues while simultaneously offsetting lower average cost per click prices. But wait, there's more. In order to get those 273.6M clicks per day if CTR’s fall by 15% as they have in the last year (naturally, with more ads being shown per search, the likelihood that any one ad gets clicked on by definition must fall), Google would have to have to grow ad impressions from my current estimate of 5.6 billion impressions per day, to 9.2 billion impressions per day – that’s up a whopping 64.3%, again to drive both the needed additional clicks while simultaneously making up for the decrease in average click through rates. So, where are these searches going to come from? Probably from more of the same of what we saw in the last year, including:
The takeaway here is that I expect to see more and more share of clicks being accrued to the paid search column, and from that perspective, it just becomes harder and harder to ignore paid search. 2. Average Paid Search CPC’s are Going DownAs previously mentioned, Google reported that the average CPC dropped by “approximately 15%” (they did not provide an exact figure), and my own calculations found a similar decline. Many marketers believe that channel diversification is an important element of any marketing plan; to not have all your eggs in one basket is key. If your company already leverages paid search, the change means that you can expect on average to have access to a larger available inventory of impressions, combined with lower CPC, which means that advertisers can literally get more customers for less money. For those of you who are not doing paid search, last month I wrote an article on using AdWords Data for SEO, explaining how it’s potentially an incredible treasure trove for SEO Keyword Research. If you were on the fence about giving that a try, it should be, on average, cheaper and faster to execute that strategy today. 1.Google Display Network Incredibly Effective and Complementary to SEO EffortsIn my study, I found that the average conversion rate for Google Search in Q3 2012 was 5.63%, compared to an average conversion rate for the Google Display Network of 4.68%. (Wow!) I was surprised to see just how effective conversion rates were on the Google Display Network, so I calculated and compared conversion rates for all of the top 10 industries for both Google Search and Display (see below). Notice how there are some industries where the Google Display Network had higher conversion rates than Google Search.
Intuitively, combining SEO and remarketing makes a lot of sense. After all, we work so hard on developing our content to get people to the site, but conversion rates are generally in the single digits. Retargeting enables us to In the Travel Industry, Google Display Advertising had a higher conversion rate than Google Search. I recently listened to Rand speak at a conference in Boston. In his talk, he said that SEOmoz uses search retargeting on the Google Display Network and concluded that (and I’m paraphrasing here – apologies to Rand if I didn’t get this exactly right): “What can I say, it works for us!”. I think he’s right, and now I have some additional data to prove it. For more information on Search Retargeting on the Google Display Network, see:
A Bonus Insight: Find Your Next SEO Job or Client!Looking to land your next SEO job or agency client? Here’s an approach: start with the industries and companies that are spending the most on search. It shouldn’t be too hard to convince them of the value of something they’re already spending so much on. As part of my research, I calculated the top 10 industries that spent the most in paid search in Q3, 2012, and used publicly available spyfu data to approximate the top 5 spenders in each of the industry. They are:
In addition to these companies and industries understanding the value of search, I’ve also found that it can be a lot more fun working at or with companies where search plays such a critical element in their overall their marketing strategy, as opposed to industries or companies that are completely clueless when it comes to search. Your Turn: What Are Your Thoughts? So there you have it, my top five SEO insights from having analyzed over a billion dollars in AdWords spend. Plus, by having read my article today, I just saved you from having to spend a Billion dollars of your own to figure out these little gems! That’s got to be at least worth a thumbs-up, right? :) Now it’s your turn. Were there any other nuggets you found interesting in my research? Anything else you’d like me to look up? Let me know your thoughts and questions the comments below. Thanks! Copyright Notice: Austin Powers property of New Line Cinema.
Larry Kim is the Founder/CTO of WordStream, provider of the AdWords Grader and the 20 Minute PPC Work Week. You can follow him on Twitter and Google+. Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!       | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 31 Oct 2012 07:03 AM PDT Posted by Joel Day Greetings to you, fans of SEOmoz. A merry All Hallow's Eve to you and yours. . Chester A. Arthur here to present the winners of this Draw Roger contest. When Joel asked me to step in and write this for him, I was, at first, beguiled! Why would I, the 21st present of these United States, be a fit author to such an auspicious announcement? I may only have been president a short time, but I believe my fine political track record and honorary doctorate in both Art and Robotics gives me the necessary credentials to deliver this fateful news. But first, I've got an extra special announcement. SEOmoz has started their very own Pinterest account where we've set up a board just for these submissions. You can see all the entries here. (And don't forget to join us in the Pinterest-y fun.) Now, without further ado, I deliver unto you: The Winner of SEOmoz's First Annual Draw Roger Contest!The winner of the adult group is Nicholas L. from Minneapolis, MN. Congratulations! For second place... Tamsin S. from London And, in an unprecendented fashion, we have a tie for third place! Chris L. from Philidelphia, PA and Bruno R. from Madrid The Winner of the Bairns!Everett N. from Fargo, ND Your second place winner is... Tenesea B. from Edmonton, AB And the third place winner: Elias N. from Fargo, ND We'll be emailing all of you soon to let you know about your prizes! Thanks for participating in the first ever Draw Roger Contest. We had a ton of fun seeing all your entries, and we were awed by your incredible artistic talents. They warmed Roger's robotic heart! Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!     |
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Seth's Blog : I know what you should do
I know what you should do
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I know what I would do in this situation, but I'm not you.
I know what your customer should do, but I'm not her.
I know (and you know, and we all know) what we would do in a given situation, but that's not the same thing.
Empathy requires something extremely difficult: accepting the fact that we are not and never will be in the other person's shoes. There's no rational, universal course because individuals have different goals, different worldviews and different experiences.
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miercuri, 31 octombrie 2012
Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis
Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis |
- ADP Grossly Overstates Job Growth for Last 12 Months by 419,000 Jobs
- Canada GDP "Unexpectedly" Shrinks; Pollyannas Come Out Of Woodwork
- "Google Law" Yet Another Warped Policy by Hollande; Government Motors French Style
| ADP Grossly Overstates Job Growth for Last 12 Months by 419,000 Jobs Posted: 31 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT ADP has announced revised methodology to "enhance" its monthly job reports, no doubt because its prior numbers simply were grossly inaccurate. Indeed, I stopped commenting on ADP numbers because I thought they were absurd. Let's take a look at their revised methodology. Here is the ADP Jobs Report for September using the revised methodology. "Private sector employment increased by 88,200 jobs from August to September, according to the September ADP National Employment Report®. The report, which is derived from ADP's actual payroll data, measures the change in total U.S. nonfarm private employment each month on a seasonally adjusted basis. Last month's employment estimate was revised down from 80,000 to 76,400 jobs."Please note that last sentence. Compare to what ADP actually reported last month: "Employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 162,000 from August to September, on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated gains in previous months were revised lower: The July increase was reduced by 17,000 to an increase of 156,000, while the August increase was reduced by 12,000 to an increase of 189,000."Got that? September private business sector increased by 162,000 but now we see September was revised down to 76,400 from 80,000 (not 162,000 as actually reported). Revision Matching Check out this statement from ADP FAQs. Using this methodology developed for ADP by Moody's Analytics, our adjusted historical ADP National Employment Report data dating back to 2001 has a 96 percent correlation with the revised BLS numbers. ADP revisions match BLS revisions over time. Lovely. Spotlight on Revisions ZeroHedge totaled up the ADP revisions for 2012 and concluded ADP "Cancels" 365,000 Private Jobs Created In 2012. I conclude the same thing. However, things are even worse than Zerohedge states. Here is a chart that I put together of ADP revisions. Note: numbers in charts and tables in thousands. ADP Original Vs. ADP Revised Monthly Job Gains or Losses  click on chart for sharper image ADP was way underestimating job gains in 2011 and way over-estimated gains in 2012. The net effect was 136,000 jobs over 20 months (about 6,800 per month). However that is a very misleading way of looking at things as the following table shows. Time Period Analysis
As you can see, I match ZeroHedge for 2012. However, for the last year, ADP was off by an even higher 419,000 jobs, nearly 35,000 jobs a month for an entire year! For 2011, ADP was off in the other direction by 229,000 jobs, roughly 19,000 per month. Here is the complete table that I worked from. ADP Data Points Table
I note with amusement TrimTabs Says BLS Badly Missing Current Acceleration in Job Growth TrimTabs Investment Research said today that the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) hefty upward revision of its August job growth estimate proves that the BLS missed the important acceleration in job growth this summer because it relies on incomplete surveys that are frequently revised.I did not buy that story then, and I do not buy it now. More than likely, the BLS was catching up to misses earlier in the year, perhaps even 2011 vs. a genuine recent hiring spurt. Obamacare Employment Analysis I am sticking to what I said regarding Obamacare, especially Obama Slashes Four Hours Off Definition of "Full-Time" Employment Additional Obamacare Employment Analysis
By the way, these ADP revisions suggest the stated unemployment rate is blatantly preposterous, something I say in every jobs report. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com "Wine Country" Economic Conference Hosted By Mish Click on Image to Learn More  Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. 
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| Canada GDP "Unexpectedly" Shrinks; Pollyannas Come Out Of Woodwork Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:21 AM PDT Economists who cannot see anything but the rear view mirror were surprised to learn Canadian Economy Shrinks as Oil, Mining Slump. The Canadian economy shrank unexpectedly in August, pointing to a sharp third-quarter slowdown in growth from the first half and reinforcing the Bank of Canada's message that interest rate hikes are less imminent.Pollyannas Come Out Of Woodwork BMO and Scotia Capital analysts may be late to the recession party (or not, I do not know previous calls), but otherwise, Pollyannas like Jim Flaherty, Canada's Finance Minister, and officials at the Bank of Canada and Statscan are still looking for growth. Forget about it. This is not an anomaly as suggested by the Bank of Canada. As I have said repeatedly, the slowdown in Asia is going to hit Canadian commodity producers more than most think. Moreover, signs suggest Canada's long overdue housing bust is finally underway according to the Canadian Real Estate Association Report on October 15. Here is the key item: Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity is down 15.1 % from year-ago levels, with more than half of all local markets posting declines of at least 10 per cent. The rest of the report staked out a claim that real estate was "balanced", I maintain in the same way that spinning plates in this video can be stated as balanced. With the US economy slowing, with Asia slowing, and with Europe in a full-blown recession, the odds of Canada and the US bucking the trend is essentially zero. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. 
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| "Google Law" Yet Another Warped Policy by Hollande; Government Motors French Style Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:14 AM PDT French president François Hollande took two more swan dives into the pool of ludicrous actions in the past few days, first with car-maker Peugeot, quickly followed up with a guaranteed-to-fail proposal regarding search engine giant Google. Government Motors French Style Bloomberg reports France Guarantees Peugeot Debt in Exchange for Influence The French government stepped in to rescue PSA Peugeot Citroen (UG), Europe's second-largest carmaker, by guaranteeing as much as 7 billion euros ($9 billion) in new bonds in exchange for greater influence over company strategy.Sheer Madness I would like to point out how ridiculous this action is, but Pater Tenebrarum at the Acting Man blog beat me to it. He did a first-class job of making Hollande look foolish in his post Peugeot Bailed Out, More Trouble for the Banks. The government and workers will receive board seats? Are they sure this is going to work out? We believe that this latest socialistic experiment is highly likely to turn into a bottomless pit for France's tax payers."Google Law" Another Sign of Hollande's Warped Mind That piece by Tenebrarum is a tough act to follow. Nonetheless, please consider the Wall Street Journal article France Calls On Google to Settle Rift With Publishers France will consider adopting legislation that would force Google Inc. GOOG to pay for the right to cite news articles online if the U.S. search giant fails to settle a long-running dispute with French news publishers over how to share advertising revenue, the office of France's President François Hollande said on Monday.Do A Search For Anything Just so you know what we are talking about here, please do a Google search for anything. Hurricane Sandy is as good a topic as any. Here is an image of the results.  Imagine Boston.Com, Bloomberg, the Washington Post, and the Weather Channel all demanding Google share add revenue with them for any ad that appears in those search results. While you are at it, imagine me demanding ad revenue sharing for those doing a Google search for Mish. Many people find me that way. "Mish" is my brand, and I appear at the top of any such search. Here is an image of a search for Mish.  Instead of getting some ad revenue when people click on links to French news articles, there will be no links to click on at all if Hollande does what he says (and Google responds the way they have said). Hollande wants to help struggling newspapers, struggling car makers, struggling students, all with ludicrous actions on top of massive tax hikes. He even wants to ban homework because "It's Not Fair to Disadvantaged". On June 8, I reported Hollande About to Wreck France With Economically Insane Proposal: "Make Layoffs So Expensive For Companies That It's Not Worth It" It should be easy enough to guess the company that triggered that last bit of layoff-insanity, but in case you misplaced your thinking cap, the answer is Peugeot. Prepare for the implosion of France, because it is nearly certain with Hollande at the helm. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com "Wine Country" Economic Conference Hosted By Mish Click on Image to Learn More Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. 
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