ever increasing first page bid

fifthnormal · 09-15-2009, 07:58 PM

Hi,

I'm trying to play around with Adwords and figure out why my cpc costs are so high.

I have an ad group set up with one ad and one keyword "customized software".

My quality score is 4/10. I do have the keyword in the ad, on the page, and in the url.

The first page bid keeps going up and up. It went from $1 to $1.25, $1.75 and is currently $2/click.

I suppose that it could just be that competitive of a keyword. But I'm curious if anyone has seen that pattern.

I did hire a well known and respected google certified company in the past who couldn't figure it out either.

Any ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,

Daniel

Daniel_Pereira · 09-15-2009, 08:06 PM

Hey Daniel,

From my experience a 4 out of 10 quality score is crap. This is why it probably keeps rising. You said that the keyword is in the URL, but is it also on the landing page? Also, is your CTR decent? That can effect the quality score as well. I use Speed PPC now and almost never run into these problems of low quality scores. Maybe that will help you out.

The last thing is this:

The keyword "customized software," is an extremely vague keyword phrase. I personally have no idea what you are selling with this type of keyword phrase. My only guess is that maybe you create customized software packages for people (like you own a software programming company), and if that was the case then there are a number of better keywords that you should be advertising for in my opinion.

The whole point of me pointing out that your keyword phrase is vague is in order to point out another reason why your quality score and CTRs are low, which could be making it so that your prices rise.

Hope that helps!

Daniel

fifthnormal · 09-15-2009, 08:25 PM

Hi Daniel,

Thanks Daniel. My company is a software programming company. There are more high volume keywords. I just picked this one out of a list to experiment with improving quality score on it. The keyword is on the landing page.

Some of the more popular keywords, for instance "custom software" seem to go into the $5/click range.

I can't seem to get the quality score above 5/10 on anything so far. My goal was to pick a keyword and fine tune it to see if I could get it above that. So far no luck.

Thanks!

Daniel

Daniel_Pereira · 09-15-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fifthnormal

Hi Daniel,

Thanks Daniel. My company is a software programming company. There are more high volume keywords. I just picked this one out of a list to experiment with improving quality score on it. The keyword is on the landing page.

Some of the more popular keywords, for instance "custom software" seem to go into the $5/click range.

I can't seem to get the quality score above 5/10 on anything so far. My goal was to pick a keyword and fine tune it to see if I could get it above that. So far no luck.

Thanks!

Daniel

Speed PPC will drive those keyword costs down, I guarantee it. Not trying to sell you anything (notice no affiliate link and me getting criticized by everyone) but I'm telling you, Speed PPC has done wonders for driving down my PPC costs and the costs for my clients. Hope that helps!

Glenn Leader · 09-22-2009, 06:08 PM

sounds like you've been Google slapped. What content do you have on your landing page?

Glenn

Kenster · 09-22-2009, 07:05 PM

I am not terribly familiar with the niche, but Im sure there are many optimization seo things you can do to increase this score. There is also software that can add content, hyperlinks, feeds etc related specifically to the keyword.

Further, not sure what your site is like, but be sure it is a full, content driven site. Google is getting trickier, but there is no reason you cant increase your quality score from a 4. Im sure your wallet is getting slammed

Good luck

Thumoney · 09-22-2009, 08:23 PM

The high bidprice is due to the low quality score. You had an initial quality score that asked for $1 cpc, which means that you could have stayed there. If your QS drops after this (and cpc raises) it is usually due to below average CTR.

If you can increase your CTR you will increase Quality Score and lower bid price.
So one advice would be to get extremely relevant with your ad to the keyword and split test the ad to increase your CTR.

Dont put a lot of keywords that are not extremely related (I mean almost the same meaning) together. Use "Peel & Stick" which means take a keyword and make an own adgroup with own ads for it. Thats the best way for maximum relevancy and therefore lowest bidprice /highest QS and CTR.

(btw.: there is no google slap here)

09-15-2009, 07:58 PM	#1
fifthnormal Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 23 Thanks: 9 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ever increasing first page bid Hi, I'm trying to play around with Adwords and figure out why my cpc costs are so high. I have an ad group set up with one ad and one keyword "customized software". My quality score is 4/10. I do have the keyword in the ad, on the page, and in the url. The first page bid keeps going up and up. It went from $1 to $1.25, $1.75 and is currently $2/click. I suppose that it could just be that competitive of a keyword. But I'm curious if anyone has seen that pattern. I did hire a well known and respected google certified company in the past who couldn't figure it out either. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks, Daniel

09-15-2009, 08:06 PM	#2
Daniel_Pereira HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 133 Blog Entries: 3 Thanks: 25 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts Social Networking	Re: ever increasing first page bid Hey Daniel, From my experience a 4 out of 10 quality score is crap. This is why it probably keeps rising. You said that the keyword is in the URL, but is it also on the landing page? Also, is your CTR decent? That can effect the quality score as well. I use Speed PPC now and almost never run into these problems of low quality scores. Maybe that will help you out. The last thing is this: The keyword "customized software," is an extremely vague keyword phrase. I personally have no idea what you are selling with this type of keyword phrase. My only guess is that maybe you create customized software packages for people (like you own a software programming company), and if that was the case then there are a number of better keywords that you should be advertising for in my opinion. The whole point of me pointing out that your keyword phrase is vague is in order to point out another reason why your quality score and CTRs are low, which could be making it so that your prices rise. Hope that helps! Daniel
	WSO! >>>> 16 CDs, 3 DVDs, 1 MP3-CD, 1 Data Disc, 2 Manuals Fire Sale $97 - LIMITED COPIES AVAILABLE! Daniel Pereira - Premier Internet Marketing, LLC http://www.TheFreeTrafficFormula.com

09-15-2009, 08:25 PM	#3
fifthnormal Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 23 Thanks: 9 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: ever increasing first page bid Hi Daniel, Thanks Daniel. My company is a software programming company. There are more high volume keywords. I just picked this one out of a list to experiment with improving quality score on it. The keyword is on the landing page. Some of the more popular keywords, for instance "custom software" seem to go into the $5/click range. I can't seem to get the quality score above 5/10 on anything so far. My goal was to pick a keyword and fine tune it to see if I could get it above that. So far no luck. Thanks! Daniel

09-22-2009, 06:08 PM	#5
Glenn Leader An Original Thinker War Room Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Where Original Ideas Meet Action. Posts: 3,584 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 594 Thanked 213 Times in 145 Posts Contact Info	Re: ever increasing first page bid sounds like you've been Google slapped. What content do you have on your landing page? Glenn
	Build Hundreds of Branded and Optimized Mobile Websites at Blistering Speeds and OWN Your Chosen Bricks & Mortar Market

09-22-2009, 07:05 PM	#6
Kenster Krazy Kenster War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 11 Thanks: 581 Thanked 1,888 Times in 842 Posts	Re: ever increasing first page bid I am not terribly familiar with the niche, but Im sure there are many optimization seo things you can do to increase this score. There is also software that can add content, hyperlinks, feeds etc related specifically to the keyword. Further, not sure what your site is like, but be sure it is a full, content driven site. Google is getting trickier, but there is no reason you cant increase your quality score from a 4. Im sure your wallet is getting slammed Good luck

09-22-2009, 08:23 PM	#7
Thumoney Active Warrior Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 67 Thanks: 3 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: ever increasing first page bid The high bidprice is due to the low quality score. You had an initial quality score that asked for $1 cpc, which means that you could have stayed there. If your QS drops after this (and cpc raises) it is usually due to below average CTR. If you can increase your CTR you will increase Quality Score and lower bid price. So one advice would be to get extremely relevant with your ad to the keyword and split test the ad to increase your CTR. Dont put a lot of keywords that are not extremely related (I mean almost the same meaning) together. Use "Peel & Stick" which means take a keyword and make an own adgroup with own ads for it. Thats the best way for maximum relevancy and therefore lowest bidprice /highest QS and CTR. (btw.: there is no google slap here)
	Thumoney.com - Master Affiliate Marketing with PPC - incl. the Thumoney Insider Mailing List