The Revenge Of The Word-Only Ad

It seems like online search engine ads comprised of mere words are having their revenge over their traditional graphic utilizing counterparts. Recent research shows:

• It is widely reported that PPC ads have experienced a rise in popularity among Internet consumers (10% in the fourth quarter), while the more popular and more graphically appealing display ads have fallen in the ranks (7% drop in the same period). This comes about as a result of contracting in spending.

• Mega-accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCooper also predicts a consistent upward trend for pay per click advertising, increasing by a consistent percentage per month.

• The Wall Street Journal also reports that “in a study by periodical Efficient Frontier , retail marketers increased spending by 9% in the fourth quarter, up from figures in 2007.

• Search engine giant Google itself theorized the increase in search and pay-per-click advertising methods to cope with the recession, as it is one of the most cost-effective avenues.

• Advertisers who spend less than $50,000 on search ads cut spending by 23% year-over-year, while advertisers that spend more than $200,000 on search per month cut spending by 9% in that time. Meanwhile, purchases by advertisers who spend between $50,000 and $200,000 were relatively flat.

With uncertainty over the stimulus one-cure pill, advertisers have to make necessary adjustments. As a result, PPC spots are getting a second look, and keyword research and tracking stands to benefit more from this.

Some advertisers are starting to get the hang of it, but have to contend with old time players, who have already mastered spotting a good keyword combination when they see one.

Keyword research and tracking tools in the meantime, have grown in stature and importance in their role in Internet and SEM. Once part of a sleeper market, it has grown slowly but tremendously as online businesses have grown more aggressive in zeroing in on keywords that would guarantee maximum visibility in popular search engines.

Such sites were launched in the early part of this decade in response to a silent demand for SEO information, an industry that began before the turn of the millenium with the then Goto.com site (the forerunner of today's Yahoo Overture) leading the way. Since then, SEO has become the driving force of Internet marketing. And with the recent shift to PPC and SEM, expect the reliance on keyword research and tracking tools to grow even more.