Although some would suggest keeping Google in the dark when it comes to their sites’ performance, I have a different opinion.  After working all last month to get my niche sites switched over from Commission Junction to the new eBay Partner Network, I decided to try to optimize my AdWords campaigns.  I send a lot of traffic to my niche sites using AdWords. 

Although I do use tried and true SEO strategies to get organic traffic, I’ve found that PPC traffic converts better for some reason.  I can spend weeks optimizing my sites to get them ranked for some decent-performing keywords, only to find that the majority of visitors coming from the search engines are just browsers.  I can send a fraction of the traffic to my sites using AdWords ads to get the same results.  It takes far less time and effort, and it allows me to focus more on building better content.

Anyway, I recently began optimizing one of my campaigns based on some knowledge I gained from a new StomperNet video on PPC ads.  I was able to improve my click-through rates dramatically using their strategies, and I was excited about the results.  But the excitement was a bit short-lived.

You see, I have my Analytics account tied to my AdWords campaigns.  I like to be able to track the performance of my campaigns down to the specific ads and keywords I’m using.  Using the StomperNet ideas, I was able to add a new ad that got a whopping 60% click-through rate. 

After seeing the results, I moved on to take care of other business.  I came back later to find that Google had doubled the minimum cost per click on my account and set my account to inactive until I raised my bids.  I was alarmed, and I waded through my campaign settings looking for an answer.  But the answer was only to be found in my Analytics account…

After clicking over to Analytics, I went to my AdWords campaign and clicked down to what I thought was my best performing ad.  Sure enough, the bounce rate for that ad was over 50%.  So, although the ad attracted lots of clicks and had relevant keywords for my site content, it wasn’t attracting customers - only curious clickers.  So, Google had done me a big favor by increasing my minimum cost per click.  They were actually saving me a lot of money.

After removing the offending ad, I soon saw my cost drop back to previous levels and all was well again.  I’ll continue to create new ads and research new keywords, but I’ll be sure to keep a close eye on the results in my Analytics account.  Some may call it the Google-slap, but I now prefer to think of it as a way to quickly learn how to improve the results of your PPC campaigns.

Something exciting is on the horizon, and it’s going to revolutionize the way we think about web searches.  Currently, it’s enough to optimize your site for top placement in one or more of the major search engines.  The time is arriving when you will not only compete for a top placement, but you will need to compete visually as well.  In other words, the visual appeal of your site will directly affect the number of visits you will get.

The change that is on the way is due to a completely new form of search engine.  SearchMe.com, which is currently in beta testing and open for a small number of testers (so hurry to get your spot now), is set to majorly impace the way searches are performed.  The new search engine is graphical, and the interface is much like the enhanced Windows Vista interface.  You type a search term, and an array of website images are rolled across the screen as you choose the site to visit.  You can scroll forward and back until a particular site catches your eye.  Then you can click the site to load it.

So, keep working away with the keyword research.  Keep on adding new, keyword-rich content.  But be sure to enlist the help of a good graphic designer to make your site stand out from the crowd.  It may not be tomorrow, but it’s inevitable that some new form of visual search tool such as SearchMe.com will gain momentum.

Finding good keywords for your website content is only the beginning.  Without a good strategy in place for getting traffic to your new site, it will simply sit there like an island in the middle of the ocean.  No one will have a clue that you’ve just published a great site full of wonderful articles just waiting to be explored.  So, let’s take a look at a few ways to get visitors to your new site.  I will go into this in more detail in future posts, but here are a few quick ways to get your site visited.

1. Create a blog and use a tool like Feedburner to help you promote it and publish it in a format readable by most RSS readers.  Search engines love fresh content, and blogs are great sources of fresh content.  You can get your site noticed much more quickly with a blog.  If you use the low-competition keyword strategy I outlined in the last post, you’ll already have content full of good keywords.  Getting the search engines to index the content will likely get you a top position for one or more of your selected terms relatively quickly.

2. Post comments on blogs, in forums, and on social media sites.  Include a link back to your site or blog, and the search engines will likely find you.  But be intelligent about this.  Don’t just spam the sites of others for your own benefit.  If you provide value, you’ll reap the benefits.  If you spam, you may get a short-term reward, but you’ll have a hollow victory at best.  And as search engines become ever more sophisticated, you could eventually find your sites removed from their listings.

3. Write a few articles related to the content on your site and include a link back to your site in your author bio.  I’ve used this technique successfully on numerous occasions.  In fact, I like to use this strategy to send traffic to landing pages where I promote various affiliate products. (We’ll talk more about promoting products and services as an affiliate in future posts.)  Submit your articles to sites like EzineArticles.com or GoArticles.com.  When the articles are published, your link must be included.  This not only provides you with publicity, it also provides links back to your website all across the web.

4. Create a video and post it on YouTube.  Include your site URL as a caption at the end of the video.  Some of your viewers will look you up. 

5. Create a Squidoo Lens at Squidoo.com related to your topic.  Provide good, relevant content and include a link back to your site within a list of links to various other related websites.

6. To get traffic flowing to your site quickly and easily, set up a Google AdWords account and pay to have your advertisements displayed in search engine results or on other websites related to the content of your site.  Using AdWords effectively is a topic for another day, but take a look at the program.  If all of your other efforts fail to live up to your expectations, spending a few dollars can get traffic flowing to your new site.

We’ll look at other great ways to get traffic and effective use of AdWords and other PPC systems in a future post.