Advertisement
  1. SEJ
  2.  ⋅ 
  3. SEO

Diversify Your Search Marketing Campaign : 11 Alternatives to Google AdWords

Diversify Your Search Marketing Campaign : 11 Alternatives to Google AdWords

During the Search Engine Strategies Miami conference last month, when a representative from Yahoo Search Marketing was taking questions, one attendee asked “Why should I spend my money with Yahoo and not with Google?”

The question shocked me in so many ways. First of all, what is this person even doing in a search marketing role with a company if they do not even understand the concept of search marketing share or distribution.

Secondly, even if they are a beginner, shouldn’t they understand that you can’t put all of your eggs in one Google basket and ignore the other 40% of the consumer market.

The delightful response was something like “We don’t expect you to choose one over the other. We expect you to advertise with all of the major search engines.”

Dependent upon your target market or region, Google AdWords may only have a 40% to 60% share of the search pie. If you do not diversify your paid search campaigns beyond Google AdWords, you’re not only missing the boat – but losing your company money via inaction.

Also, if your competition is only advertising on Google AdWords, you’ll get the jump on them and your shared target market by diversifying your search marketing campaign.

Take initiative and start campaigns with the following major search marketing companies:

  • Yahoo Search Marketing : Yahoo holds an incredible share of the search marketing stage and is the top online web destination for content, travel, shopping, news, entertainment and mail. Y!SM ads are served not only in search results, but throughout the Yahoo network.
  • MSN adCenter : Microsoft’s MSN and Live.com are incredibly well trafficked networks similar to Yahoo with incredible partnerships and a search engine which is integrated into the Windows operating system and Internet Explorer. adCenter search ads can also be targeted to demographics, such as male/female and ages.
  • Ask Sponsored Listings : Ask.com’s search marketing arm is also quite strong within their search properties and also the IAC network, which includes TicketMaster, CitySearch & RealEstate.com

Now, once you’ve set up & tested campaigns in the major search properties, look to these second tier search marketing companies to expand your reach even further.

  • LookSmart : LookSmart is a publicly traded search company with strong partnerships and a very large reach; over 400 million daily searches.
  • Miva : Major partner of portals and other properties : 2 billion search queries per month
  • ABCSearch : Serves over 5 billion searches per month and provides geotargeting.
  • 7Search : Frank Watson (AussieWebmaster) of FXCM loves 7Search and raves about the ROI and conversions 7Search provides, especially in the financial sector.
  • SearchFeed : Similar to Miva, SearchFeed provides sponsored search results for a large amount of partnered portals and sites.
  • Enhance : One of the Godfathers of paid search, Enhance’s partnerships with Yahoo, Dogpile, Snap.com and Verisign may result in quality traffic for your campaign.
  • Mamma.com/Copernic Media : Much more than a meta-search engine, Mamma.com also owns Copernic Desktop Search and serves sponsored search on the very popular, controversial and conversion generating Hotbar tool.
  • AMP’s adMarketplace : Sponsored search ads integrated into Ask.com, Looksmart, Marchex and other properties and offers easy setup for eBay merchants.

Are there other alternative search marketing companies which you have tested in the past or currently use and would like to recommend, critique or review?

Please feel free to leave your comments below.

Category SEO
ADVERTISEMENT
SEJ STAFF Loren Baker Founder at Foundation Digital

Loren Baker is the Founder of SEJ, an Advisor at Alpha Brand Media and runs Foundation Digital, a digital marketing ...

Diversify Your Search Marketing Campaign : 11 Alternatives to Google AdWords

Subscribe To Our Newsletter.

Conquer your day with daily search marketing news.