CHAPTER 14
Buying Keywords and Phrases on Search Engines
You can purchase keywords and phrases in more than 200 top search engines and directories with a view to marketing your import/export business and products.
There are currently two ways or methods for purchasing keywords and phrases on search engines.
1) Cost per click (CPC) 2) Flat fee
Both of these methods have advantages and disadvantages.
Let’s talk about why someone with an import/export business would purchase keywords and/or phrases on a search engine or directory.
Let’s say that you’re reselling products on the Internet that you’ve imported from China.
Let’s also say that you have a retail component and a wholesale component to your business.
On the retail side you are targeting individuals or businesses that only purchase products in small quantities. — Let’s say that your product is tee shirts.
On the wholesale side you are targeting retail stores, shops and the like.
The best way to approach this is to keep the two components completely separate.
That’s not what most people do — but most people do not understand how the Internet works.
If someone comes to your retail site and checks out your products — and then stumbles onto your wholesale section — they’ll be shocked to learn they’re paying up to ten times the wholesale price (or more)!
That’s true even if you have special or secured access to the wholesale section.
It’s much better to keep the two components (retail and wholesale) completely separate and on different websites (and domains).
Okay — let’s talk about purchasing keywords and/or phrases in the top search engines.
Google’s AdWords is likely the most popular advertising network for search engine keyword purchases on the Internet.
The Google AdWords “system” is really quite simple.
Advertiser’s “bid” for specific keywords and phrases in an open market.
Words like: “100% cotton tee shirts,” “Cotton tee shirts” and “Colored cotton tee shirts” are fairly popular.
In fact, all of these words are fairly popular based on Google AdWords Keyword Relevance Tool:
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordSandbox
You can also choose expanded broad matches like: “t shirt,” “customized t shirt” or “hilary duff t shirt.”
Once you’ve selected the keywords that you want to purchase you’ll begin bidding on them.
Let’s say that you are the high bidder and are able to purchase the keyword/phrase, “100% cotton t shirt” and your “bid” amount is $1 per click.
That means when someone enters the term or phrase “100% cotton t shirt” into the Google search box your keyword “ad” matching that phrase would appear on the right hand side of the search results page.
There will be other advertisers featured with you — but your ad should appear first on the page if you are the highest bidder for that word.
In your Google AdWords account you can set a “spending cap” too. You can limit the amount you spend each month for advertising keywords by simply specifying a spending cap.
Let’s say that you have set your spending cap at $500 per month.
That means if you receive 500 clicks (at $1 each or $500) your ad would be shut off automatically
— and the next highest bidder would take your spot.
Granted, click fraud or clicks that are generated maliciously or fraudulently is a problem. But generally speaking, it’s manageable.
If you received 500 unique click thrus from targeted buyers there’s a very good chance a percentage of these people will make a purchase on your website.
Hopefully you can see the value of purchasing the right keywords on the right engines — because you receive targeted traffic and business.
The downside to cost per click keyword programs is obviously cost. The best and most sought after keywords and phrases can be very expensive. If you have a limited budget you’ll have a hard time competing on this playing field with large advertisers.
Some advertisers will purchase hundreds or even thousands of keywords and/or phrases.
An alternative to cost per click keyword buy programs is flat rate keyword buys like those offered on the search engine ExactSeek: http://www.exactseek.com/featured_listings.html
ExactSeek also offers one of the best “bulk Keyword Buy Programs” on the Internet.
Granted, ExactSeek traffic pales in comparison to Google’s (ExactSeek currently receives about 150 million unique searches a month), but it’s still pretty formidable and costs a lot less.
Whatever engine or approach you prefer buying keywords and phrases in, it’s a great way to market your import/export products and services.
CHAPTER 14:Buying Keywords and Phrases on Search Engines
CHAPTER 14: Buying Keywords and Phrases on Search Engines
The “Top Tier” Search Engines with Keyword Buy and/or Pay Per Click Programs
Yahoo!
http://www.yahoo.com Google
http://www.google.com MSN
http://www.msn.com AOL
http://www.aol.com Go.com
http://www.go.com
Gain insight into consumer buying habits and uncover profitable niche markets with these websites and tools
Overture Keyword Suggestion Tool
http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/
Yahoo Leading Searches http://buzz.yahoo.com/
Google Search Trends - Zeitgeist
http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html Amazon Movers and Shakers List
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/new-for-you/movers-and-shakers/-/
books/104-6832628-4759129 Amazon Best Sellers
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/new-for-you/bestsellers/-/books/
Wordtracker - Advanced Keyword Analysis Tool
http://www.highertrustmarketing.com/part/wordtracker Adword Analyzer
http://www.infoproductcreator.com/part/adwanalyze URLTrends
http://www.urltrends.com
Overture (now part of Yahoo!) http://www.overture.com SearchScout
http://www.searchscout.com Lycos
http://www.lycos.com AltaVista
http://www.altavista.com Excite
http://www.excite.com
The Top 20 “Second Tier” Search Engines with Keyword Buy and/or Pay Per Click Programs:
eSpotting
http://www.espotting.com ExactSeek
http://www.exactseek.com FindWhat
http://www.findwhat.com LookSmart Listings
http://listings.looksmart.com Enhance.com
http://www.enhance.com ePilot.com
http://www.epilot.com Kanoodle
http://www.kanoodle.com Dogpile
http://www.dogpile.com Vivisimo
http://www.vivisimo.com HotBot
http://www.hotbot.com
CHAPTER 14:Buying Keywords and Phrases on Search Engines
Kartoo
http://www.kartoo.com Mamma.com
http://www.mamma.com SurfWax
http://www.surfwax.com Excite
http://www.excite.com Fazzle
http://www.fazzle.com InfoGrid
http://www.infogrid.com IXQuick
http://www.ixquick.com MetaCrawler
http://www.metacrawler.com Turbo10
http://www.turbo10.com Lycos InSite
http://insite.lycos.com
Buying keywords on the top Pay Per Click (PPC) Engines will help you target eager buyers for your imported products. Another popular alternative to PPC engines are flat fee keyword buys like those offered on ExactSeek.com.
In the next chapter we’ll show you the secrets of effective online advertising.
CHAPTER 14: Buying Keywords and Phrases on Search Engines