STATS: Paid versus Natural Search Clicks

The Search Marketing Advisor Newsletter Article: 
June 2004, Volume 3, Issue 2

The Natural SEO vs. Paid Search Relevancy Debate by Heather Molina, Alg

Looking at how result relevancy was split between the genders, both men and women found natural search results as the best answer for their query. However, it is important to note that a higher percentage of women than men find value in paid search advertisements. This means that for sites where the intended focus is for women, targeting some paid search ads in online marketing strategies would be wise. 

Employment and educational status findings suggested that more partially employed or unemployed users and non-college graduate users found paid search ads more relevant, over fully employed users and college graduate users. However, the majority of users in both categories found natural search results to be more relevant than paid search ads. The larger portion indicates that for a site which targets the unemployed or non-college graduate, there is a higher value in placing paid search advertisements. 

Looking at overall Internet experience and use, iProspect found that the longer a person has been using the Internet and the more often they log on, the higher the instance of the user preferring natural search results over paid search results. A strong correlation between education level and the experience of the Internet user suggests that the higher the education level and the longer and more frequent the Internet use, the more sophisticated the Internet user. 

Ed: Low education, poor people more likely to click paid ads. 

How could searchers be ignoring sponsored listings if search engines are pulling down billions of dollars on click based fees? Heading back to a June, 2005 Harris Interactive study on search behavior, data indicates that  56 percent of those surveyed do not know the difference between natural and paid search listings, and 51 percent of the search engine users who do know the difference prefer natural results.

A new WebSideStory study announced today shows that paid search has only a slight advantage over organic search results for conversions.

The study looked at more than 57 million search engine visits on Google, Yahoo and MSN and showed a median order conversion rate of 3.40 percent at business-to-consumer e-commerce sites for pay per click compared to a conversion rate of 3.13 percent for organic search results during the same timeframe.

March 18, 2008

Daily Search Forum Recap: March 18, 2008

Quality of Microsoft adCenter Traffic Falling?
A WebmasterWorld thread reports that several Microsoft adCenter advertisers are recently unhappy with the quality of traffic they are seeing from adCenter. The conversion rates on adCenter, as reported by a few advertisers, has been as low as ever. WebmasterWorld senior member, ByronM, posted some recent stats showing his concern. Based on over 200 clicks (not impressions, but clicks): Google has a 3.9% conversion rate Yahoo has a 2.2% conversion rate Microsoft has a 0.0%

Ed: Flypaper beats natural SEO. Accidental+habitual clicks approximate paid clicks. Bottom-line is 3% retention. Probability no statistical difference between Google, Yahoo, Microsoft.

NEWS: Yahoo in Deal For Overture, An Internet Listing Service

Yahoo in Deal For Overture, An Internet Listing Service

...and Transfer. The purchase of Overture gives Yahoo a bigger stake in the arena...leading candidates for acquiring Overture were Yahoo and MSN, both of which are...Apart from its dealings with Overture, Yahoo's ad sales last quarter jumped...
July 15, 2003 - By BOB TEDESCHI 

Technology Briefing Internet: Yahoo Signs Deal With Overture

...services. In November, Yahoo started putting Overture listings above those...Overture. Since then Overture and Google, another...actively bid for Yahoo's business. Neither...would say how much Overture is paying Yahoo, but analysts think...
April 26, 2002 - By Saul Hansell (NYT) (Compiled by Mark S. Getzfred)

Technology 

STATS: Global Internet Rankings by Page Views

The number of individuals with Internet access from their home grew by nearly 7 million people in March 2001 to 379 million people, according to Nielsen//NetRatings Global Internet Index. Active Internet usage grew nearly 4 percent to 211 million people.

Global Internet Rankings by Page Views
Rank/Country/Page Views per Month/Page Views per Session/Duration of Page View
Click Rate for Top Banner
1. South Korea 2,164 92 0:00:28 0.62
2. Hong Kong 1,123 63 0:00:37 0.69
3. Germany 818 48 0:00:36 0.58
4. Japan* 788 52 0:00:35 0.37
Global Average 774 43 0:00:47 0.41
5. Canada 755 37 0:00:49 0.17
6. Singapore 699 55 0:00:37 0.24
7. United States 678 35 0:00:54 0.36
8. France 629 39 0:00:41 0.36
9. Taiwan 618 55 0:00:37 0.50
10. The Netherlands 586 40 0:00:42 0.36
11. Sweden 572 42 0:00:38 0.52
12. Italy 557 43 0:00:44 0.48
13. Norway 555 38 0:00:38 0.33
14. Brazil 552 43 0:00:49 0.43
15. Denmark 534 39 0:00:35 0.51
16. Australia 512 39 0:00:54 0.27
17. U.K. 479 39 0:00:45 0.49
18. Spain 467 40 0:00:52 0.65
19. New Zealand 414 30 0:00:53 0.23
20. Ireland 361 38 0:00:46 0.37
* February data
Source: Nielsen//NetRatings