Is Google's Adsense Gain A Loss For Adwords Advertisers?

Unfortuantely in this competitive world, not everything is a win/win. More typically, when someone wins, someone else loses. That may be the case here with Google's new policy that permits third-party advertisers.




If you're an Adsense publisher, you can opt to have ads from additional networks displayed on your site. That's a good thing for Adsense publishers since it will likely cause the ads to pay out more per click. Obviously, the flip side of this affects those who advertise on Adwords. There will be even more competition, thus higher PPC costs, in the Content network.



Has anyone experienced an increase in PPC costs on Google's Content network? I'd love to hear about it and hear what you think about this latest update to Google's advertising world.

Beware Acai Berry Scammers

Acai Berry scammers beware, it's finally happening. Oprah and Dr. Oz have had enough of the scammers using their images to suck unsuspecting consumers into high dollar continuity programs. They are taking legal action and it's not just acai berry promotions that are being targeted. The suit will pursue other products such as resveratrol supplements, anti-wrinkle creams, teeth whiteners, colon cleansers, and other diet pills - any products where their implied endorsements have been used.

When I first entered the CPA business, acai berry was the hot product. As a newbie who didn't know any better, I started promoting these offers and admittedly had some minor success. I was quite excited until I figured out what was really going on. Needless to say, I stopped the promotions and have not looked back. Truth be told, although CPA is touted as a phenomenal way to make great money, I struggled with what I considered a serious breach of ethics. There are some ethical offers if you look hard, and I have promoted them, again with some limited success. But in my opinion, they are kind of rare.

I know there are lots of CPA folks who made millions of dollars promoting acai berry, resveratrol, colon cleansers, etc., but they may be looking over their shoulders now. I, for one, am glad the CPA industry is getting some scrutiny. I would love to continue working with CPA offers, confident that the promotions are ethical. And I'm glad I made the decisions I did, despite the loss of propective income.

ClickBank Code

Today I purchased Michael Jones' ClickBank Code. I have to admit, I had never heard of Michael Jones before today so I was more than a bit skeptical (no offense Michael but the Jones part got me). I have been looking at many, many products on Internet Marketing and I can't really tell you what made me decide to buy this one, but I did. I immediately began watching the videos which are broken into short, easy to digest segments in six modules.

Although I haven't put any of the tchniques into practice (that's my goal for tomorrow), here is my review to this point. Michael recommends that you watch all the videos all the way through the first time and then go back and watch them a second time and follow the action steps. I found this to be a useful suggestion. It's good to get an overview of the process so you know where you're heading.

Overall, Michael has some good information and his presentation is clear. This course is designed more toward newbies but there are a few tips for those with a little more experience. As with any of these types of courses, there are gaps in the information. Despite what everyone proclaims, I have yet to find a course that is truly "A - Z", but Michael does a respectable job covering the basics of affiliate marketing.

One thing I appreciated was his honesty about spending money on Adwords. And I also like the spreadsheet he provides which helps you decide if a product is worth promoting or not. I'm hopeful that this will prevent me from wasting my budget on products with little promise.

In the next couple of days, I will try his system and report back on my success. Meanwhile, for more details on Michael's system, visit ClickBank Code.

MediaPost Publications Google: Allowing Competitors To Buy Trademarked Keywords Is 'Pro-Consumer' 07/14/2009##

MediaPost Publications Google: Allowing Competitors To Buy Trademarked Keywords Is 'Pro-Consumer' 07/14/2009##

This whole trademark issue can be rather muddy and at the very least confusing. If you do a trademark search on the government website: http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm you'll find an amazing array of trademarked terms. For instance, "twilight". Now I understand the desire to protect the title of your book, or movie, or whatever intellectual property you wish to protect. But seriously, how can you possibly trademark the word "twilight" when it is a commonly used word.

In the above-linked article, I was surprised to read this: "Google has allowed trademarks to trigger ads for five years," since my personal experience has been to the contrary. Several months ago, I was prevented from running an Adwords ad with the term, "March Madness," for trademark reasons (according to the Google slap I received). In my mind, it's not much different than a store being permitted to use a brand name to promote a product that it sells. How could Best Buy let consumers know it sold the Flip UltraHD™ if they couldn't advertise the brand?

Admittedly, my understanding of trademark issues is extremely lacking. I guess I'll have to put my research hat on and try to make some sense of it all. In the meantime, I think I will use the advice that I heard in a recent webinar. "Use any term you want in your ads until Google tells you you can't.

If any of you have some insight, advice, experience, etc, in this area, please share. I'd love to hear your comments.

SpeedPPC Discount

SpeedPPC is having a fiscal year-end blowout sale. I'm sorry to be so late in getting this information out but I've been out of town and I actually left my laptop home. Yes, I had a minor case of withdrawal when I first left town but once I arrived at my destination, I was so busy and had so much fun, I barely missed it.

I use SpeedPPC and I have to tell you, I love it. It's been one of the best investments I've made.

But you gotta hurry because the sale ends tonight!

Starts: Midnight, Monday 22 June 2009 EST
Ends: Midnight, Thursday 25 June 2009 EST

Over at SpeedPPC, they're celebrating the end of their Aussie financial year with a massive sale for 3 days only.

With a huge 40% discount on their top-of-the-line package SpeedPPC Affiliate Pro, you'll save almost $200 off the normal price. You can use your savings to kick off your PPC campaigns or splurge it...

To sweeten the deal even more, the first 50 people will get hold of a new bonus that's being offered for the very first time - SpeedPPC's Wordpress Dynamic Landing Page plug-in.
This exclusive plug-in enables you to dynamically target your WordPress landing pages using various page templates. You can also perfect your targeting using multiple dynamic values in your URL and page content - all this with just a single installation of Wordpress! Whether you're affiliate marketing or not, you can dominate the market with the SpeedPPC Affiliate Pro suite that includes the incredible SpeedPPC campaign builder, the Affiliate Datafeed Software, and added extras to get you launching high quality PPC campaigns within minutes.

If you're struggling with any of these, then check SpeedPPC out now:
- High costs blocking your profits?- Too much time wasted on setting up campaigns?- Click through rates too low?- Conversions too few and far between?- Quality score choking your ad impressions?- Minimum bids set too high?- Tracking profitable keywords virtually impossible?
You're automatically protected with a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can try SpeedPPC with your own campaigns at no risk whatsoever.

Get it now before the 40% off sale ends at midnight, Thursday 25 June EST.

http://www.speedppc.com/cmd.php?af=950663

Google is Not the Only Game in Town :: Elites TV

Google is Not the Only Game in Town :: Elites TV This is a short and sweet article with four easy steps to successful Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Truth be told, it sounds a little easier than it is. We would all love instant success online. And there are countless Internet Marketers telling us that we can earn $23,792 in the first month! Unfortunately, just as it's atypical to lose 15 pounds in a week with the latest diet craze, overnight success in Internet Marketing is not the norm. It takes steady commitment and many hours of work.

That said, this article is a good outline of what's required to make SEO work for you.

Web Hosting At HostGator

I began hosting at HostGator in March of this year (2009) and wanted to give it some time before I reported my experience. After two months, I'm ready to share.

I've actually got several accounts with several hosting companies. Each has its value that works for my needs. I was quite content with 1and1 for general hosting needs, but when I started my adventure in the world of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising I found I needed more flexibility.

For instance, I began using some applications that required zend. While 1and1 had instructions for installing it, I just couldn't get it to work properly. To their credit, tech support talked me through it. Then I found out that they didn't allow tracking applications because it was too big a load on their servers. Well, as we all know, tracking is a critical element of PPC so I decided to look elsewhere. I kept my 1and1 account and still have sites that are hosted there. I'll save a review of them for another post but suffice it to say, I am happy with them for those sites.

I spent some time researching my options. After hosting for awhile, I knew my major requirements which included zend, php, multiple to unlimited domains, multiple to unlimited MySQL databases, as much bandwidth as possible, the ability to install tracking applications, and preferably cPanel. While many hosting companies offer these things, I tried to read between the lines of fine print and ending up choosing HostGator.

To date, I am very happy with the level of service I've received from them. They have a great chat feature that I have used on several occasions. I will say that there were times during a chat that I felt deserted, as many minutes went by without a response. But at least I could work on other things while I waited for a response. I guess it's not too much different from being on "mold" on a phone.

And speaking of the phone, their phone support has been excellent as well. I've called at 2AM more than once and have always received friendly and knowledgeable support from someone whose primary language is English (they don't outsource their support). On one of my calls I was exhausted and foggy-brained and just couldn't grasp what the support tech was trying to tell me. He was incredibly patient and worked with me until I got it straight.

There is one word of caution, however, regarding their prices. When you click on the Web Hosting tab you see a page that has options for three different packages. The price you see at the bottom of each column in the first section is actually for a 3-year prepaid plan. You have to hover over the price to see the various payment plans. But even the monthly payment option is still very reasonable for all you get. They even have a $25 Google Adwords credit.

So, if you're just starting out and are looking for an affordable and flexible hosting package, HostGator is a great option. Or if you've been in an Internet business for awhile and you've outgrown other hosting companies, I highly recommend HostGator. I like them so much that I decided to become an affiliate so yes, these are affiliate links and I appreciate your support in using them. After all, this is what we do.

Problems With Keith Wellman's VIP Auto Pilot Profits System

This is not one of those posts that tries to get you to purchase the system in the title (VIP Auto Pilot Profits System). In fact, it is just the opposite. This is a warning to stay as far away as possible.

I am about to relate my own, personal experience with simple facts.

Yes, I'm on tons of lists from various Internet marketers. I am fairly new to this arena and want to learn as much as I can. I'm a big believer in "all information is good" so I do lots of research. I also have a healthy amount of skepticism while at the same time wanting to believe that the values of honesty and integrity are alive and well. That said, when I received the email from Keith Wellman promoting his VIP Auto Pilot Profits System, I relied on what I had read about Keith and believed when he said, "This is %100 NO-RISK money back guarantee" in his sales video. I decided to make the purchase and check out his system with the understanding that I could request a refund if done in a timely manner.

Unfortunately for people who are trying to make money online, these products are purchased sight unseen. As consumers of these types of products, we make our purchase decisions based on the reputation of the marketer. Their integrity is tantamount to their continued success. As I've stated before, I believed in the integrity of Keith Wellman and believed that he would honor his word of, "This is %100 NO-RISK money back guarantee." Obviously my trust in him was grievously misplaced.

I'm sure you can guess what happened. Boy, am I naive! I accessed the product and it did not meet my expectations in the least. I considered the products he offered to be substandard, rife with poor grammar and misspellings. In addition, I feel he way over-valued the software he was offering, especially considering that much of it is available for free. Within 2 weeks of making the purchase and trying to find some redeeming value in the product, I decided to request a refund.

I submitted my refund request via the support system at justaskkeith.com. To their credit, I got an email response from Erica. Unfortunately, the response was this:

"We will be more than happy to give you a full refund. Please read through our refund policy, go through the steps and we will credit you back the full amount.
60 Day Money Back Guarantee
We offer a full 100% money back guarantee for this package. Go ahead and try out our system with zero risk...use it and put it to the test for a full 90 days...

...if after you have gone through the system and applied it you find that it isn't for you simply let us know what you did and we'll work with you to get you making a full time income online and if for whatever reason that doesn't happen we'll refund 100% of your money back."

First of all, I thought I had already "gone through the steps" by checking out the system and requesting the refund when I found it to be unsatisfactory. Secondly, take note of the verbiage - "60 Day Money Back Guarantee... put it to the test for a full 90 days." Ambiguous at best, deceptive at worst. This is in addition to the 30 day refund policy (within which I had made my initial refund request).

I have had a continued email exchange with Erica to no avail. My last resort was to contact my credit card company to begin a dispute. After the representative read the policy from the website, she assures me I have a valid dispute so we will see where it goes from here.

My purpose in writing this rather lengthy post is just to warn anyone who might be considering a purchase from Keith Wellman or his company FX Marketing, Inc. Think long and hard before spending any money unless you don't mind losing it forever.

I have read that many of the negative posts regarding Keith, his company and this product have been removed from various blogs and forums. I'm not sure how or why that's occurred but I intend to keep this here, as it is true and accurate.

Please share your experiences with Keith Wellman or anyone other Internet marketing "guru". We must all stand together to keep the Internet a viable place to make an honest living.

The Insider's Guide To CPA Marketing Profits

Earlier this week I downloaded a free report by Gauher Chaudhry called The Insider's Guide To CPA Marketing Profits. Since I am always looking for a little pearl in the vast ocean of information, I scan lots of articles, reports and websites.

I'm a believer in "all information is good". It's what we do with the information that really counts. Of course, there's always the risk of information overload which is not productive, but different ways of saying things speak to different people. In that light, until you've completely assimilated a skill or bit of knowledge, it never hurts to hear it presented in a different way.

This report is 89 pages but once you take away things like title page and table of contents, the actual content is 79 pages. It runs the gamut of basic stuff like an introduction to CPA marketing all the way to a script for iFraming. There are lots of links to tools and resources and a glossary at the end as well. I'm not disparaging the amount of content - what I'm saying is that you can easily read through it in about an hour. I can't speak to the knowledge of those who have been in this business for awhile, but for those of us who are fairly new - especially those of us in AC, there is some new information and resources, so I consider it time well-spent.

We all know by now that the purpose of these free reports is to build a list for a future promotion and in this case, Gauher is promoting PayPerClick Formula 2.0. Having no prior experience with this program, I really can't address it at this point, but if anyone has any experience with the first version, or with Gauher in general, please share it with us. Meanwhile, pick up his free report and expand your knowledge.

Arbitrage Conspiracy

I've just posted a rather lengthy comment on a blog by Jay Stockwell of SpeedPPC. I suspect the comments were a very unintentional consequence of his review of a new product. That comment has in turn inspired this post.

I have been participating in the first class of the much touted Arbitrage Conspiracy. If you're unfamiliar with the class, it is an introduction and reported a-z instructional program for teaching the way to financial bliss using CPA networks and PPC marketing. We are in week 10 of a 13 week course and up to this point, we really didn't know who the other members were.

From a newbie perspective, in my opinion, the course has delivered a lot of good and useful information. I agree with their self-described a-z content in most respects, but it is missing l-m-n-o. And the missing part is the interactivity that most of us require to really learn. Yes, they make an attempt for some interactivity with a weekly webinar and I applaud their efforts. But it is virtually impossible for them to respond to all the questions of all the members in the one-hour sessions.

They have promised us a much-anticipated forum wherein we can all communicate with each other, but as yet, it has not been delivered. But it appears the dam of anonymity has burst and many of us have found each other in Jay's blog. I hope some of you reading this have arrived here from there.

I welcome comments from other AC members but I want to make something very clear. I know a lot of us have struggled and have not yet found our "golden nuggets". I'm one of you. I believe it's important to feel a kinship and know we're not alone in our challenges. That said, my intent is not for this to be a place to complain and build negativity. My goal is for us to be able to share our experiences so that we can learn from each other, boost each other up and become successful in this crazy Internet world.

A couple of people who left comments on Jay's blog have offered to create a forum for us. Until it's ready, please leave comments here and we'll see what we can build together.


UPDATE: This update is long overdue. The folks at Arbitrage Conspiracy did set up the forum and it has been very useful. It continues to be an active community for learning and sharing. To the great credit of Aymen and Emmanuel, they have not left their students high and dry. They continue to nurture and offer content and opportunities for success. They are preparing for a re-launch and I recommend you check it out.

MediaPost Publications Utah House Passes Bill To Bar Using Rival Trademarks In Ads 03/09/2009

MediaPost Publications Utah House Passes Bill To Bar Using Rival Trademarks In Ads 03/09/2009: "Utah House Passes Bill To Bar Using Rival Trademarks In Ads"

I'm very new to PPC marketing and I must admit, I'm struggling. I've been working at it for 2 months now and have yet to find the elusive "golden nugget". Being the very determined woman that I am, I'm not ready to throw in the towel. In an effort to make progress, I've been doing some research and I found this article that I thought was rather interesting. Check it out.

The whole trademark issue has been a bugger for me. I've read some legal advice and sought opinions. I'm not a lawyer, and heaven knows I'm a newbie to this industry, but after giving it serious thought, I've come to a conclusion. Take it for what it's worth and remember, it's just an opinion (and not a terribly informed one at that). And you know what they say about opinions!

Brick-and-mortar stores are permitted to advertise using brand and trademarked names - how else are you supposed to know what they sell? The question consumers ask is can I get a better deal at Best Buy or Fry's? So what's the big beef about using them as keywords and in Internet search ads. In my opinion (see above disclaimer), it's more deceptive to try to be "creative" and coy about what we're marketing in our search (Google, Yahoo, MSN etc.) ads. And it's not cost-efficient. Just let us say what we're advertising and make it easier and less frustrating for the consumer as well. If someone is looking specifically for an iPod don't make them click on endless generic ads for mp3 players.

Of course, this will affect bids but isn't that what capitalism and the free market is all about?