Ad benefits of vertical search engines.
There are many benefits of advertising on VSEs versus Google AdWords if you pick the right vertical for your product or service. Below are a few examples showing how VSEs can be used to good advantage.
Clickthrough rates: You can get higher clickthrough rates (CTRs) because the audience is segmented and highly qualified. Imagine advertising your dropshipping service on TopTenWholesale.com versus Google.com. While you may get fewer clicks because the audience at the vertical is miniscule compared to Google, your conversion rates might be higher. You won't be paying for all those non-converting clicks.
Branding: The advantage is better brand recognition. Using the above example, the niche audience at TopTenWholesale is going to show a lot more brand recognition for dropshipping services than the general audience on Google. Not as many will be exposed to your brand, but those who are will likely remember you as your ad shows up on daily searches for dropshippers.
Banner ads: You can request custom positioning for your banners on vertical search engines. Most verticals will go out of their way to please customers. They offer users highly relevant content with targeted banners on the SERPs, meeting their advertisers' needs.
Direct links: Most verticals will provide a link directly to the client's site or requested URL. This gives the advertisers an SEO benefit because search engines can now associate the advertiser's site with a highly ranked vertical search engine. It's like getting a directory link, and without such direct links, search engine spiders might never find some sites.
Special ad placement: Verticals can accommodate a client's request quickly and on the fly. Major search engines, on the other hand, must deal with corporate structure, perhaps running issues by IT and corporate. Vertical search engines are lean and versatile; they can react quickly to changing market conditions and industry trends.
User-generated media: Vertical search engines cover issues related to specific topics or industries. Therefore, they can enable customers to blog on their sites, encouraging industry participation. This can transform these verticals into Web 2.0 information highways for their niche. Content can be user generated or industry generated. In fact, some verticals employ journalists to cover industry topics. They provide forums for users and advertisers. These blog and story links also provide great SEO benefits if a customer is linked to them.
Email marketing: Many verticals have email lists, and these databases consist of recipients interested in the niche. These opt-in email lists can be more relevant than any mass-market offerings. Users opt in and look forward to receiving weekly newsletters with stories on the industry. Normally, the advertisers are pleased with the responses received from their email newsletter ads. Relevant ads to a relevant and receptive audience make this offering a win-win.
Ad placement: Many verticals sell their advertising programs through a dedicated sales force. Others will use an ecommerce-based system that enables marketers to buy, monitor and revise their ad campaigns online by using a credit card and through a self-service, password-protected interface.
Google has dedicated advertising professionals who can assist you for a fee, as well as a self-service interface online. You can get free Google Analytics. Additionally, Google's AdWords API service allows advertisers to manage large or complex AdWords accounts and campaigns with computer programs that interact directly with the AdWords platform.
B2B ad advantage: The big difference is that vertical search engines provide an ad advantage for B2B marketers because their ads are exposed to a highly motivated, targeted audience. Clickthroughs can be fewer, saving you money. Conversions can be higher, making you money. Plus you can take advantage of all the auxiliary promotional services. Vertical search engines provide an advertising advantage in B2B niches.
Jason Prescott is CEO of JP Communications. Read full bio.