PPA Beta Test Report..

[abbottsys]

One of my accounts was invited into the PPA beta yesterday and I configured a test ad that uses both new features i.e. PPA and "text link" format. I hope to post my ongoing analysis and comments here, but perhaps I should ask AWR is that's ok first. AWR?

[AdWordsRep]

...I hope to post my ongoing analysis and comments here, but perhaps I should ask AWR is that's ok first. AWR?

Thanks a ton for asking, abbottsys. Much appreciated.

I will get you an 'official' answer from that team shortly.

AWR

[AdWordsRep]

I will get you an 'official' answer from that team shortly.

I've heard back from the beta team, and will quote their response below:

Thanks very much asking. Since you have been invited to the test which is a public beta, feel free to provide your feedback.

We always want to hear from you (and others) about what's working well and what you'd like to change. We'll continue to add features throughout the beta, so take this opportunity to tell us what you want. Also, please remember that you can submit your thoughts and comments directly through the feedback link in your AdWords account. This ensures that your feedback will be heard quickly.

I hope it works well for you, abbottsys. Best of success.

AWR

[abbottsys]

Originally Posted by AdWordsRep

I've heard back from the beta team, and will quote their response below:

I hope it works well for you, abbottsys. Best of success.

AWR

Thanks AWR. I hope to start posting soon.

[texasweb1]

Again I don't know much about it, but if it becomes mandetory most publishers will drop adsense like a hot potato. Most revenue comes from pay for click. I have gotten thousands of pageviews since I started. I use also another major pay for action firm and I get very little results from them. Most publishers only get a few pennys per click now so I really doubt that most of us publishers will accept it.

[abbottsys]

I'm in the beta test program, and I setup a "text link" PPA ad on April 5th.

-Setup in adwords was easy, since google has segregated PPA ads at the campaign level under a new "Pay-Per-Action" tab (your regular ads are placed under a "Standard" tab.)

-Setting my "PPA bid" (maxCPA) was slightly confusing, since in the beta test this is done in the "Conversion Tracking" area. I assume this will change in production. (In general it would be great to have total flexibility on the payment side, with the option to pay for ads any way we like: CPM, PPC, PPA and even change anytime we want. But I assume that would require a huge system change.)

-Anyway, we do lead generation, so I set my maxCPA at $10, which is what I expect to pay/lead from my current cost/conversion stats.

-I did *not* need to change or modify the existing adwords conversion tracking code on our website in any way - which was a big relief.

-However, so far the PPA ad has received no impressions, so the need is on the ad distribution side of the house i.e. getting adsense publishers to run these ads. We're in a very specialized vertical market, so this does not come as a big surpise, but until I see some distribution I cannot evaluate the ad performance.

[psurplus]

However, so far the PPA ad has received no impressions, so the need is on the ad distribution side

I agree with you here abbottsys, there seems to be too few beta publishers to give advertisers any accurate test of the platform. Once I had added my campaigns, it took about 2 days before I saw any impressions for my ads. I wish I could see what publishers were showing my ad. We are also in a focused niche and I imagine it is difficult for the other side, the publishers to find advertisers who have ads for a related market (if any).

[abbottsys]

Well, I'm still seeing zero impressions on my PPA text link ad. I guess no publishers picked the thing up. Pity, it means I can't test. Hope google can open up the publisher participation in this thing, especially for the new text link ads.

[rustybrick]

I just posted this information at the Search Engine Roundtable and named it Google Pay Per Action First Results For Publishers & Advertisers. I added my two cents as a publisher...

I have received almost 5,000 impressions on those ads to date. Keep in mind, the ads are on a single post in my personal blog. Of that, I have realized only about 35 clicks. And, as of right now, I have earned zero dollars.

Still encouraging...

[Mel66]

I'm seeing almost the exact same numbers as Barry: 5,000 impressions, 35 clicks, no sales.

One thing I had to do was get out of the PPC mindset when setting up my campaigns. It was really hard for me to add keywords to my ad groups that I know are huge traffic-drivers and low converters - but when you don't pay for clicks, that's ok! Abbottsys, if you haven't already done so, try adding big traffic keywords like "viagra" and "playmates" and stuff like that (assuming they're at least marginally relevant). I basically took a bunch of keywords that are negatives in my PPC campaigns, and used them as regular keywords for the PPA. It's helping drive some clicks, anyway.

Melissa

[abbottsys]

Originally Posted by Mel66

I'm seeing almost the exact same numbers as Barry: 5,000 impressions, 35 clicks, no sales.

One thing I had to do was get out of the PPC mindset when setting up my campaigns. It was really hard for me to add keywords to my ad groups that I know are huge traffic-drivers and low converters - but when you don't pay for clicks, that's ok! Abbottsys, if you haven't already done so, try adding big traffic keywords like "viagra" and "playmates" and stuff like that (assuming they're at least marginally relevant). I basically took a bunch of keywords that are negatives in my PPC campaigns, and used them as regular keywords for the PPA. It's helping drive some clicks, anyway.

Melissa

Thanks. I'll try opening up the keywords and see what happens. I'll report back as soon as I get info.

[abbottsys]

Opening up the keywords didn't help. (It turned out I already had very broad keywords in the set.) Absolutely zero impressions. I wonder if it's because I used the "text link" ad format? Clearly no publishers have picked up my PPA ad. Zero.

Of course, technically speaking you don't set keywords for PPA ads, you set "phrases" that are used to show your ad to prospective (adsense) publishers when they are looking for ads to run. I guess this design is due to the fact that PPA ads are for the Content channel only.

So basically, I'm still at the stage of trying to "sell" my ad to publishers. And, either none are biting, or google has not opened the beta test to the full spectrum of publishers yet.

This test badly needs more publishers!!!!

[Mel66]

I set up both "traditional" Adwords and text links, and I've had 0 impressions on my text link ads. So far everyone has picked up the traditional ads and not the text. Which is the opposite of what I expected, but whatever!

I just used our Adwords ad copy, too. Maybe try that?

Melissa

[abbottsys]

Originally Posted by Mel66

I set up both "traditional" Adwords and text links, and I've had 0 impressions on my text link ads. So far everyone has picked up the traditional ads and not the text. Which is the opposite of what I expected, but whatever!

I just used our Adwords ad copy, too. Maybe try that?

Melissa

Very interesting. I also expected the "text link" format to be the most popular, and that's the only PPA format I've used so far. I'll try the other PPA ad format and hopefully that will help. Umm.. I wonder why publishers are avoiding text link ads?

[abbottsys]

I setup a text ad (as opposed to the new "text link" format) and at least I'm now getting impressions. It seems that for some reason publishers are not using the text link format. Now I'm waiting for clicks, and hopefully conversions. It's interesting to know that under the PPA model I don't pay for the clicks, just the conversions. Progress, but still a ways to go....

[rustybrick]

Originally Posted by abbottsys

I setup a text ad (as opposed to the new "text link" format) and at least I'm now getting impressions. It seems that for some reason publishers are not using the text link format. Now I'm waiting for clicks, and hopefully conversions. It's interesting to know that under the PPA model I don't pay for the clicks, just the conversions. Progress, but still a ways to go....

Ill use it.

Let me know how to find your ad... i.e. company name and industry you are in...

I could not find any text link formats, as of yet.

[abbottsys]

Originally Posted by rustybrick

...I could not find any text link formats, as of yet.

Yes, exactly. My text link ad is showing zero impressions. My text ad is showing some impressions, but no clicks so far. So, I'm assuming:

1) Not many publishers are in the PPA beta test
2) Those that are in the test prefer regular text ads, not text link ads

[rustybrick]

Finally I am able to see the text link unit.

I wrote a post using it at http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/013296.html

It should come up with your ad.

[swimmingpoole]

Just to add my experience to the list of responses....

I sell products and set up PPA instead of using content match, which for me doesn't work (does it work for anybody?!). I really like only paying when i make a sale, instead of paying for tons of clicks that are not completely targeted and in two years have gotten me nowhere.

So my PPA is $25 for a $99 product - it has been running for about 3 wks- About 10 clickthroughs and one sale. While the volume is low, i am hoping that it will pick up once out of beta or once it is open for registration again.