Due to changes to Yahoo! Search Marketing in early 2007, you can no longer import data into Monetize It! for Yahoo! (Google AdWords data can still be imported and researched).

While we reprogram MI to accept the changes at Yahoo!, please use only AdWords information from MI! if you plan to start a PPC campaign. Click the link at the top of this page for AdWords Help & Strategies.

Congratulations! You've used Monetize It!'s substantial power to unearth a gold-mine of keyword opportunities. Now you're ready to begin advertising. Roll up your sleeves and let's get started!

Knowledge is Power

Monetize It! does the heavy lifting by identifying the most lucrative advertising opportunities at both Yahoo! and Google. But to truly succeed, you'll need to know exactly what every dollar spent brings you. This means you must know your Return On Investment (ROI) and your Maximum Bid. Of course, one affects the other!

1) Know your ROI. Initially, you'll use your site's current Conversion Rate (CR) as an ROI benchmark. In other words, how does your free traffic convert? This data will give you a rough idea of how well your advertising campaign should do.

Campaign CRs can vary substantially from your site's CR, depending on the keywords you target, and how the Titles and Descriptions of your ads are written. Obviously, if your paid campaigns are not converting visitors at the same rate as your free traffic, there is definitely room for improvement.

Bottom Line?

You can greatly reduce the chances of taking a loss if you know your ROI.

(Need a quick ROI refresher? Just click here!)

2) Determine your Maximum Bid. Very few small businesses have deep pockets. Set aside a certain amount of your operating budget for paid campaigns.

Once you have determined your maximum bid, stick with it. Do not raise your bid to the level of your competitors if you cannot afford to do so. The name of this game is to put money back in your pocket.

Keep in mind that PPC campaigns may not be right for your business, or at least, not at this stage of development. If your research has found plenty of low cost keyword bargains at Yahoo!, you may wish to venture a small experiment of $50, and see if it pays off. However, if your ROI is low (or you do not yet have enough data to determine it), and you do not turn up any bargains in the course of your research, don't bother to experiment. Create more high-quality content for now.

OK, now that you know your advertising efforts will be profitable, let's proceed...

Configure Your Yahoo! Account Settings

You already set up an account with Yahoo! when you pulled data into Monetize It!. Before you go "live" with your listings, there are a few housekeeping details to address. Here's the first one...

Opt-Out of Content Match...

In addition to displaying your listings on their "Sponsored" search network (Yahoo! Search, AltaVista, etc.), Yahoo! automatically opts you into their Content Match service.

Content Match places your listings beside relevant content ("articles, reviews, and other information," according to Yahoo!) on partner sites like ESPN, CNN, and Yahoo!. Yahoo! trumpets this service as a fantastic way to increase your exposure and obtain more clicks for your business. That may be so, but you'll need to rely on Yahoo!'s technology to determine what is or is not relevant to your Title and Description.

You have more control of your search "destiny" if you opt out of this service.

It's easy to opt-out of Content Match. Just log into your account...

https://secure.overture.com/dts

On the right-hand side of the main Account Summary screen, click the "On" link beside Content Match...

On the following page, select the "Off" button for " Content Match Advertising," and click "Submit."

Excellent work! Let's continue by briefly discussing Yahoo!'s two keyword matching protocols, and how they affect you...

1) Standard Match Type -- Yahoo! displays your Ads for exact matches to your keywords as well as ...

• singular/plural variations thereof
• common misspellings
• topics that are highly relevant to your keywords and...
• topics that are highly relevant to your Title and Descriptions.

You cannot opt out of this service.

2) Advanced Match Type -- With this option selected, Yahoo! will expand the matches it delivers for your keywords, based on a "broader range of searches relevant to your keywords, titles and descriptions and/or web content." And here's the most important part...

All new listings are automatically opted into the Advanced Match Type.

We recommend that you opt completely out of this service. Why? Because your listing will indeed bring you more traffic, but it will not be as targeted. Therefore, it will not convert as well.

You might choose to use this service if you are including extremely targeted keywords and using Yahoo!'s Excluded Words function. Be aware, though, that this adds a new level of complexity to this tool, while increasing the chances of off-targeted clicks.

There are two ways to opt out. The best way is on a global basis. Here's how to do it...

On the right-hand side of the main Account Summary screen, click the "On" link beside "Advanced Match Type"...

On the following page, select the "Off" button for " Advanced Match Type," and click "Submit."

If you prefer, you can opt out of Advanced Match Type on a listing by listing basis. To do so... Go to the "Manage Listings" page of your account. Select the listings you want to change. Click the "Match Type Options" button. Make the appropriate changes in the pop-up window. That's it!

If you'd like to learn more about using Yahoo!'s Advanced Match Type for building your campaign, including how to use the Excluded Words feature, please click here for Yahoo!'s FAQ on Sponsored Search.

Building A Campaign

OK, your account is properly set up. Monetize It! has identified a list of keyword opportunities. You know what your maximum bid will be and you've determined your ROI to the best of your ability.

Congratulations! You are ready to start your campaign.

Step 1: Export Your Keywords From Monetize It!

It is critical that you export your keywords in groups that can be associated with a relevant listing. Your best strategy is to separate your keywords according to...

• Topic -- You'll want all "Anguilla Villas" themed keywords to be associated with a Title, Description and referral URL that are relevant to the keyword "Anguilla Villas." After all, you want to display your Ads to the most targeted audience possible. You do not want an "Anguilla Villas" Ad displayed for a keyword search of "Anguilla boat rentals."


• Offerings -- This is especially helpful for sales sites. You might want to separate keywords promoting your blood sugar monitors from keywords promoting your blood pressure monitors.


• Anything else you think is relevant.

The good news is that you do not need to worry about sorting your themed keywords by cost. Unlike Google, Yahoo! lets you set your bid for each keyword individually.

Yahoo! maintains a Click Index Score. Basically this scoring system assesses the performance of your listing (by analyzing its CTR, Click Through Rate) in comparison to your competitors. According to Yahoo!... "Listings that significantly underperform will be removed from the search results, but may be allowed back online if changes are made to improve performance." The Click Index Score simply reinforces the importance of creating relevant listings and associating them with targeted keywords.

The best way to learn is by example, so let's start with a typical one...

Let's say that you have determined your maximum bid and ROI. As you sort through your keywords, according to the PPC-Buying Help, several distinct themes become evident...

• Anguilla villas and rentals
• Anguilla boat rentals
• Anguilla real estate
• Anguilla travel
• And so on.

Since each set of keywords should be associated with its own distinct listing (i.e., Title and Description,) your first step is to select all of the keywords related to one of these themes (let's say "Anguilla Villas") and export them (checking "Export Keywords only") in a CSV file onto your desktop. It is entirely possible to export all of your keywords from Monetize It! in one homogeneous group. You can create individual listings for each and every keyword you enter into Yahoo! as you import them.

However, this is a very time-consuming process, and it won't allow you to use several of the great time-leveraging features Yahoo! offers to expedite the listing process. Unless you have very few keywords (under a dozen), your best bet is to separate by theme or product as discussed above.

Step 2: Add New Listings To Your Yahoo! Account

In a new browser window, login to your Sponsored Search account...

https://secure.overture.com/dts

From the menu bar, select "Manage Sponsored Search"...

Then on the following page, click "Add Listings"...

Now, create a new category for your listings. In other words, give these listings a distinct name that will enable you to easily recognize this campaign for what it is...

Next, copy and paste the list of exported keywords from MI! into the text field on this page, and click "Continue"...

If double-clicking your CSV file automatically opens MS Excel and/or the keywords in your file are not wrapped in quotes, you may need to open your Word Processor (i.e., MS Word, WordPad, BBEdit, etc.) and then open the CSV file from there. Another option, for Windows-users, is to right-click on the file and choose "Open with..." and then "Choose Program." When you select your Word Processor, be sure to check the "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" checkbox. Then, you'll be able to double-click these files in the future. For Mac OS X, click on the file, then choose "Get Info" from the menu or use Command-I. Click on the small triangle to the left of "Open With." Select the program to use to open the file. Click on the "Change All" button. Then you'll be able to double-click these files in the future.

Step 3: Create Your Title(s) and Description(s)

Create the Title and Description you wish to have associated with each keyword, as well as entering the applicable referral URL. Here Yahoo! offers you excellent flexibility for maximum CTR, as well as tools for expediting the entire process. To begin, create the first listing for your group of 6 keywords...

Don't be afraid to review Yahoo!'s help files for each element of the listing. Just click on the relevant links...

In general, always ensure...

• Your Title contains your keyword.


• Your Description contains your most important keyword for this campaign (especially if you are only creating one Description for all of your keywords -- more on this later).


• Your Description provides your #1 benefit. Think IMPACT. When you create an Ad, it's all about the headline and body copy. Don't be trite, boring, typical. People will scan quickly past these Ads. Create an Ad that stands out... really stands out. Push it to be better, brighter, sharper.

Pay special attention to the URL field...

Double check that this link sends your visitor to your most relevant content page for this keyword. Do not send visitors to your home page, thinking that they will find this page on their own, or that your site's breath and diversity impress them. This action will only frustrate people, and lead to wasted clicks for you.

It's also a very good idea to replace this URL with a tracking URL. You can use SBI!'s own Tracker Library to set up unique tracking links for each campaign, or even each listing if you like. Yahoo! also offers several tracking options which you may wish to investigate. You can learn about Yahoo!'s various tracking options here... https://secure.overture.com/help/acctSetup.do#4 You must be logged into Yahoo! Search Marketing for this link to work.

Once you have created your first listing, look closely at the options directly below the "Enter URL" field...

You could create a new listing for each and every "Anguilla Villa" keyword that you import, but it's really not necessary. A single description and referral URL will work fine for each imported keyword. Click "Copy Description Down to All" and "Copy URL Down to All." This will populate these fields down to all listings.

Do not click the "Copy Title Down to All" link. Why? Because your listings will obtain a higher CTR if the specific keyword is included in the Title. Create a new Title for each listing, ensuring each contains its specific keyword.

If you have dozens or even hundreds of keywords in a campaign, you may decide it is worth the slightly reduced CTR to avoid the aggravation of having to enter a new title for every listing. In this case, the "Copy Title Down to All" link might just become your new best friend. Of course, if it's appropriate, you can always use a single listing for all the imported keywords in this group. Just scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the button labeled...

Once you are finished creating the listings for these imported keywords, click "Continue."

Step 4: Bid On Your Terms

This step is pretty straight forward. Set your bids as determined by MI!, your ROI, and whatever other factors you deem important. Ready to go? Type in your maximum bids into the field labeled "Your Max Bid(s)"...

Then click "Update Bids."

Please note...If some time has lapsed between the creation of your account and the sorting of the data in Monetize It!, you may want to double check your bids by using the Bid Tool.

Remember that you will only pay a penny over your competitor's maximum bid, so don't hesitate to bid exactly what your ROI allows. In the screen shot below, notice how a bid of $0.20 holds the third position for "Anguilla Tourism." However, the Cost Per Click (CPC) is only $0.16 -- exactly one penny more than the closest competitor (check the "Top 5 Max Bids", and then "Your Cost"). This shot also does a nice job of illustrating the importance of strategic bidding, and searching out the "bid gap." A 1st position can be had for $0.30, or 3rd is available for $0.16. It's a no-brainer! Note also that if your maximum bid puts you in one of the top 5 positions for that keyword, your position will be highlighted in bold. Yahoo! Search Marketing "advise" you to bid in the Top 2 or 3 since so many of their major partners "cherry-pick" these and report them in their search results (ex., Yahoo!, AltaVista, etc.). But these are much more expensive, in general. And these top spots may generate lower Conversion Rates since they often more clearly marked as Ads. For this very reason, unless you have a very high-profit product or service, go for the less expensive top 5-10 positions.

Step 5: Hurry Up and Wait!

Unlike Google, which allows listings to go live almost immediately after creation, all new listings remain in search limbo until they have been reviewed by a Yahoo! editor. This process usually takes one to two business days. If you're feeling a little anxious, you can log into your account, and check on the status of any pending keywords. Simply click "Manage Sponsored Search"...

And then, "Editorial Status"...

This page will show you the status (i.e., declined, pending, or removed) of all your listings. It's a good idea to visit this section every now and then to get a feel for what does not pass muster with the Yahoo! editors.

Once your listings have been approved, they go live. And the traffic drive begins in earnest!

Step 6: Set Your Budget

At this point, it's not a bad idea to set up Yahoo!'s budget option to ensure spending stays under control -- at least until you know what sort of volume you can expect on a daily basis. From the main Account page, select the "Edit" link for Budget from the Account Status table on the right hand side...

Follow the instructions on the next page to set your "approximate" daily budget (Yahoo! can never be 100% certain how many searches your keywords will receive on a given day). You also need to include a credit card number so that your account can be topped up when your budget gets low.

Step 7: Manage and Review Your Listings/Add New Listings

Congratulations!

You have successfully set up a new Yahoo! campaign, and can look forward to an influx of new visitors shortly!

Now that your listing is ready to go, what do you do next? Good question. You can...

1) Add new listings to an existing category. Whenever you discover another bunch of profitable "Anguilla Villa" themed keywords, return to your account and add them to this campaign. Here's how...

• Login to your account.
• Click "Manage Sponsored Search."
• Click "Add Listings."
• Use the drop-down menu to select the category you wish to add the new keywords to...
  
  


• Complete the rest of the process as outlined above.

2) Create new campaigns for different keywords (i.e., "Anguilla Boat Rentals"). Simply repeat the process, starting with Step #1 above.

3) Manage and maintain current campaigns and listings. You will need to login to your account periodically to check its status, keyword performance, bid status and so on. It's easy to do...

• Log into your account.
• Click "Manage Sponsored Search."
• Either select the category that contains the listings you wish to manage from this page, or use the "Manage Bids" or "Manage Listings" options...
  
  

Just follow the instructions from there!

Monetize It!/Yahoo! Strategies For traditional PPC campaigns, you sort and export your keywords according to theme or topic. And then you set individual bid amounts according to the data mined by MI!. If you are looking to "buy low-sell high," you may be able to fast forward the listing process. For instance... It's unlikely that you will find more than a few handfuls of keywords that indicate a large disparity in pricing between Yahoo! and Google. Instead of splitting these by theme or topic (which may lead to many small groups of keywords, even individual keywords on their own), you may opt to export all these keywords at once. So... Create a new listing category (ex., "buy-low-sell-high"), and import all these keywords into Yahoo!. Create individual Titles, Descriptions, and URLs for each one. Now all "buy-low-sell-high" keywords will be associated with this one category, but each will have its own relevant listing and referral URL. Perfect! As usual, the best way to become proficient with Yahoo!'s Sponsored Search is to spend a little time experimenting with the tool. After you've set up your first campaign as documented here, experiment with slight variations. Monitor your results. That's how you will find the best "ping for your pennies."