PPC Management Software
A busy week this week at work is currently not looking like it will improve much, and primarily that is because I can't find a piece of software that can do what I want it to (and doesn't cost a fortune). Our contract with our previous PPC software supplier is about to expire and, because of their abysmal service and support, will not be renewed. So I am shortly to find myself without software to manage our PPC, and far too many keywords to do so manually.
So I need to find something to help manage our PPC campaigns at work. While I can live with simple maintenance functionality, a degree of automated bid adjustment wouldn't be a bad thing if at all possible. Can you help?
While working with our previous supplier, I have developed an internal PPC management system that allows us to set up keywords and adverts for products through our own CMS. This system regularly builds a text file with all of our PPC data in and sends it via FTP to said company. I would like to work with a company (or piece of software) where this system would not go to waste, if at all possible.
So what is your software of choice? All reccommendations very much appreciated!
A busy week this week at work is currently not looking like it will improve much, and primarily that is because I can't find a piece of software that can do what I want it to (and doesn't cost a fortune). Our contract with our previous PPC software supplier is about to expire and, because of their abysmal service and support, will not be renewed. So I am shortly to find myself without software to manage our PPC, and far too many keywords to do so manually.
So I need to find something to help manage our PPC campaigns at work. While I can live with simple maintenance functionality, a degree of automated bid adjustment wouldn't be a bad thing if at all possible. Can you help?
While working with our previous supplier, I have developed an internal PPC management system that allows us to set up keywords and adverts for products through our own CMS. This system regularly builds a text file with all of our PPC data in and sends it via FTP to said company. I would like to work with a company (or piece of software) where this system would not go to waste, if at all possible.
So what is your software of choice? All reccommendations very much appreciated!
14 Comments
I have worked for several companies that have had solutions for that, from Atlas to an Ad Agency that had an internal program. While management of the keywords is tough, and having that many is definitely a task, auto bidding is rough for several reasons.
1. Cost
It's simply just too tough to keep the costs down. With Google charging these companies to access the API on a weighted system, the 3rd party passes the cost off to you the consumer, loads of fun there!
The other part is for an internal company to work with APIs and stay up to date, it takes a Full Time Employee doing just that, it's crazy all the changes they do and number of versions out there.
2. Reliability
Even if you get a system up and running that submits bids automagically to the engines, they don't guarantee immediate changes, while most will change quickly, there are still times and situations where the changes may not take and thus you could blow a very large wad of cash on a system that you thought was doing the work for you.
3. It's not you
Ultimately, you are the person that wants to see it succeed or not. 3rd party software doesn't care, there may be a rule that brings a keyword down that you really must have up and running for branding and what not, if you don't tell it so, you will still come down. Letting a system make changes for you without knowing who you are and what you do, it just doesn't work as nicely as some of these systems say they do.
Ultimately, from the years I have worked in PPCSE and the work I have done in the backend on these things, I think that while reporting is nice from a 3rd party, the management of the keywords still has to fall in the lap of skilled people.
One thing I have seen way more effective is that of cutting down your total number of keywords to a list that is effective and balancing out your overall approach of online marketing, from PPCSE and SEO. Using both helps to balance your budget as well.
Just my two cents...
#1, Thomas, Unknown, 1 August 2007. Reply to this.
Thomas, thanks for the thorough reply!
Cost is not necessarily a major problem - we are happy to pay for API calls as needed and don't expect that to be free. The main issue is (as you rightly spot) that we don't really have the time to keep up with the changes to the APIs ourselves and so having a company manage that is the logical next step.
Reliability is actually one of the main reasons we are looking for a new company to work with - currently none of our changes are making it to the engines (due to a problem with the software itself which has still not been resolved after over 3 months), which is a fairly serious problem!
I'm naturally cautious of rules, so would be looking to keep any automated changes on a very tight leash. I'm more concerned with actually getting the keywords and bids we assign to our products and product categories (with our homegrown CMS) to the search engines without needing to spend a lot of my time keeping up with APIs.
A simple system that can take a CSV (or similar text file) sent over FTP and make the relevant API calls to add, pause and delete campaigns, ad groups, ads and keywords as required is all I'm after.
If nothing's out there already, I may need to build something myself (as an extra-curricular project) but I'd rather avoid repeating work if such a tool already exists!
#2, Dave Child, United Kingdom, 2 August 2007. Reply to this.
Good luck out there!
Overall the biggest part I think a lot of companies are trying to focus on is the reporting aspect. As we know, without a solid understanding of what the keywords are doing and how they are performing, then changes to pricing and bidding is like driving down the highway your eyes closed! ; x-)
Because of that I see a lot of solutions with great reporting and not enough focused on bid changes, it's just something a lot of people don't want to invest the resources in, though almost all of the big four engines will say "API API API!"
If you figure out an easy way to do it, I'm all ears, but that seems to be the holy grail of PPC that just gets harder and harder to figure out.
#3, Thomas, Unknown, 2 August 2007. Reply to this.
cam i try it somewhere, is that possible, i am dong ppc campaigns for several companies, let me know if you would like to cooperate in some way , good job Dave
#4, seo la, Unknown, 9 September 2007. Reply to this.
This seems to have good info:
http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?threadid=16011
And some vendors in a list ( not by importance)
1. AdWords Dominator
2. Atlas Search (formerly OnePoint and GO TOAST)
3. BidBuddy (The Search Works, UK)
4. BidRank
5. BidHero (ClickTracks)
6. Did-It Maestro
7. Dynamic BidMaximizer (ApexPacific)
8. Inceptor BidCenter
9. KeywordMax Bid Director
10. KeywordROI
11. MakeMeTop
12. Omniture SearchCenter
13. PPCBidTracker (SearchMarketingTools)
14. PPC Pro (PPC Management)
15. Searchignite
16. WebSideStory Bid
#5, gugo, Germany, 26 October 2007. Reply to this.
I have long been a fan of your cheatsheets - thanks for making them!
My company, Adapt Technologies, makes a product called Adapt SEM. It will definitely help you, and we have flat pricing with no term commitments and fantastic support. We have several customers in the UK if that is a consideration.
#6, Erick Herring, United States, 22 November 2007. Reply to this.
Dave, informative thread. I signed up with Adapt over Atlas recently and am happy with what they offer.
Whatever you invest in, select a product you will actually use, figure out what bells and whistles you really need, and think about the learning curve and support. Otherwise, the servant may become the master...
#7, Erik Cocks (no relation to Erick!), United States, 21 December 2007. Reply to this.
Hey Dave, I suggest doing some research to find out what's really needed for your use and go with that. Many people have there opinions, but they may not work for what you need.
#8, Bill McIntosh, United States, 8 May 2008. Reply to this.
I haven't found any software that looks appealing enough to buy. Let us know what solution you end up with. Thank you.
#9, Dave Brown, Portland, Oregon, 21 July 2008. Reply to this.
i would also like to add on a new google bid management software, firstly launched by Isotree, it is really worth appreciated, which Optimal Ad technology.
#10, isotree, Australia, 22 August 2008. Reply to this.
We've had just finished a little research about the optimal Ad position to be in to maximise profit from your PPC campaigns.
Let me know what you think
http://connect.icrossing.co.uk/paid-search-higher_902
#11, Adam Boulton, United Kingdom, 27 October 2008. Reply to this.
That?s great, I never thought aboutPPC Management Software like that before.
#12, David Ascot, Unknown, 5 December 2008. Reply to this.
We all suggest doing some research to find out for your use and go with that. Many people have there opinions, but they may not work for what you need.
#13, ricky, China, 9 November 2009. Reply to this.
Have you found a solution? I've tested many solutions, SearchRev, Acquisio, Click Equations, Clickable, Efficient Frontier, Marin. They all have pluses and minuses. You're spot on, the tools that excel in reporting suck at bid mgmt. And vice versa. And some of these tools do neither one of these tasks all that well.
My suggestion if you want to compare tools, ask them each to give you access to a demo account for a campaign that has a brand name. If the bids on the branded term are $15/click or something ridiculous, avoid like the plague. Yes, a branded terms is going to drive a ton of conversions and have high ROAS and have a naturally high quality score. Thus, it's not necessary to bid high. Rules based algorithms don't understand this.
Thanks, TJ
http://www.ppcmaze.com/
#14, TJ Wilkinson, United States, 21 November 2009. Reply to this.