Pay-per-click (PPC) search engines, also known as pay-for-rank search engines, were initially dismissed by many internet experts when they were first introduced by Goto.com. The skepticism was understandable, as most popular search engines at the time allowed websites to be listed for free. However, the internet landscape has since evolved significantly, and many of these search engines are now struggling to stay afloat financially. This article explores the benefits of PPC search engines and how they can be used to generate affordable, targeted traffic.
Goto.com introduced a simple yet revolutionary concept: you pay to be listed. While this may seem unappealing at first, many webmasters have found that this model offers them more control over their listings than ever before.
To get listed on Goto.com, you need to create an account, deposit a minimum of $25, and create your listings. These listings include titles, descriptions, your website address, keywords, and most importantly, a bid amount. This bid amount is the sum that will be deducted from your account every time a user clicks on your listing.
The bid amount is typically determined by what other webmasters are bidding for the chosen keyword(s). For instance, if the top bid for 'health' is $0.90, you would need to bid $0.91 to secure the top spot for that keyword. Alternatively, you could bid $0.89 and be listed in second place, which is still highly effective.
The success of Goto.com has made it challenging for webmasters with a small advertising budget to compete. Popular keywords on Goto.com can cost as much as $3 or $4 for the top spot. However, newer PPC search engines like Kanoodle and FindWhat offer less traffic but at a more affordable cost, making top listings more accessible to many webmasters.
New regional PPC search engines are emerging, offering international entrepreneurs access to markets that were previously difficult to reach. The United Kingdom, with its large base of online users, currently offers the most choices, with some regional engines even listing national and international sites.
For businesses with a large advertising budget, Goto.com may be the only search engine you need to be listed on. However, if your budget is more modest, the widely accepted solution is to list on as many PPC search engines as possible and place low bids for as many keywords as possible.
All top PPC search engines provide dedicated web interfaces that allow clients to control their listings easily. These interfaces are available 24/7, enabling fast updates to titles, descriptions, and bid amounts, as well as allowing clients to add new sites as desired.
In the search engine world, the proliferation of spammers has forced major search engines to implement strict listing policies, often at the expense of legitimate websites seeking a decent search engine ranking. PPC search engines are helping to level the playing field, as most spammers will not pay for a listing. As a result, PPC search engines are populated by legitimate businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to advertise to their desired markets.
With a PPC search engine, there is no longer any need to compete with spammers and homepages for top rankings. You choose your title, description, and ranking. This simple philosophy, prevalent in the offline business world, is now available to online businesses as well.
For more information, visit Goto.com, Kanoodle, FindWhat, UKSprite, or PayPerClickSearchEngines.
