Google habits

[Mark Wild]

I'm interested to know, if you're searching for a service you require, do you go past page one? If how many pages into the listings would you normally go? Do you click sponsored listings or stick to natural listings or both?

Personally I rarely get past page 1 and will click sponsored lisitings when searching for a service. I'm using google as the example as its what I use, so if you use a different search engine same questions apply.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I'm interested to know, if you're searching for a service you require, do you go past page one? If how many pages into the listings would you normally go? Do you click sponsored listings or stick to natural listings or both?

Personally I rarely get past page 1 and will click sponsored lisitings when searching for a service. I'm using google as the example as its what I use, so if you use a different search engine same questions apply.

I only use google and have done for some time.

Never past half way down page 1 and never on sponsored listings for some reason.

[Mark Wild]

Never past half way down page 1 and never on sponsored listings for some reason.

What reason Neil, do you know?

[DeckstarDeluxe]

No and I've never thought about it til you asked.

I guess its also whats written by the. Rather go for organic results as I think its more likely to have what I'm looking for?

[DJWilson]

Usually stick to page 1 of results and never click sponsored links.

[Vectis]

Doing what I do I'm prepared to delve down a few pages but usually no more than 4 or 5 unless I'm looking for specialist products or information. I'm more likely to get clever with boolean operators etc. in the search string than plough through dozens of pages.

I won't say I never click on sponsored ads, but it's very rare as in the past they've tended to be less useful than organic listings as a general rule.

[rob1963]

I use Google, and don't often get past the first page of results.

I rarely click on sponsored ads.

[Mark Wild]

Strange how people avoid sponsored listings and they're not sure why.

[Pe7e]

It all depends on what I'm looking for, but I usually don't go past P3 or 4, I change my search phrase first. I usually click on the generic results first, but I do click on the sponsored results if they look promising.

[soundtracker]

Strange how people avoid sponsored listings and they're not sure why.

I do as well, but I have a reason. Nine times out of ten, its someone that is absolutely miles away just fishing away from home and secondly, very often there not actually fully related to the search that you made

[Mark Wild]

I do as well, but I have a reason. Nine times out of ten, its someone that is absolutely miles away just fishing away from home and secondly, very often there not actually fully related to the search that you made

Adword campaigns allow you to choose your search related keywords and also a targeted geographical area, I doubt 9 out of 10 people have this set up incorrectly. Very costly errors to make, unless of course concerning geography, they offer their services nationally.

[soundtracker]

Adword campaigns allow you to choose your search related keywords and also a targeted geographical area, I doubt 9 out of 10 people have this set up incorrectly. Very costly errors to make, unless of course concerning geography, they offer their services nationally.

Which is the problem, if I need a plumber urgently locally, adwords gives me 15 people that aren't local - p.i.t.a

If I search Hereford Disco it gives me, one from Aylesbury and one from Runcorn

[Megamix]

Over the years I've developed a habit of being quite specific in my search habits and can look for loads of pages until I see what most accurately meets my criteria.

Of course it depends on what you're looking for.

I always look to see how up to date a web site is - also if it looks ancient, stale, dull, too flash orientated, gaudy I move on - isn't the average about 4 seconds on deciding if it meets your needs?

[Mark Wild]

Which is the problem, if I need a plumber urgently locally, adwords gives me 15 people that aren't local - p.i.t.a

If I search Hereford Disco it gives me, one from Aylesbury and one from Runcorn

They may not be locally based but cover those specific areas though, a national plumbing services company may have a head office in Cornwall, but one of the guys on there books lives in Glasgow.

Same with the discos, those specific guys may cover that area. (If they're controlling their campaign properly anyway.)

[soundtracker]

They may not be locally based but cover those specific areas though, a national plumbing services company may have a head office in Cornwall, but one of the guys on there books lives in Glasgow.

Same with the discos, those specific guys may cover that area. (If they're controlling their campaign properly anyway.)

Hang on - you asked why I didn't use these people - coz I want to give my business to a local firm, not some faceless National.

As for the Discos - they make no mention on their websites of covering Hereford!

[Mark Wild]

Hang on - you asked why I didn't use these people - coz I want to give my business to a local firm, not some faceless National.

As for the Discos - they make no mention on their websites of covering Hereford!

Indeed I did, I just failed to get your point, being you don't like using national companies, now I get your point and you can finish your chamomile tea in peace :)

[soundtracker]

Indeed I did, I just failed to get your point, being you don't like using national companies, now I get your point and you can finish your chamomile tea in peace :)

Come on wake up at the back!:)


I've had a look at the Aylesbury DJs site, on it he says
"Intelligent DJs" and further down from £30 an hour, so a 4 hour gig in Hereford would be £120! Good money for a 240 mile round trip! Doesn't appear too intelligent to me!

[yourdj]

i have my google set to 100 results so i have loads of results on one page.

I wonder how many other people do that?

I was checking DJ hampshire the other day - one which im quite high on and on my google another bloke was up top, but on my mates google he was 37 or something so it definitely specializes it per IP or something. I had a heart attack for one moment :)

[Megamix]

i have my google set to 100 results so i have loads of results on one page.

Or use Chrome's AutoPager - AutoPager is a Chrome extension which automatically loads the next page of a site inline when you reach the end of the current page for infinite scrolling of content. - I guess Firefox have a similar add-on/extension thingy

[Jiggles]

Just look at the natural listings. 9/10 the Sponsored listings are just useless!

[Mark Wild]

Just look at the natural listings. 9/10 the Sponsored listings are just useless!

Why?

[Jiggles]

Why?

They are normally irrelevant to what Im looking for. Like i'm looking for a specific electrical component and it comes up with sites that don't even sell electronic items!

[Vectis]

I was checking DJ hampshire the other day - one which im quite high on and on my google another bloke was up top, but on my mates google he was 37 or something so it definitely specializes it per IP or something. I had a heart attack for one moment :)

Google is location aware and will present results accordingly.

Well, location aware according to your ISP :muppet:

I'm with talktalk (well it's that or BT) and everytime I reboot my router I'm in a different part of the country. Today's not too bad - I'm in Southampton. But I have been known recently to be in Dundee, Belfast and even Truro :daft:

[yourdj]

Google is location aware and will present results accordingly.

Well, location aware according to your ISP :muppet:

I'm with talktalk (well it's that or BT) and everytime I reboot my router I'm in a different part of the country. Today's not too bad - I'm in Southampton. But I have been known recently to be in Dundee, Belfast and even Truro :daft:

But this guy was in the middle of Southampton - I was in Hythe?

[Vectis]

But this guy was in the middle of Southampton - I was in Hythe?

OK, and where were your ISPs dropping you out onto the 'net?

I'd guess one of you was local and the other not so.

[James]

I think the statistic for this is that 80% of google users never get past page one

Not sure about the adwords stats

[Mark Wild]

My main keywords are "wedding dj glasgow" with which I show 1st page. I have on purpose since making page one for these keywords stopped my adwords campaign to compare the response between the two. Now I'm not sure if it's just gone quiet, but relying on natural listings only, enquiries have been flat as a trump in comparison to using sponsored listings. Which somewhat goes against the general concensus of this thread so far with the "I never click sponsored listings" replies, I'm baffled tbh.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Maybe the description next to your organic result isnt as customer friendly as your adwords was?

Has your vistor rate dropped or is it just less enquires?

[Mark Wild]

Maybe the description next to your organic result isnt as customer friendly as your adwords was?

Has your vistor rate dropped or is it just less enquires?

That may well be a good point :)

[Vectis]

I'm baffled tbh.

I'm not.

You come onto an online forum populated by (generally, with the odd exception Peter) folks with an above-average awareness of all things interweb and ask a specific question about behaviour.

The answers won't be representative of your typical punter.

Try asking the question in mong speak on bebo and you might get different answers.

Folks DO click on sponsored listings otherwise the big G wouldn't have posted record multi-billion profits again last quarter ;) They DO fall for the same old advertising spiel over and over again otherwise DFS would've closed down years ago.

[Marc J]

...otherwise DFS would've closed down years ago.

Is there a sale on? :D

[CRAZY K]

I do as well, but I have a reason. Nine times out of ten, its someone that is absolutely miles away just fishing away from home and secondly, very often there not actually fully related to the search that you made

Spot on there;)

Theres a lot of irrelevant ads isnt there?

As it happens I look at sponsors but often find the main entries have more initial information, the other fact would be do the first 6 entries cover what you are looking for--quite often they dont so you end up going to page2, by the end of page 2 the mechanism that identifies your search phrase loses the plot and everything else is pretty worthless.

This must make really depressing reading for people paying out on ad words.

I know Tony (A1) uses it, but not sure if hes looking presently, im sure his feedback would be invaluable.;)

I see plenty of my competitors doing this all the time--they are either

a. desperate

b successful

Hard to tell on that one.

Personally we never use ad words but have our own unique technique of beating them.

:D :D :D

[CRAZY K]

My main keywords are "wedding dj glasgow" with which I show 1st page. I have on purpose since making page one for these keywords stopped my adwords campaign to compare the response between the two. Now I'm not sure if it's just gone quiet, but relying on natural listings only, enquiries have been flat as a trump in comparison to using sponsored listings. Which somewhat goes against the general concensus of this thread so far with the "I never click sponsored listings" replies, I'm baffled tbh.

Its gone very quiet here Mark.

Summers over, inital September rush is finished, bad weather is here and Xmas is a long way off--apart from Birthdays not a lot going on;)

[Mark Wild]

Spot on there;)

Theres a lot of irrelevant ads isnt there?

As it happens I look at sponsors but often find the main entries have more initial information, the other fact would be do the first 6 entries cover what you are looking for--quite often they dont so you end up going to page2, by the end of page 2 the mechanism that identifies your search phrase loses the plot and everything else is pretty worthless.

This must make really depressing reading for people paying out on ad words.

I know Tony (A1) uses it, but not sure if hes looking presently, im sure his feedback would be invaluable.;)

I see plenty of my competitors doing this all the time--they are either

a. desperate

b successful

Hard to tell on that one.

Personally we never use ad words but have our own unique technique of beating them.

:D :D :D

I'm usually around £100 pm on adwords with a VERY good ROI, it works really well for me as my conversion rate enquiries to closed deal is above average.


Its gone very quiet here Mark.

Summers over, inital September rush is finished, bad weather is here and Xmas is a long way off--apart from Birthdays not a lot going on;)

Good to know Mr. K, well not good, but you know what I mean :)

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I'm usually around £100 pm on adwords with a VERY good ROI, it works really well for me as my conversion rate enquiries to closed deal is above average.


What's the avereage number of enquiries you get for your spend?