Live.com : Could Related Searches Cause Lower CTR?
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Written By Kate Zimmermann | September 15, 2006 | Share This
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Earlier this week, we discussed the launch of Windows Live Search. We’ve since noticed a couple of significant changes - most notably, to the sidebar where MSN’s ads show up.
As part of the relaunch, MSN has started displaying “Related Searches” links on the upper right hand side of the page. These links act […]
Earlier this week, we discussed the launch of Windows Live Search. We’ve since noticed a couple of significant changes - most notably, to the sidebar where MSN’s ads show up.
As part of the relaunch, MSN has started displaying “Related Searches” links on the upper right hand side of the page. These links act as a navigation aid for the user, suggesting similar queries that they could use to refine their search. See picture 1 below:
While the “Related Searches” are undoubtedly a useful tool for users, we’re more concerned about the impact they could have on our AdCenter campaigns. Let’s look at the before and after pics below to see what I mean:
BEFORE:
AFTER:
The new functionality slides MSN’s paid search ads down - in some instances, the ads actually end up below the fold. By moving the ads out of this key real estate, it’s possible that click through rates will decline.
We had expected traffic to be fairly volatile during the transition from MSN search to Live search, so it’s hard to base any conclusions on the data we’ve collected thus far. And we don’t see this as a negative change at all - MSN’s related search results are usually very helpful, and they’re certainly a good thing for users. Regardless, marketers should definitely be aware of the change and keep an eye on the performance of their AdCenter campaigns.
We’ll follow up once we’ve collected a bit more data…
Topics: Advertising: Online, Microsoft, SEM: Bid Management, SEM: Paid Search, Search: News |