According to new research from NetElixir Inc, , the average volume of paid search clicks, during the first quarter of 2009, was down 9% compared with Q1 2008. At the same time, the average cost per
click was down 7% year over year.
The average click-through rate, though, was up 7.5% in the first quarter of 2009 versus Q1 2008, and the average search ad conversion rate was up 5%, says the
report.
Udayan Bose, founder and CEO of NetElixir, says "... Q2 this year will be slower than Q1 for search advertising... (though) the continuing pessimism about the economy
is the main culprit, historically, Q2 tends to be slower than Q1, ... 12% in 2008."
The study followed online retailer clients in pet supplies, consumer electronics, flowers and gifts,
housewares, and food and drug, analyzing the performance of each category on a weekly basis in Q1 2009 and compared the data with that for the same period last year.
The summary concludes with
three suggestions for search planning:
- First, anticipate: analyze keyword search data for the second quarters of 2008, 2007 and 2006, since Q1 2009 exhibited similar trends as
in past years
- Second, test: Tactical sales promotions are playing an increasing role in today's economy
- Third, monitor competitors "These days... everyone who
does search advertising needs to justify each dollar they spend," Bose says
Please visit NetElixr here for
more information.