Article printed from SiteProNews: http://www.sitepronews.com
  HTML version available at: http://www.sitepronews.com/archives.html

Overture: So Much More Than Pay Per Click
By Merle MCPromotionsPress.com (http://MCPromotionsPress.com)

Overture is known for being the Leader in "Pay-Per-Click" (PPC). 
Owned by Yahoo, Overture advertisers can reach over 80% of 
Internet users. If you take a closer look and pop the hood, 
you'll find a whole suite of useful tools for Marketers.

1) Precision Match: This is where Overture began, back when it 
was known as GoTo.com. Precision Match is the original "bid for 
keyword" search engine, and it's still a core utility for 
Overture users. You select your keywords/phrases and the amount
you want to pay-per-click and you are only charged that amount 
when someone clicks through to your website.

Overture has relationships with Yahoo, MSN, Altavista, Infospace 
and others. By bidding into the top three positions, you'll also 
enjoy exposure on those top search engines as well under what's 
called "Sponsored Listings." For more, see...
http://www.content.overture.com/d/USm/ays/index.jhtml

2) Content Match: Unlike "Precision Match," where your listings 
appear on search results pages, "Content Match" displays your 
listings alongside articles, product reviews, etc. Currently 
these listings appear on many of Yahoo's content areas (including 
Entertainment, Finance & Shopping), MSN content areas (including
Money & Tech & Gadgets), and other online destinations.

Your listing will only appear on Content Pages that are relevant 
to your service or product. For example, if you sell fishing 
gear, your listing might appear on a web page that contains 
articles or other information on how to be a better angler. 

You can set your bids for Content Match separately from those on 
Precision Match, giving you the opportunity to track results to 
see which type is converting best for you.

If you use "Precision Match," Content Match can be turned on or 
off from within the control panel. For more on this, see...
http://www.content.overture.com/d/USm/ays/ays_cm.jhtml

3) Local Match: If you want to target customers in a certain 
geographic area then you'll want to take a look at "Local 
Match." This would be perfect for Mom and Pop operators or 
those who sell products and services to a local crowd only. 
There is no monthly minimum, with the minimum bid of only 10 
cents per click. This service can be used by those who don't 
have a website, since Overture sets up a landing page for 
users of this service. Called a "Locator Page," it displays 
a map, store hours and a link to your site (if you have one). 
Local Match listings appear on CitySearch, AltaVista, Yahoo,
AllTheWeb and more. For more on Local Search, see
http://www.content.overture.com/d/USm/ays/lm.jhtml

4) Marketing Console: Helps you to measure all of your online 
marketing campaigns so you know where you're getting the best 
return for your money. Track your Pay-Per-Click Bids, email ads, 
banner ads, affiliate program and more. This site will also tell
you how well your website is converting leads to actual sales. 
To use this service, you'll need to paste some JavaScript code 
onto your pages. 

Depending on the package chosen, pricing starts at $149.00 a 
month and goes up from there. For more on Marketing Console, 
see: http://www.content.overture.com/d/USm/ays/mc.jhtml

5) Site Match: This is a component of Yahoo's Search Content 
Acquisition Program. By submitting to "Site Match," you'll 
ensure your pages are reviewed and included in Yahoo, AltaVista, 
AllTheWeb, and others. Your site will not be shown under 
"sponsored listings," but appear in the main body of the search 
results pages. You must pay an annual fee for inclusion, which 
is $49.00 for the first URL and a cost-per-click for each 
click-thru of $.15 to $.30 depending on the category chosen. 
See this page for more: 
http://www.content.overture.com/d/USm/ays/sm.jhtml

6) Conversion Counter: Free tool that tracks the number of 
conversions that are generated from your keywords listings at 
Overture. A conversion happens when someone enters your site 
and performs an action, such as buying something or signing up
for your ezine or free report. 

To use "Conversion Counter," you'll need to sign up for it in 
Overture's Control Panel, then copy some HTML code onto one page 
of your site (generally the sales confirmation page).

7) Merchant Solutions: Since Yahoo owns Overture, you'll also 
find a variety of tools for small business owners, such as:

A) Shopping Carts
B) Web Hosting and Email Accounts
C) Domain Name Registrations

For more details, see:
http://www.content.overture.com/d/USm/ays/yms.jhtml

As you can see, Overture has come a long way from just offering 
a "one size fits all" Pay-Per-Click Solution. By utilizing their 
variety of tools, you'll increase your website exposure and 
spend your marketing dollars more wisely.

================================================================
Merle operates http://www.EzineAdAuction.com "Where some of the 
BEST Deals in Ezine Advertising are Made". Buy & Sell Ezine Ads 
in a live auction setting! Publishers sell off your excess 
inventory and Buyers pick up some Fantastic bargains. Free 
E-book on how to write "glowing" ezine ads.....Download Now at
http://www.ezineadauction.com/ebooks/greatezineads.pdf 
================================================================

Copyright © 2004 Jayde Online, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

SiteProNews is a registered service mark of Jayde Online, Inc.