What percentage of searchers use paid for listings

Hi,

My client just asked me about Google Adwords and how it could benefit her. My view has always been that you cant really lose with them because you only pay if you someone actually clicks through to your site which is the desired action. However, I have also been led to believe that the increasing savvyness of searchers means that they have become more clued up on the difference between paid for links and organic links and as such the sucess and overall click through rates of paid for links is decreasing.

Does anyone have any stats for the performance of these paid for links? i.e. what percentage select paid-for links verses organic links?

Thanks very much

Tania

About a year ago eyetools did a study on how users looked at Google's search results.

http://www.eyetools.com/inpage/research_google_eyetracking_heatmap.htm

Doesn't answer your question exactly, but gives you a good starting point as it shows people are recognizing the ads.

They are also selling a report which includes the above as well as a more details on how people react with natural and paid listings.

http://www.enquiro.com/eyetrackingreport.asp

SEW did a review of the report:

http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/3517551

I haven't seen the full paid report, but I know first one really was helpful when trying to show that the paid listings were necessary.

Hope that helps

Thats great, thanks, Ill those links out.