Google Adwords vs. Yahoo (Sponsored Search)

We operate the following website:

STUDENTHOMESEARCH.com

We help find college students find off campus housing.


This is our experience with Google Adwords vs. Yahoo (Sponsored Search).

Constants are:

Running the same ad title/wording , keywords and bid price.


Results for April 1st to May 14th

Yahoo:

Tons of Impressions- Approximately 198,721
Click through %: 1.3%
Clicks: 2583
AVG CPC: $0.51
Conversion Ratio: 19%


Google:

Lower Impressions - 62,353
Click Through %: 0.7%
Clicks: 436
AVG CPC: $0.83
Conversion Ratio: 11%


Overall we are getting better quality all around from Yahoo.
More ad impressions lower CPC, and a better conversion rate when ads are clicks.


I am curious how others in this chat area are doing as Google seems to be giving us poor results and we are spending a significant amount of money.


Post you figures if you can.

As always if you check out our site and you like it, feel free to link to us.

Interesting. I think it depends on whatever industry your site caters to whether or not Google or Yahoo will be the best fit for spending the most money in. It is not always easy to guess either. It is good that you have done your research.

I have a few clients sites that convert better in Yahoo, but the site receives more traffic from Google. So in essence even if Google does send more customers, Yahoo would produce a higher "visitor value." I would take this as a clue to put more $ toward it in ppc.

I even have one client who's highest visitor value comes from AOL organic. Although they show mostly Google results and serve Google PPC, the client still converts better on a visitor by visitor basis in the AOL search rather than Google.

I don't think it is a good idea to scrap one over the other, but just to get the most customers from each without hitting the ceiling on diminishing returns.

i agree with seostew.. it really depends on whats best fit for spending the most of your money.. but i believe that google is still dominating...