Here’s the results of a quick test of a 2nd/3rd tier PPC engine called Etology. As always, your results may vary.
Purchased 275 clicks for $24.75. It’s a different system than normal, you pre-pay your clicks for the total amount, and they tell you what your CPC will be. In this case it was .09 cents. So you really don’t care what your CTR is. I picked the North American targeting, so I was getting US and Canada traffic.
Results:
Of the 275 clicks we were charged for, 43 showed up as clicks in our affiliate network stats. Of those we got 1 conversion. This amounts to a 2.3% CR rate on an offer that usually converts around 10-12% with average search traffic. This would have amounted to a big loss, had I payed for these clicks (I used a free trial). Most troubling thing about this test, where did the 232 missing clicks go? Of course you always have a percentage of clicks lost from the PPC engine to your affiliate network stats due to a number of reasons, but an 84.4% loss rate?
Yeah that’s sketchy. Kind of like my tests with ExoClick… Some campaigns got good results, while others had 90% of the clicks go missing just like this.
As disturbing as it is, I have done just as bad or even worse with Looksmart, Miva and GoClick. All have been gracious and provided refunds but it’s kind of like “what’s the point right”
At least you used a trial. Have you contacted them for an explanation? You could already say, that I am using the free trial to get clicks but your stuff isn’t working, why would I want to become and advertiser?
I have found that when you talk to these smaller 2nd tier engines they generally are very kind and will work with you. Unfortunately for me, I have to talk to them on almost every campaign I launch. But they are just like everyone else, they want to continue to imporve their service so they can make more money too, and the only way to do that is to start working with their advertisers to work out the kinks.
Did you use a tracker to measure the clicks or are you going base off stats the affiliate program and the ppc network giving you?
thank you for the info.
how many times do you test a system before you decide it is a bust?
Ruck – I have had the same experience if I make the effort to work with these smaller engines, they will try hard to keep your business. It’s just a matter of it being worth my time.
Steven – I didn’t bother to track a small test like this, especially since it was free. Once I start running a campaign, I track everything. I just based the clicks off the aff program, but since they pay the bills that’s the important one anyways
I played with etology on Azoogle dating. i never seen profit, but my investmend returned (0% roi).
Azoogle always show me more clicks, that really clicked, i don’t know why..
Chad, what is your testing affiliate network in this case?