[Carpet Dawg]

Ok so yesterday I got 5 impressions and 4 clicks  for one keyword. 75% CTR. I got that before lunchtime.

My average for 30 days is well below 10% CTR (I don't want to give away the exact figure). I've had few days like this. I really do think its competitors clicking ads, the clicks come in at some random times as well and in two and three's. But the conversion rates are crap compared to when my site was ranking.

I called google yesterday to discuss it but they told me to wait as the system takes time to update. (yeah while my ad is now not showing as its used up its budget!). But its now the next day and they have still added those clicks to my billing statement and the impressions is still showing 5.

Anyone got any ideas or tips? are they any software I can use to track clicks?

[Kev Loomes]

Ian Harper uses some software to track this - ask him for a link (sorry I don't know it).

[Neil Worsnop]

have you got a google analytics account.  don't know how to set it up myself as I have a chap do these things for me but it is free!

will tell you number of visitors, whether they came to you via generic search, direct or a referral from another site, like this one.  will also tell you which pages have been looked at which town or area visitor is in.  it also tells you if they are repeat visitors or new.

its not perfect but may give an insight into whats happening on your site

[Carpet Dawg]

yeah I had analytics (not googles) but removed them ages ago as I was trying a few news things with my site.

I'll re-add it and figure out how to set it up to show adword results. just been using adwords last couple of months.

is there a link you can use to report dodgy activity?

[Dust and Clean]

I've also had quiet a few recent issues with adwords regarding dubious clicks and ad positioning.
Although I use analytics, it has not been able to give me a definitive answer to as to what's been going on.

Rather than talking to google I'll be looking at the awstats files provided by my isp to find the answer..

Performance of adwords for me in recent months has been abysmal.

[Steve9]

I have come off adwords because I know for a fact that I was getting clicks which wernt legitimate.

Yes google took some off, but not all.

I even blocked ip addresses but all it means is I will not show on the result for that IP address. Most ip addresses now are 'floating' or something. Basically changing on a daily basis so it's near impossible to block.

[Dust and Clean]

I'm also on the verge of dropping adwords altogether myself.

Today I had a couple of clicks from:

uk.zapmeta.com
 
They seem to be showing full blown google ads despite my google settings being set for search network only.

[dan paton]

Does most people have these sorts of problems with adwords or are these random cases. I am just going to start using Adwords but this is kinda putting me off.

[Dust and Clean]

Some swear by it and others not.
Ive had mixed results with it.
In the past ive had some great jobs from it but in recent months its not been all that great.

I would say, suck it and see. It might work for you.

[Carpet Dawg]

Dan

A lot of carpet cleaners in my area seem to use it and have done for a long time. So unless they don't care how they spend their money then it must be working for some people.

For me its an expensive way to get clients. I converted A LOT better when my website was ranking.

For example today, I had a call she said "Hi, is that *****?" (the carpet cleaners name) "nope you've got the wrong number", so obviously she was trying to contact a carpet cleaner she has used or spoken too. THANKS LUV! that just cost me £2.**! lol

Plus I have noticed I have been getting more sales calls since joining adwords. I presume who ever is scraping the phone number is doing it via a google search? maybe clicking adwords occasionally?

I mean what's stopping a competitor clicking on your ads via their mobile?

I have looked at all the online checklists and read numerous articles regarding adwords and this is where I have gotten. I'm either missing a trick or just being too tight, maybe its normal to spend loads and not get much in turn?

[jim mca]

Before I started in this business I worked with a guy who was a bit of a geek and he told me to always click the paid adverts as this kept the internet free 

[Neil Worsnop]

Before I started in this business I worked with a guy who was a bit of a geek and he told me to always click the paid adverts as this kept the internet free 

Idiot (him, not you  )

[Andy_MK]

You get more sales calls because companies see you are paying for Adwords so might pay for whatever crap they are trying to flog. Plus they click you ads to get your details which costs you.

[Steve9]

Suck it and see. It's definitely open to abuse but it's also worth giving a go. But I think this will come down to individual circumstances on how much abuse you get I.e location, number of competitors etc.

It takes around a month to find your feet with it if doing it yourself. So I'd suggest 3 month review and take it from there.

[Dust and Clean]

Like Carpet Dawg, my conversion rates were far higher when my website ranked. So Ill be dropping adwords and focussing on improving my ranking.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has lost so many man hours attending to the adwords baby

[JandS]

Got this today from them....don't understand it...how is it duplicated? There is only one authorised owner at this address.


Hello,

We’d like to inform you that Google Places no longer accommodates more than one authorised owner per business location. Your listing has been identified as a duplicate of another listing and as a result, the information that you provide will not be shown to Google users any more

[Mike Halliday]

I got the same email, checked my account and I had a second listing from an old address which should have been deleted when I did a places page with my google + account.

[JandS]

Where did you find this Mike...I'm totally clueless with Google.

[JandS]

Been living at this address since 1989 so can't be that.

[JandS]

It seems I have a Google account and a Places account which to delete??