Market Effect on AdWords

[RonnieG]

In reviewing my AdWords and lead stats for September, compared to July, I am seeing results that don't seem to be seasonal, because I looked at the same periods last year and did not see the same trends:

Impressions are down by 30% or more, depending on market areas.
Average CTR is higher by 25%.
Average Conversion rate is up by 35%.
Average cost per conversion is down by 40%.
Lead quality is much better. More full names, more good phone numbers, fewer bogus email addresses.

And I didn't do anything to my ads, bids, monthly budget or landing pages.

Questions:
Is anyone else seeing this trend?
Do you think it is related to the market conditions: Fewer "lookie-lous" because they are put off by the market?
Are other agents / brokerages shutting down their AdWords campaigns due to revenue issues, so those uf us who are left are getting more/better leads?

[AustinSEO]

We have actually been seeing much of the same Ronnie. Our impressions are way down, CTR is a little higher and visitors are leaving better contact information. This started about 2 weeks ago.

We are actually having a hard time spending our budget because of the low impressions. Probably need to broaden some of the terms.

I am not sure why this trend has surfaced. I would guess that it is a combination of the two ideas you noted. Anyone have a clue?

[u2man]

Yeah, impressions are way down since Sept 1st. Spending about 1/3 of typical monthly budget. The lead quality is better also.

[VladimirZ]

Ronnie,

I have seen the same effect across my clients accounts in AdWords. I do suspect this has nothing to do with the market conditions in real estate.

Google has been going after so called "made for AdSense" websites. I hear that good number of these websites are shutting down so if you had you content match on, the effect may have come from there.

[RonnieG]

I have never enabled Content Network, for myself or my clients, so that can't have anything to do with it. It may be that Google has also tightened up on is QS rankings, and may be giving better positions at lower cost to ads like mine and my clients, that tend to be very targeted, tightly written, and keyword rich in the ads and on the community specific landing pages.

[waynelong]

Same thing Ronnie. Having trouble spending budget as it is now. I don't know that I have noticed the quality of leads going up. Impressions are 1/2. Wayne