For 6 months I've been running a fairly decent Adwords campaign for a client. Before purchasing Adwords we ran several tests on kw conversions (without CPC support.) Based on our findings, we decided to purchase CPC on both Overture and Google for the high conv. KW's.

After 60 days, we looked through our reports (in-house tracking) I was not surprised that both Google and Overture produced far less conversions than free ranks. What did surprise me however, was that per dollar, Overture produced far more conversions than Google, a startling 20:1 ratio.

We optimized our Overture listings immediately following the switch from Google on Yahoo and currently maintain a successful campaign to date. We chose Overture's campaign over Google specifically for demographic value, based on our research, there were higher dollar (amt) and more qualified orders from Yahoo/Overture than Google, for the same keywords! In addition, the quality of the customer on Yahoo was of a higher caliber than that which Google produced for my client's product. Decision makers, poured out of Yahoo/Overture results, compared to Google who were mostly click shoppers/bargain hunters. (Please note that we do currently maintain successful adword and free rank campaigns on google for many of our customers. It is this one client that had some issues.)

I carefully selected my words when I wrote my findings to the Google Adwords Team, I explained the issues at hand and the findings of my research. They wrote back offering me a credit and free Adwords optimization. FREE? I grabbed it! perhaps they could teach me something different. After the optimization was completed, I ran the campaigns, accepting all (6) campaigns recommended by the Google Adwords Team... Here are the differences in the 2 campaigns:

Map: Clicks, Impressions, CTR, Avg CPC, Cost, Position

New Campaign: 30 Days
5 1,325 0.3% $1.45 $7.23 2.5
Old Campaign: 7 Days
95 15,760 0.6% $1.46 $138.25 3.2

Please note that both campaigns above are at the recommended CPC and Per Day budget recommended by Google for this campaign. On another note, the New Campaign prooduced no conversions.

In addition to these dramatic results, our stats software now records Yahoo producing over 60% of the traffic/conversions with MSN second and Google 3rd (non CPC). This client currently ranks #4 on Google for the high conversion keywords, #3 on Yahoo and #6 on MSN (Free rank positions.)

Anyone else finding similar or different findings than I? I doubt highly that my client is of a rare breed.