Why only 2 sponsored links and 1 isn't mine?

[StefanMach]

Hello,

I posted an ad group and placed a key phrase in it for $2.00 a click. If you search this key phrase you will get only 2 sponsored links to come up in the right hand column, none at the top. My question is this. How is it that google doesn't see fit to include me as the third sponsored link of apparently, 3. I thought cpc started as the bottom and worked its way up. In other words, if I set a cpc at $1.00, another guy at $1.10, and a third at $20.00, then I would get third position for the dollar, the second guy at $1.10, and the third guy would only pay as much as would be required to keep in pole position. If this were true, then I cannot see any reason why my ad doesn't show but about once out of every thirty clicks. Could it be that someone can effectively "buy" google by setting a cpc that is extraordinarily high. Whatever the case, I hope someone can explain this to me.

Thanks in advance,

StefanMach

[petertdavis]

Maybe you got some quality score issues.

[StefanMach]

As far as quality score, I am listed as great. The name of the adgroup is essentially the key phrase. I have noticed for other searches this same phenomenon where you know more than two or three people are running ads but only one or two links come up.

[C. Ankerstjerne]

You may be blacklisted by the site.

[Rohen]

I think Google doesn't show you your own Ad given that your the publisher. I'm not sure about that. Maybe this might be of use, straight from Google.

1. We consider the Google domain being used (.fr, .de, .kr, etc.). If a user visits Google.fr, the Google domain for France, she'll see ads targeted to France, regardless of her current location.

2. We analyze the actual search query the user submits on Google. If someone enters a search query that contains a recognizable city or region, we may show related regionally or custom-targeted ads. For example, if someone searches for New York plumbers, we may show relevant ads targeted to New York, regardless of the user's physical location.

3. When possible, we determine the user's physical region based upon the Internet Protocol (IP) address. This applies to regionally or custom-targeted ads and to any ads that show on Google.com.

[StefanMach]

Let me add a little more info.

1. I can see my own ad. IT is that it only comes up about every 30 refreshes or so.
2. I can't see how I can be blacklisted. The website itself ranks 7th in the english language for a very common keyword, so common that until I regionally targeted my website, I was getting hit for roof repair all over the world.
3. The campaign is relatively new and the ad group is brand new so I can't have too low a quality score, which as I said lists as great.


Here is my theory, prove me wrong if you can please.

A search term has no one using it, yet the first guy who does lists his key phrase for $15 or some other rediculous figure. Becasue there is no competition, Google runs with it charging this no nothing individual big money for clicks. Along comes the next guy with his $1 cpc which of course as I understand it would require mr. $15 cpc to only be charged slightly over a $1. Google would rather allow his essential monopoly to exist because it gaurantees big money for Google.

Now I know this is not what is supposed to be happening, but so far no one has given any real explanation on why it does happen.

Additionally, just to see, I set up an adgroup for my wife and installed a key phrase that also only brings up 1-2 sponsored links and set that cpc at $2. Do you think that her ad showed? Not a chance. Everything I ever thought I new about cpc goes straight down the toilet if I can't get third out of three for $2 on a google cpc campaign. Still requesting insight.

Thanks so far

[tke71709]

Let me add a little more info.

1. I can see my own ad. IT is that it only comes up about every 30 refreshes or so.

Raise your budget, it's probably too low and Google is not displaying your ad every time because it attempts to spread out your views based on your projected daily spend.

[StefanMach]

Does this make sense if you are only competing with 2 sponsored links? I do understand how too low a bid will push you to the second, third, page etc., until your ad is essentially not appearing. However, with the sponsored link space empty of ads, it would seem your ad should come up by default.

[tke71709]

Does this make sense if you are only competing with 2 sponsored links? I do understand how too low a bid will push you to the second, third, page etc., until your ad is essentially not appearing. However, with the sponsored link space empty of ads, it would seem your ad should come up by default.

My comment has nothing to do with your bid price, it's related to your daily budget.

If Google thinks you're going to burn through your whole budget quickly then it will stagger your ad so that it appears throughout the day and not all at once.

[StefanMach]

Thank you. I grasp the distinction you are making now. However, how can this explain google allowing me to come up every time for a $4 cpc on a given keyword which gets hundreds of impressions a day ( which would burn through my daily budget very quick) and usually does by about 1 PM, and google not showing an ad with $2 cpc that has 0 impressions on an average day, maybe 2-3 a week?

[tke71709]

Can't, Google is a mysterious black box in many ways.

Have you tried e-mailing adwords support and asking them directly. They want to take your money