According to Google’s own figures, there are currently 47 UK PR firms who are bidding on the phrase “technology PR”. Given that there are around 53 searches per day in the UK on the term, you might think this makes it worthwhile for these firms to invest some time and energy on the exercise. Google also suggests that in order to gain a number one advertiser slot, you’d need to be paying in the region of £6 per click through.
However, based on Google’s own Adword Traffic Estimator tool, the number one ranked advertiser can expect to get zero click throughs. (The reason why the CPC rate is so high even though there is no click through interest is explained here).
Which suggests that Google advertising for this particular term is a waste of time. In fact, it is a similar story with related terms such as “technology public relations”, “IT PR”, etc.
But what about natural search rankings? Isn’t this good news for Speed Communications whose page currently ranks number one? (or rather, the old Rainier home page URL – this now asks browsers to click through to the new Speed home page). Again, based on average rates, this should result in this particular page receiving an average maximum of 22 click throughs per day. Then again, according to Microsoft’s Commercial Intent tool, only 1 in 4 searchers on the term “technology PR” are potential buyers – the other 75pc are informational browsers (rival PR firms as per Wadds recent post?).
Still, even 5 possible leads per day can’t be bad for Speed. And maybe some of those informational browsers may turn into paying customers at some point (or employees).
However, the validity of this exercise hinges upon the data provided by Google. Are none of the 47 current Google Adwords advertisers getting any click throughs? It would be good to know (don’t need people to reveal actual numbers – just whether the above analysis bears out any resemblance to reality). Given that many of the claims for the accountability of online PR will be based upon clients and agencies trusting this kind of data, I for one am all ears.