Advertising to the itSMF keyword

Google AdWords/AdSense is a fascinating thing. Internet advertising may be the most revolutionary thing ever to happen to small business marketing (or big business for that matter). The sensitivity and feedback are extraordinary for testing and refining marketing messages. (So why do vendors still do so badly?).

The point of this ramble is that right now someone is paying over five bucks a click for the "itSMF" keyword.

What does that mean? Well, usually ITIL-related keywords 'sell' on AdWords for 20c - $1.20. Keywords are auctioned and buyers like me set a maximum cost per click (CPC). The buyers prepared to pay the highest CPC get the best ad positions on Google AdSense and search advertising. The rest of us rat around at about position 12 on the list of ads.

My keywords "itsmf", "service lifecycle" (and "mof"??!!) have all stopped working for search and AdWords informs me I need to up my bid to over five bucks to be in the game!

Somebody somewhere is hoping to make so much money out of you guys they are willing to pay five bucks just to get your eyeballs on a landing webpage.

As I keep saying "We aren't in Kansas any more Toto". ITIL is big business.

The intriguing thing is that they aren't bidding up "itil" or a bunch of other keywords, just the ones above.

So help me out someone: what could be so lucrative about "itsmf" as a keyword as compared to say "itil"? Has someone spotted that "itsmf" gets better buyers of their ITIL product than "ITIL" does? I suppose if they have heard of itSMF they are a more sophisticated buyer than someone surfing "itil".

Or is this an artifact of the system that I don't understand? (There's an awful lot I don't understand about the black arts of internet marketing: that's why right now I have to go glue my son's shoes).

Comments

Surprisingly (or probably

Surprisingly (or probably not), some of our clients do not want to hear word ITIL any more. To them it associates with too many bad experiences.

Enter new buzzword (acronym) of the day - ITSM(f). Wouldn't you agree that Service Management sounds a lot cooler than some Library?

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