Blog of the Unabashedly Inane

I’ve begun shopping for a paid search bid management system. There are a bunch out there, and I’ve used a few of the biggies in my agency work, but I’m trying to find one that suits the independent marketing like me.

A bid management system is a piece of software that automates the process of bid optimization. It syncs with your search engine accounts to track click and cost data, and can be used to track the conversion on your site as well. When conversion tracking is incorporated, you can set ROI rules so that the system can calculate bids that will give you the desired result. It might sound like an automatic money machine, but there is some finesse involved in setting up the rules. If not done carefully, your ROI goals will be achieved at the expense of total sales volume.

150% ROI? Great!

You only spent $10 to get it? Not so great.

One of my primary challenges in choosing a bid management tool is my budget and the cost. Many of these systems are only for clients that reach a minimum budget threshold, which I do not reach. These same systems can be extremely expensive if you’re only running a couple small revenue campaigns.

So I’m looking for something designed specifically for the DIYer, and costs perhaps as much as $100 per month. If you have any suggestions, please share!