Are you new to search arbitrage and looking to understand its various aspects, like search feed arbitrage? If so, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’ll guide you through what search feed arbitrage is, how it works, and how to get started. You’ll find everything you need right here, so there’s no need to look elsewhere for additional information. This article has it all covered for you.
Table of Contents
What is Search Feed Arbitrage?
Search Feed Arbitrage is a strategy where you purchase traffic and drive it to a monetized page displaying search feed results from providers like System1, Tonic, Domain Active,… You earn money from every click on these search feed results, with higher quality traffic leading to bigger payouts.
Benefits of Search Feed Arbitrage
Have you heard about the benefits of search feed arbitrage? Here are 3 key advantages that can greatly enhance your digital marketing strategy for search arbitrage:
Scalability
Once the system is set up and optimized, it can handle large volumes of traffic. This scalability allows marketers to increase their reach and potential revenue as long as they can maintain a steady supply of traffic and optimize their monetization strategies.
Minimal Content Creation
Search feed arbitrage primarily relies on traffic redirection rather than creating extensive content. This means that marketers can focus more on optimizing traffic sources and monetization methods without the need for constant content production.
Enhanced User Experience
Properly designed landing pages and search results can enhance the user experience by providing relevant and useful information, which can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Different Flows of Search Feed Arbitrage
Have you ever wondered about the different flows in search feed arbitrage? If you’re not quite sure, don’t worry—let’s break it down together:
1-Click Flow
This method serves visitors directly with promoted links from search feeds like Yahoo or Bing. When a user clicks on an ad, they are immediately taken to the target page, simplifying the process and reducing user drop-off.
Example: A user searching for credit card options with bad credit on Bing types in the query “Bad Credit Credit Cards.” The search results page displays several ads at the top. The user clicks on the first ad for “American Express Cards – Veilig winkelen, ook online”.
Upon clicking the ad, the user is immediately redirected to the American Express website, where they can find detailed information about various credit card options suitable for individuals with bad credit. The immediate redirection reduces the steps needed for the user to reach their desired information, thereby enhancing the user experience and decreasing the likelihood of drop-off.
2-Click Flow
The approach involves an additional step, where the user is first redirected to an intermediary page before being directed to the monetized search results page. This flow can enhance user engagement and potentially increase the likelihood of clicks on the final monetized page.
Example: The provided screenshot showcases an example of the 2-Click Flow in action. The user first clicks on an ad link like “Seniors: Companies That Buy Life Insurance Policies” or “Sell My Life Insurance for Cash,” leading to an intermediary page with more content and options.
From there, the user clicks again to reach the final monetized search results page, such as “top10quest.com” or “visymo.com.”
Types of Traffic Sources for Search Feed Arbitrage
Do you know the best places to get traffic for your search feed arbitrage campaigns? Let’s take a closer look at how each one can boost your success.
Paid Advertising
Traffic is generated through paid campaigns on platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or other advertising networks. This allows for targeted traffic acquisition based on user demographics, interests, and behaviors.
For instance, targeting users searching for “affordable health insurance” via a Google Ads campaign can attract specific and relevant traffic.
Social Media Traffic
Traffic is obtained from social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This type of traffic can be driven by both organic posts and paid social media ads.
Sharing a blog post about “top legal firms” on LinkedIn can drive visitors from social media to your site, leveraging both organic and paid social media strategies.
Referral Traffic
Visitors come to your website through external links from other websites. This traffic is usually driven by backlinks, guest posts, or collaborations with other sites. Referral traffic can be highly valuable as it often comes from trusted sources and relevant audiences. Besides traditional methods, referral traffic can also be generated through parking domains.
Parking domains can be categorized into Direct-to-Search (D2S) and Navigation-to-Search (N2S) flows:
- D2S (Direct-to-Search): Parking domains directly redirect visitors to a search engine results page with ads, generating referral traffic and revenue. For example, “bestonlinebanking.net” might redirect users to a monetized search results page.
- N2S (Navigation-to-Search): Parking domains redirect visitors first to an intermediary landing page before leading to the search results page. This provides additional context or options. For instance, “onlinebankingguide.com” could take users to an informative page before the search results page.
Search Feed Arbitrage Providers
Search Feed Providers are companies that enable websites to display search results or ads generated by their platforms. They deliver relevant content to users based on their queries or browsing behavior, helping website owners monetize their traffic.
Notable providers include Tonic, System1, Domain Active, and Sedo. These platforms help websites optimize earnings through diverse and high-quality traffic sources, targeted solutions, and comprehensive services. By using these providers, website owners can effectively convert traffic into revenue through strategic search feed arbitrage.
Additionally, using multiple ad networks can help diversify traffic sources, reduce risk, and potentially increase revenue. Popular options include Google Ads, Bing Ads, and native ad networks like Taboola and Outbrain.
>>> Read more: Top 5 Search Feed Providers: How to Choose the Right One?
How do I start a Search Feed Arbitrage campaign?
Now that you have a good understanding of search feed arbitrage, it’s time to learn how to start your own campaign. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you going:
Step 1: Choose suitable traffic sources and monetization platforms
To begin, identify the best sources for acquiring traffic. Consider platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and native advertising networks such as Taboola and Outbrain. These platforms allow for targeted traffic acquisition based on user demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Pair these with reliable monetization platforms like Google AdSense, Yahoo Search, Bing Ads, or specialized search feed providers like Tonic, System1, Domain Active, and Sedo. The right combination of traffic sources and monetization platforms will set the foundation for your campaign’s success.
Step 2: Create engaging ads and optimize landing pages
Develop ads that are not only visually appealing but also highly relevant to your target audience. Use compelling headlines, clear calls to action, and engaging visuals to attract clicks. Ensure your landing pages are optimized for conversions by focusing on user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design.
This includes fast loading times, mobile responsiveness, and intuitive navigation. The content on your landing pages should be valuable and relevant, addressing the needs and interests of your visitors. A/B testing different ad creatives and landing page elements can help identify what resonates best with your audience.
Step 3: Monitor and adjust based on performance data
Continuously track your campaign’s performance using analytics tools such as Google Analytics, Facebook Analytics, or specific tools provided by your ad and monetization platforms. Key metrics to monitor include click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, cost per click (CPC), return on ad spend (ROAS), and overall revenue.
Analyze this data to identify trends, strengths, and areas for improvement. Based on these insights, make informed adjustments to your ad creatives, targeting criteria, and landing page elements. Regular optimization is crucial for maintaining and improving campaign performance over time.
What are the Risks of Search Feed Arbitrage?
While search feed arbitrage offers several benefits, it also comes with certain risks that you should be aware of. Here are some key risks to consider:
Intellectual Property Violation
One of the primary risks of search feed arbitrage is the potential for violating intellectual property rights. For example, if you extract and use copyrighted images or text from search feeds without permission, you might face legal issues and fines. Reputable search engines like Google may penalize or ban websites engaging in this practice, harming their visibility and credibility.
Low-quality Content
Another risk of search feed arbitrage is the lack of originality and value in the content produced. For instance, if your website simply repackages existing articles without adding unique insights, users may find it unengaging. This can result in a poor user experience, and search engines may penalize your site for low-quality content, negatively impacting your search rankings and audience retention.
Wrap up
We hope this article has helped clarify search feed arbitrage for you. Search feed arbitrage can bring many benefits, like increased revenue and broader reach, but it also comes with risks. It’s important to be careful and strategic to make the most of this marketing approach.
