As you are aware, Yahoo and Microsoft have already completed the search transition in October in the US and Canada. If you still have not finished your account transition process, you need to check in at the earliest for an immediate shift from Yahoo! Search Marketing to Microsoft adCenter.

Keep the following things in mind while completing the transition

• For moving the campaigns, you can make use of a customized transition tool that you believe is appropriate for your advertising needs. This tool can be accessed in the ‘adCenter’ tab available within your Yahoo! account.
• During transitioning, respective search ad groups are so set as to distribute at the ‘default setting’. Your Yahoo! Search Marketing’s Network Distribution settings will not carry over into adCenter automatically.
• The new search network distribution feature will help you to be more precise about your ads’ display on all Yahoo! search and Bing networks as well as syndicated search partners, or only Yahoo! and Bing sites in the US and Canada.

Accounting for changed ad position

Many users have experienced that their ad position has changed even though they are bidding as usual. As an increasing number of Yahoo! advertisers shift to adCenter, there obviously will be more competitors, vigorously bidding on your industry related keywords. This is bound to affect your ad position.

Frequently monitor your bids to stay on top of any marked changes in this regard. Your ad’s position will be impacted by an increased bidding on your key terms and phrases. This means that you will need to adjust your bids accordingly for maintaining your desired position. Regularly review the results to meet your RoI goals.

No more separate bidding

Another noticeable change is that you cannot opt to show ads on Yahoo! and not Bing (or Bing and not Yahoo!). You will not be in a position to bid separately on just Yahoo! Search or just Bing. This is for the purpose of maximizing the reach opportunities and to give advertisers the added benefit of a vast marketplace through a combined platform.

Users can reach the audience of both on Bing and Yahoo! by managing a single account, thus simplifying your campaign management. This will also save time and energy.

Impact on adCenter budget

Certain users have found that their adCenter budget is consumed faster earlier in the month than it happens usually.

While evaluating your adCenter budgets, it’s vital to know that the auction has undergone a change with Yahoo! Search traffic’s introduction and greater advertiser competition. You will be required to increase your budget in keeping with the increased Yahoo! Search traffic volume. You can set a budget, which better reflects the amount you wish to spend. You obviously are in the best position to work out how much your business can afford to spend.

It is recommended that you adjust the monthly spend to about a third of your overall SEM (search engine marketing) budget. This will help ensure you won’t be missing out on valuable clicks and conversions. For instance, if your monthly budget is $1,000, your adCenter budget should be $333 per month, at least.