Can you explain Pay Per Click Search Engines?

Let's say that you make and sell wallets made from deerskin, and you want your site to appear number one when "deerskin wallets" are searched for.  So you go to one of the Pay Per Click search engines and search for "deerskin wallets".  You see the number one listing is currently paying 6 cents.  In order for your site to appear number one, you would need to bid 7 cents.   Of course your competition could come in and bid 8 cents and then you bid 9 cents and so on.   

One concern clients have is that their competition could go and click on their link and using up the money in your account quickly.  This is a possibility, however, at 5 cents it would take 1,000 clicks to amount to $50.00.  If your competition has enough time to sit and click on your listing 1,000 times, I don't think they will be your competition for long.  

To get the most from a Pay Per Click search engines, choose specific keywords.   For example.  You own a real estate firm and only service clients in Appleton, Wisconsin.  You would not purchase the keyword "realtor" (on GoTo.com currently going for $1.57), you would use "realtor appleton" or "realtor fox cities" (both currently going for $0.05 on GoTo.com).   

Before opening an account with a Pay Per Click search engine, read their advertising agreement.  You should only be charged for click throughs (people actually visiting your site) and you should have control over the bid amount and how often it is updated.  I recommend that you retain control over when money is deposited into your account.  If you agree to always be listed number one, it could get very expensive.  You will want to track your visitors to be sure paying for keywords is working for you.  A good way to test this is to buy keywords for two months.  Then let the account lapse for a month.  Then open it again.  Did you see any difference in your traffic or sales? 

Here is a list of some of the more popular Pay Per Click Search Engines: 

FindWhat.com - Has partnerships with Excite, MetaCrawler, DogPile, and others. FindWhat is the second largest Pay Per Click search engine after GoTo.com.  Their interface is easy to use and their reports are ok.  $50.00 is required to open an account with no minimum monthly charge.  Their minimum bid amount is 1 cent. 

WorldMall.com - Has no outside partners.  This is a pretty good place to list your site if you are selling a product.  Their intended market is shoppers.  Their interface is pretty easy and you must log in to your account to access reports.  $75.00 is required to open an account with no minimum monthly charge.  Their minimum bid amount is 1 cent.   

Kanoodle.com - Has partnerships with CNET, MetaCrawler, DogPile, Mamma, and others.  Their interface is pretty easy and you must log in to your account to access reports.   $25.00 is required to open an account with no minimum monthly charge.  Their minimum bid amount is 1 cent. 

Ah-Ha.com - Has partnerships with MyFamily, DogPile, and others. I have never used them but their interface looked pretty easy to use.  $25.00 is required to open an account with no minimum monthly charge.  Their minimum bid amount is 1 cent. 

7Search.com - Has partnerships with Mamma and other.  I have never used them but their interface looked pretty easy to use.  $25.00 is required to open an account with no minimum monthly charge.  Their minimum bid amount is 1 cent.