There is an argument that is gaining increasing acceptance that says despite the extra work and trouble usually involved in getting one’s own advertisers, it is a much more profitable and advisable option than having to rely on making a few cents at a time from Google Adsense.

Keywords advertising, taking advertising offline, and a retired butler made it into this month’s news roundup.
Keyword advertising: MSN versus the rest
Last week, we talked about Google AdWords. AdWords is the best-known vehicle for keyword advertising, but it may not have the highest conversion rate.
Internet Retailer reports that MSN’s beta AdCenter program is producing better conversion results than either Google or Yahoo. AdCenter’s demographic data is credited for the difference in results. With AdCenter’s MSN Search user data, advertisers can see the demographics of those who click on their ads, including their age, gender, and city. The data also indicate the day and time of week when people are clicking on the ads. AdCenter provides tools to analyze the data, producing results that advertisers can use to refocus their keywords, ads, and ad campaigns.
MSN does not have a large share of the market, however. December 2005 statistics show it with less …

On April 25, we wrote that eBay was believed to be in discussions with Yahoo and Microsoft. We don’t know if Microsoft will join the picture, but the Yahoo-eBay alliance is now official.
According to a May 25 press release, the multi-year agreement covers aspects of search and graphical advertising, online payments, a co-branded toolbar, and click-to-call functionality.
What exactly does this mean? A summary:

Yahoo will be the exclusive provider of graphical advertising on eBay.com.
Yahoo will collaborate with eBay to improve search results on eBay.com.
PayPal will be the exclusive third-party provider for Yahoo’s online wallet. It will be integrated and promoted across Yahoo’s network as Yahoo’s payment solution.
Yahoo’s search function and Yahoo links will be integrated with the eBay toolbar.
Click-to-call, a link in advertisements that allows consumers to call advertisers directly, will be accessible to users of both Yahoo Messenger with Voice and eBay’s Skype.

Google now has more serious competition, but …

Search engines and online advertising are reaching more territory, Google has lost territory in Belgium, and advertisers can now view their ads as they’re seen in other areas.
Microsoft news
Windows Live Search, designed to complement MSN Search, is now out of beta and has a number of improvements and features worth noting:

Related searches appear with searches to suggest different search terms.
Like Google, Live Search offers integrated image, news, and local searches.
Live QnA allows searchers to ask and answer questions, view recent questions, and vote on answers.
In Images, a scratchpad provides a place for searchers to drag images to save them in a collection.

Advertisers can advertise on Live Search through MSN’s adCenter.
In China, Microsoft is in the race with Google and Yahoo. A recent deal with China Telecom, China’s largest Internet provider, is helping its position in the Chinese search market. Live Search will be provided to China Telecom’s 25 million broadband …

You have your website, it’s optimized for search engines, and you’re gradually acquiring inbound links. For some websites, that’s all you need. But if you’re selling a product or service online, putting your message in front of your target audience is key to increasing sales fast. Online or Internet advertising offers several advantages: It costs less than print advertising. You don’t need to pay for paper, printing, or postage.
Customers are only a click away. With print advertising, the audience has to write down or remember a phone number, address, or website domain, and then call the number or go to the place of business (online or storefront). Online advertisements, on the other hand, have links to your website. Consumers just need to click on the ad if they want to find out more, and once at your site, they can make a purchase or perhaps bookmark the page to come …