One of the biggest issues I've come across this past year is Google Adwords. So many advertisers, small to large say that Google Adwords is breaking their budget.

Adwords Alternatives
Even though Google is the largest provider of pay-per-click ads, there are other vendor with whom you can purchase text based advertising. Both Yahoo! and MSN offer pay-per-click advertising and have a significantly large network of sites to reach your target audience. Experiment with these others sites on a limited basis to see where your ad dollars generate the greatest return.

Another traffic network is GoClick. With GoClick, you can purchase clicks at a much lower price but often, these clicks are less targeted. Depending on the type of services you offer, GoClick may provide a cheap alternative to other ppc advertising but should be tested on a small scale before sinking significant dollars into a comprehensive campaign.

For those who are fed up with ppc and want a more cost-effective solution, I recommend ExactSeek. With ExactSeek, users pay a fixed price for ads. This network uses hundreds of smaller sites to generate clicks but does not guarantee performance. I have generated less traffic using ExactSeek than traditional ppc, but the solution is much more affordable.

At the end of the day, you must have a comprehensive ppc program. I recommend blending ppc with fixed price placements. This approach is similar to diversifying your financial portfolio. Spread the risk and manage a healthy return. Best of luck with your ppc campaigns in 2008!