It's hard to defend Looksmart's Q3 report when revenues were down (5%) from the previous quarter. They were down (19%) Y/Y. I expected better. Tex hit the nail square on the head when he made the comment that "Ted gave us the result he predicted from the last CC"

What many (including myself) can't seem to accept is that times are tough in more ways than one. Did someone say recession? Or, 10% unemployment? That consumers aren't buying? That advertisers can afford to be "choosy" and they certainly are these days.....

And all the signs were there.....Ted West reminded all, within the CC ......

"As it has been reported by industry analysts and leading search marketing agencies pressure on CPCs across the industry has a large part been attributed to fewer consumer conversions on paid clicks, resulting in lower advertising bid prices and lower advertiser budget spends.

There were the odd 'flickers of light' down at the end of the tunnel when considering that the paid click "METRICS performance" was recorded as being UP. (In the quarter). Yes, they were 219 million and this was excellent when compared to 184 million for the third quarter of 2008 and 207 million for the second quarter of 2009.

Now it's also hard to argue any case with idiots. That (of course), includes anyone who sells LOOK shares down @ $0.97. (Yet, the Co still has a "cash" per share value of $1.40). And all the others who sold (in panic) earlier on today, before the stock closed on a "high" and down just 3.88% @ $1.24. Back to have your say, I see! :)

Then there's the previous two dumcluck posters (Dev and "the roid"), who have never ever 'understood' the strong growth in the advertising network's business. (In terms of the "managed", billions of daily enquiries/impressions and the millions of daily paid clicks), so it would hard to get anything through to them. The point that "premium networks" (or, not), all feel the pain of the times, that we are in. (Ask Yahoo and other Media and web based advertising Co's, pleeease).

It kind of makes the constant "juggle" between the paying of the higher TAC and recieving those paltry RPC's (yes, that's the "Average Advertising Network revenue per click" metrics performance result Dev & Bazzaroid), even the more, meritorious. Ted explained it well.

"In light of the continued pressure on search advertising demand, CPC pricing, and margins in our industry, we are pleased with the resilience of LookSmart's core Advertiser Network business," commented Ted West.

Continued ...