- Massive Reach – The number of internet searches grows everyday. Consumers are
online, and their very queries signal their buying intentions. According to a Pew Internet
& American Life Project, 91 percent of people use a search engine to find information, and
the average number of searches per visit is about five. J.D. Power and Associates found that
80 percent of car buyers are using the Internet in their research, and more than 79 percent
start that process at a leading search engine.
- Unlimited Inventory – With print, radio and television there is a finite number of
advertising slots available for purchase. The harsh reality is that marketing gurus have products
to launch regardless of whether or not Rolling Stone or The Apprentice has ad space available.
Search engine marketing creates an almost- unlimited inventory of ad slots with literally millions
of keywords that can be purchased. In short, with paid search the ad slots are never “sold out.”
- Speed to Launch – If your CEO asked you to launch a nationwide ad campaign in
eight weeks, which advertising medium would you choose? Beyond setting up a MySpace page
and inviting some “friends,” the obvious answer today is paid search. Rapid creative
development, ad placement and testing are distinctive aspects of paid search. Why spend
time on a focus group when you can test your ad campaign effectiveness in real time?
Rapid testing of various promotional offers within ad creatives can also inform offline
marketing efforts such as direct mail.
- Actionable Media – Unlike offline advertising mediums, paid search campaigns
allow ads to be presented in the context of what the consumer is searching for, and
action can be taken immediately.
- Targeted Media – Direct mail experts have been using database marketing for
targeting and variable data insertion to customize marketing pieces for years.
Leading search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft have added and continue
to enhance their ability to deliver advertisements based on a variety of targeting
variables, making ads more relevant. Using targeting variables such as Geographic Location,
Syndication, Day of Week and Time of Day with search engine marketing campaigns allows
marketers to better reach a specific demographic and maximize conversion rates.
- Measurability & Accountability – In order to measure an ad campaigns effectiveness,
traditional mediums such as television or radio require focus groups before and after the campaign
has run. With search engine marketing campaign, effectiveness is measured and optimized in real time.
Key metrics such as impressions, click through rate, position, cost per click and conversion rate can
be closely monitored. Marketers can manage campaigns to hit pre-defined customer acquisition targets
such as Cost per Order, Cost per Lead or Return on Advertising Spend. Finally, marketers can prove
their value in quantifiable terms that make sense to the CFO: dollars out and dollars in.
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