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Oftentimes, search gets a bad rap. It can do no right. However, it’s important to remember that SEM is a “pull” form of marketing. Unless a person actively goes to their search tool of choice (Google, Yahoo, Live, whatever), types in (a) your brand name or (b) the generic category that your brand falls into, you’ll never be found.
So, now the question becomes, how often do you want to be found? Do you want to be found every time someone types in your brand name (i.e. Speedo)? How about when someone types in the generic category (i.e. swimming)? What about obscure terms that relate to your brand (i.e. Michael Phelps)? Is it necessary to show up for the broad terms (i.e. sports)? If you answer, “yes” to all of the above, a cautionary, second question begs an answer. If a brand moves all their money to search, how will consumers know what to search for? Without buzz elsewhere, there’s going to be no “pull” to drive customers to search for a product. Nonetheless, wouldn’t you continue to move budget to SEM as long as the ROI was there? In this case, give the masses what they want… your brand.
Let’s take a look… the graph from Google Insights shows major growth for Speedo and Nike occurring around the Olympic Trials and Olympic Games.
As Nike or Speedo, would you have capitalized on this additional buzz? Were those searching for additional news a qualified audience (i.e. athletes, sports fanatics) or bored housewives that had nothing to do but watch the Olympics? If you need to move quickly and inexpensively, search is one of the easiest things to put into motion. However, is it worth it? Do the spikes lead to increased revenue or does the increased CTR backfire and ruin your ROI?
If the increased CTR kills your campaign, is it really the unqualified audience or an inability to make a sale? If…
- Your website sucks / your conversion funnel is difficult
- Your website sucks / doesn’t evoke enough interest for someone to physically go to a store
- Your front line people can’t close the deal
…then, no amount of push or pull marketing will increase sales. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.
Posted in Advertising, Interactive Media, Marketing, Sports
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