Why paid search should be your go-to media

by Katherine Jianas, 18 Jun 2018

With all the new technology out there, one might wonder whether paid search is still relevant. In short, YES! And in some ways, it’s even more relevant than ever before.

Did you know that paid search ad spending will rise to nearly 43% of total digital advertising in 2018? That’s not something to overlook. Here are a few reasons why it should be your number one, go-to media.

  1. E is for efficient

Paid search is low hanging fruit when it comes to paid digital media because users are actively searching and looking for your brand or industry; they’re raising their hands in interest for more information or to buy. We typically see paid search generate the highest conversion rates compared to other paid media channels. Low costs to drive efficient KPIs? Yes please!

  1. Paid and organic work together

A paid search listing is the first thing you see on the SERP, whether it be a text ad or Product Listing Ad (PLA). So if you aren’t present, especially on a brand term, then you can likely bet a competitor will be there in your place. And they’ll certainly be stealing clicks from you. By having a text ad, PLA and organic listing, you create a digital storefront, which results in searcher confidence and higher conversion rates.

Paid search ads make up 65% of SERP clicks when a searcher is in the purchase-making process, a number that continues to grow over the years. And with nearly 89% of paid clicks being incremental to organic clicks (Google Internal Data), if you aren’t running paid search in addition to organic, you’re missing out on new customers.

  1. AI is for search, too

You probably read something every day about AI or programmatic. And while much of the technology has historically been in the display media realm as far as paid media goes, it’s very much present within the paid search sphere. While audience targeting (the ability for us to bid differently or exclusively for searchers based on the information we know about them – think: what pages they have visited, previous purchasers, email subscribers, etc.) has been around for a few years now, Google has taken things to another level more recently with Smart Bidding. Smart Bidding uses signals (such as time of day, creative, device, location, browser and much more) to make informed bids at the time of an auction. In other words, Google is bidding in real-time based on how valuable/invaluable a searcher is based on the information known about them. Wow! See this post for more information on Smart Bidding.

  1. Rise in other search platforms like Amazon and Pinterest

Search isn’t just for the Googles and Bings of the world. In fact, 81% of all searches start on Amazon. And 92% of those who start their purchase journey on Amazon also end up making their final purchases there. As you may recall, Amazon crushed Black Friday this past year, generating 55% of all online purchases, according to Hitwise. It’s becoming increasingly important for all retailers to be present on Amazon, as Amazon ad spending is projected to double by 2020 and is beginning to eat away at Google and Facebook’s share of voice.

Pinterest has also been on the rise in the last year, becoming an increasingly important player in the purchase funnel. According to a 2015 study, 93% of Pinners use Pinterest to plan for things they want to buy; 87% of Pinners purchased something because of Pinterest; and searchers start shopping on Pinterest up to two months before they use other platforms. So while you may not see immediate return with Pinterest placements, you’d better get going on this soon if you want to take advantage of future revenue.

So, if you aren’t yet dipping your toes into any of the above, pick up the phone and call DRUM immediately and to help you recoup some of that lost revenue; our team of SEM experts is here to help. Contact us today!