Keyword Grouping For 'Campaign' Success
The latest developments in the search engine environment have seen, amongst many things, the introduction of tracking variables into many search engine reporting platforms. Much as tracking and ROI analysis is not new to a lot of companies it is to the search engines and opens up a series of debates that concern the industry as a whole. Despite the ethical nature of a search engine knowing how much money your company is making from their traffic is one of the biggest talking points it is a topic that will run on for many months. The bigger and more pressing issue is how are the search engines, and advertisers for that matter, going to answer the question that will inevitably be asked; "what are you going to do with all of those terms that aren't converting and are just driving costly traffic"?
In recent weeks this question has been put to many of the major engines trying hard to get buy in on their new service(s). Some have answered with sound observations and strategies, others have floundered and skirted around the issue. So, putting together all variations of answer, how do you form a strategy that answers the question posed?
A few articles ago I wrote about understanding what you are offering vs. your brand power. This now becomes more important than ever because a lot of firms will start to better understand how their search campaign is working with the intervention of tracking. The suggestions made were and are still valid but it would be exceptionally black and white to use this as the only gauge for assessment as it would be to suggest keeping only converting keywords. As searchers become versed in more sophisticated techniques in finding their quarry so does the advertisers ability to use search engines to match that need. It is extremely uncommon to find a single search results in an immediate conversion, far from it, so when assessing your keywords there is a necessity to understand the conversion potential of each and every phrase and how it might be used by the searcher. Understanding this is the first step to successfully qualifying any decisions to add, remove or alter keywords in a search engine. The second step is grouping those words into categories to determine their success as a group rather than a singular word.
Putting this into practice requires research that can be translated into testing variables within the search network. Questions to ask are how does the searcher or how do different searchers look for the products or services you offer? A typical search pattern might consist of the following:
Using this example the searcher will use a variety of different types of search term as they define their search item and subsequently their intended vendor of choice. To put this into context here are a couple of examples:
General Search Specific Search Selected Vendor
Search Term digital camera sony dsc f717 [Vendor Name]
Search Term discount flights discount flight to london [Vendor Name]
Using these examples it is clear that a search may consist of a series of different search variables catering to a progressive path from initial search through to intended conversion site. Getting to grips with this is extremely important as it then bares impact upon defining the conversion potential of each word. If we extend this example further:
General Search Specific Search Selected Vendor
Potential (singularly) 0.25% 0.50% 1.00%
Potential (grouping) 0.25% 0.75% 1.50%
The conversion rates in this example are hypothetical, however, they demonstrate the importance of understanding the conversion potential of a word in it's singular nature and if it were to form part of a group or 'campaign'. This example is one of many different variations, shaping the path that a searcher takes will manifest itself based upon a number of market (and marketing) variables. Getting to grips with buyer behavior and the decision making process will dictate how to formulate groups of search terms as and then, over time, to determine their conversion potential as singular items but more importantly as a group. Once understood the following practices might prove valuable in the fine tuning of your overall campaign:
1. Control creative based upon the categorization and value of your term - not all categories should have the same creative. Understanding your offering and branding potential here is essential.
2. Vary your landing page based upon the categorization of the term - a specific search term should go to a specific page, a generic page should go to the most suitable section of your site for the content and a branded term should go to the homepage.
3. Don't rely on paid for placement only - make sure you use every option available. For example, a search strategy could use paid for placement for the general searches, a paid for inclusion (xml feed) listing for the specific search and an organic or site optimized listing for the selected vendor site. If you are to be the selected vendor then being placed on research searches is important for getting your message across and ensuring your branding is consistent.
4. Vary your groupings per search engine or portal - different search engines have different audiences of which some will have a far greater understanding of search than others. For this reason your groupings, creative and landing pages must be controlled per audience.
5. Control your bid management by keyword grouping or objective - test to find out which placements at which times of day need better placements. Do general search terms need to be as high as possible to attract the first user? Does the specific search have to be placed within the top 10? Use your tracking tools to determine this over time.
6. Understand deferred or indirect conversions - Google are issuing a 30 day cookie with their tracking variable to measure users who saw a particular product and or service on an initial visit and then returned within 30 days to conclude their conversion. The probability of a searcher visiting their intended conversion site by typing in the site URL rather than searching on it is high. For this reason tracking deferred will give an understanding of whether the grouping of terms was successful or not.
In summary it isn't important what type of tracking variable you use but more important to use it wisely in your assessment of success. There is little value to removing a keyword based upon simple convert or doesn't convert methodology more to measuring and assessing your channels as a whole and fine tuning their conversion potential as a group or campaign.
In recent weeks this question has been put to many of the major engines trying hard to get buy in on their new service(s). Some have answered with sound observations and strategies, others have floundered and skirted around the issue. So, putting together all variations of answer, how do you form a strategy that answers the question posed?
A few articles ago I wrote about understanding what you are offering vs. your brand power. This now becomes more important than ever because a lot of firms will start to better understand how their search campaign is working with the intervention of tracking. The suggestions made were and are still valid but it would be exceptionally black and white to use this as the only gauge for assessment as it would be to suggest keeping only converting keywords. As searchers become versed in more sophisticated techniques in finding their quarry so does the advertisers ability to use search engines to match that need. It is extremely uncommon to find a single search results in an immediate conversion, far from it, so when assessing your keywords there is a necessity to understand the conversion potential of each and every phrase and how it might be used by the searcher. Understanding this is the first step to successfully qualifying any decisions to add, remove or alter keywords in a search engine. The second step is grouping those words into categories to determine their success as a group rather than a singular word.
Putting this into practice requires research that can be translated into testing variables within the search network. Questions to ask are how does the searcher or how do different searchers look for the products or services you offer? A typical search pattern might consist of the following:
Using this example the searcher will use a variety of different types of search term as they define their search item and subsequently their intended vendor of choice. To put this into context here are a couple of examples:
General Search Specific Search Selected Vendor
Search Term digital camera sony dsc f717 [Vendor Name]
Search Term discount flights discount flight to london [Vendor Name]
Using these examples it is clear that a search may consist of a series of different search variables catering to a progressive path from initial search through to intended conversion site. Getting to grips with this is extremely important as it then bares impact upon defining the conversion potential of each word. If we extend this example further:
General Search Specific Search Selected Vendor
Potential (singularly) 0.25% 0.50% 1.00%
Potential (grouping) 0.25% 0.75% 1.50%
The conversion rates in this example are hypothetical, however, they demonstrate the importance of understanding the conversion potential of a word in it's singular nature and if it were to form part of a group or 'campaign'. This example is one of many different variations, shaping the path that a searcher takes will manifest itself based upon a number of market (and marketing) variables. Getting to grips with buyer behavior and the decision making process will dictate how to formulate groups of search terms as and then, over time, to determine their conversion potential as singular items but more importantly as a group. Once understood the following practices might prove valuable in the fine tuning of your overall campaign:
1. Control creative based upon the categorization and value of your term - not all categories should have the same creative. Understanding your offering and branding potential here is essential.
2. Vary your landing page based upon the categorization of the term - a specific search term should go to a specific page, a generic page should go to the most suitable section of your site for the content and a branded term should go to the homepage.
3. Don't rely on paid for placement only - make sure you use every option available. For example, a search strategy could use paid for placement for the general searches, a paid for inclusion (xml feed) listing for the specific search and an organic or site optimized listing for the selected vendor site. If you are to be the selected vendor then being placed on research searches is important for getting your message across and ensuring your branding is consistent.
4. Vary your groupings per search engine or portal - different search engines have different audiences of which some will have a far greater understanding of search than others. For this reason your groupings, creative and landing pages must be controlled per audience.
5. Control your bid management by keyword grouping or objective - test to find out which placements at which times of day need better placements. Do general search terms need to be as high as possible to attract the first user? Does the specific search have to be placed within the top 10? Use your tracking tools to determine this over time.
6. Understand deferred or indirect conversions - Google are issuing a 30 day cookie with their tracking variable to measure users who saw a particular product and or service on an initial visit and then returned within 30 days to conclude their conversion. The probability of a searcher visiting their intended conversion site by typing in the site URL rather than searching on it is high. For this reason tracking deferred will give an understanding of whether the grouping of terms was successful or not.
In summary it isn't important what type of tracking variable you use but more important to use it wisely in your assessment of success. There is little value to removing a keyword based upon simple convert or doesn't convert methodology more to measuring and assessing your channels as a whole and fine tuning their conversion potential as a group or campaign.
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