Marketers re-inventing strategies for paid search

BANGALORE, INDIA: The year 2013 was marked by updates that have altered search marketing irreversibly. Post-hummingbird, marketers are forced to think of organic search in a whole new light - with practice such as link-building taking a back-seat and SEO becoming more content-centric than ever before. Social signals are being taken seriously by brands.

 

How are B2B marketers coping with these changes? What strategies do they use to maximize their success with search marketing? All this and more is explored in the latest report by Regalix which explores the current practices and standards followed by B2B professionals in order to understand the state of search marketing as it stands today.  

 

The top findings of the report include:

• 56 percent marketers integrate content marketing with search engine optimization

• 61 percent marketers use responsive web design as a part of their mobile SEO

• 76 percent marketers use social media to support and boost SEO

• 71 percent marketers use broad-based information keywords to capture leads at the top of the purchase funnel

• 47 percent of B2B marketers believe that growth of mobile ads and mobile content is not significant to them

• 96 percent marketers use search engine marketing to provide informational/educational content

• 68 percent marketers use paid search to accelerate lead generation

Nimish Vohra, senior VP, Regalix says "Search is a foundational channel within the marketing mix and it plays a crucial role in making purchase decisions. For any marketer, it is obviously profitable to adopt a cost-effective marketing strategy." He further adds that, "Marketers today are forced to re-think and re-invent strategies for paid search, with the increased usage of mobile devices and hence mobile ad formats."

 

Detailed findings of the report include an analysis of marketers' goals for using organic and paid search and various tactics used to effectively attain those goals.

 

Paid Search

 

·         The survey found that paid search marketing is being used at the top of the purchase funnel, majorly for enhancing lead generation.

·         68 percent marketers use paid search to accelerate lead generation; while 63 percent marketers use it to sell products and services online.

·         Marketers use a variety of tactics for lead generation as a part of paid search marketing. The majority, around 71 percent marketers use broad-based information keywords to capture prospects at the top of the funnel.

·         61 percent of marketers reported using "exact match" and "negative keywords" to avoid appropriate/irrelevant clicks

Organic Search

 

·         The survey found that the top three goals for search engine marketing are providing educational/informative content (96 percent), establishing oneself as a thought leader (86 percent) and enhancing brand reputation and awareness reported by 83 percent marketers surveyed

·         95 percent marketers were found using search engine marketing for promoting satisfaction and inducing loyalty among their existing customers.

Mapping Keywords to purchase funnel stages

 

It was demonstrated in the survey that Search Engine Optimization is used by marketers to advance prospects and buyers through the purchase cycle and is not directed to any one stage in the purchase funnel. However, different keywords are used to target prospects/buyers at different stages:

 

Awareness: The survey found that 76 percent marketers use generic informational keywords to enhance awareness around brands, products and services and direct prospects to their site.

 

Consideration: 52 percent marketers use keywords directing prospects to comparison pages on site to help prospects compare their solution with their competitors. 43 percent marketers also use keywords illustrating specific features such as cost, benefits etc.

 

Intent:  Only 15 percent marketers use special offers or discounts to provide them with the necessary push to make a purchasing decision. 46 percent marketers use the same keywords directing prospects to comparison sites.

 

Purchase: The survey demonstrated that 50 percent of marketers use keywords indicating discounts or special offers to induce purchase.

 

Consumption: It was found that only 9 percent marketers make use of keywords that direct prospects to blog posts easing the consumption process.

 

Satisfaction: 19 percent marketers use keywords that direct buyers to blog posts that create a positive impression in the minds of their customers, hence leaving them content and satisfied with their purchase.

 

Engage: 53 percent marketers use keywords that direct to blogs where buyers can engage with the brand directly.

 

Repurchase: 25 percent marketers use keywords with special discounts and offers to existing customers to make them purchase more and keep returning to the brand.

Budget Apportionment

 

Content Marketing was found to be most tightly integrated with search engine optimization. With SEO becoming more content-centric, it was found that 42 percent marketers apportion 20 to 40 percent of their budgets towards content marketing. Less than 20 percent of budgets are apportioned towards display, paid and organic search.

 

The survey also found that organic search marketing will see increased investment this year, while at the same time paid search will see reduced investment. 48 percent marketers reported that that they will increase investment in search engine marketing by 10 to 30 percent in 2014 while 80 percent marketers indicated a reduction in paid spends by 10 percent. 

 

Metrics and Measurement

 

The survey found that the top three metrics for gauging PPC campaigns' performance are directly related to conversion rates.

 

·         84 percent marketers were found using conversion rates to measure the success of PPC campaigns, 72 percent were using the number of leads and 50 percent marketers cost per click metrics to determine the return on PPC investments.

·         When it comes to organic search marketing, 92 percent marketers were found using site traffic metrics to determine the success or failure of search engine optimization efforts. Since SEO is used to target prospects/buyers during each stage of the buying cycle, marketers also use conversion metrics to determine its performance.

The survey was conducted by Regalix Inc, and respondents included CMOs and mid-level marketing professionals from leading B2B companies.