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Back to SEM Basics: Are you Creating Unique Experiences Based on Searcher Intent

By: Zach Simon, Search Account Manager

 

 

One of the most exciting aspects of working in search engine marketing is how quickly our industry changes, and how often search engines plan and test beta offerings. With so many exciting and potentially rewarding betas popping up all over the place, it is no wonder that many industry discussions and articles focus on these new opportunities.

But, this is not one of those articles. Instead, today I challenge you to go back to the basics of Search. Take a step away from the potential opportunity, the constant encouragement from the search engines and the excitement of just being included in something new, and re-group. Make sure that you are best optimizing your traditional Search campaigns, and that each campaign is creating the best experience for the searcher.

Building an Experience based on User Intent

I challenge you to see what value can be gained from simply answering the question “based on the intent of the searcher, what relationship should I build via my landing pages?” Review the current experience a searcher has when looking for your site through branded queries. Then, compare that with the experience a searcher would want to have if they were looking for information about your industry services/products through non-branded queries.

Segment keywords into “user intent” buckets, whereby each bucket corresponds to a stage in the purchasing funnel. Then, put yourself into the searcher’s shoes. Identify what type of landing page would be most valuable to you if you were searching via a particular keyword at a specific point in the purchasing funnel. Each bucket, and each keyword in many cases, should have an experience that looks completely unique from any other.

Let’s focus on new customer acquisitions to provide an example of this process through the eyes of a credit card company.

 

 

Awareness

Bucket the keyword “credit card” as high in the conversion funnel. If you are willing to spend the money on expensive brand-agnostic keywords like this one, you want to spend that money at the most efficient rate possible. A user looking for “credit card” wants to be educated on credit cards. Your landing page should be clear to outline all of your credit cards and how they differ from one another. It should also outline the types of cards available in the overall market (i.e. Rewards, Cash Back, Travel, etc.). This is a good opportunity to take the landing page to the next level and compare your cards against the competition (assuming your offer is as good, if not better than the competition).

Interest

Bucket the keyword “{Brand}” as mid conversion funnel. But, be aware that the searcher intent could still really be navigational. We don’t know what product they are searching for, so you should ensure that the landing page experience provides them the ability to easily navigate different product offerings. This is a great opportunity to use Google’s sitelinks to gauge intent. Use all six sitelinks as call-outs/links to the most known products.

Evaluation

Bucket the keyword “{Brand} credit card” as lower in the conversion funnel, but still mid conversion funnel. Choose a landing page that would focus on that brand’s credit card offerings. Make sure that users can easily identify where they can apply and don’t clutter the page by showing other, non credit card specific, product offerings like checking and savings accounts.

Commitment

Bucket the keyword “Apply for {Brand} credit card” as lowest in the conversion funnel. It doesn’t get any further down the funnel! Make sure your copy encourages an application submission and create a landing page that shows the credit cards that would appeal to the masses. Most importantly, make sure the link to the application is very apparent.

Rules of thumb:

• Provide the user easily digestible, brief and pertinent information about the product

 

• Make sure that intent, ad copy and landing pages are decided on a keyword level. Neither ad copy nor landing pages operate in a vacuum, they are an eco-system and should all be integrated.

 

Things to avoid:

• Landing pages with too much branding. Users can’t tell the difference between products causing the user to abandon the page.

 

• Keep the copy in the ad and landing page simple, straight-forward and to the point. There is nothing worse than landing on an entire page of copy that could have been simplified into an infographic or even a basic table.

Concluding Thoughts:

Providing your user exactly what they want is the best way to build a relationship. Clicks cost money, sometimes a lot of money. Spend your dollars on clicks that will provide the best return and in this case, giving the searchers exactly what they want to build trust, authority and strengthen the bond between you and your customer.

 

 

 

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Back to SEM Basics: Are you Creating Unique Experiences Based on Searcher Intent