Keyword-to-Conversion Model
// June 18th, 2009 // No Comments » // Digital Marketing
The usual approach to SEM by most companies are:-
1. Identify keywords used for search (either by guessing, online media companies or online tools like Google Keyword Tool)
2. Craft out Ad copy, focusing on product USP and Promo mechanics
3. Link to website (either homepage, promotion page, microsite or specific product pages).
This method is not wrong to some extend but if you give it a deeper thought, the entire process could be more focused, direct and conversion-driven. I term it as the keyword-to-conversion model. Basically, conversion starts from the point a search attempt is made.
The key here is to identify the search objective through the search words/ phrase used. Based on the search objective, the ad copy has to be crated to address this. The aim here is to allow the ad copy to be relevant to the search objective, thus allowing the consumer to be able to relate to the ad. With this, we can achieve what we call a ‘true click-thru’.
A ‘true click-thru’ is a result of a non-implusive, need-driven action. It basically filters real clicks from those that are merely in for the wron reason, thus reducing your PPC budget, increasing ROI. Let me emphasize that this approach is strictly for Search networks and is not applicable if you are advertising on a content network.
With a ‘true click-thru’, 50% of the battle is won. Remember, the person that is coming onto your site now has a ‘real’ intention / objective and is not merely browsing. As such, the landing page is crucial. It has to make reference to the ad copy and search objective. For example, if the search objective is to compare prices of a service, the ad copy could say ‘voted most cost effective service by ABC magazine’, providing a point of comparison. The landing page should further emphasize the concept of ‘comparison’ – such as allowing the consumers to select some brands and do a side by side comparison. With this, a high level of interest and relevance is maintained.
In a conversion site, traffic resulting from a PPC campaign on a search network needs to be guided. Imagine someone comes up to you and says he wants to buy an iPod. You bring him to the entrance of yor shop and drop him off there and say ‘Feel free to browse around’. ???
Guide them around. Create informational paths within the site that has a purpose in mind – conversion. From the landing page where you have shown that your service and product is great, bring them to the next page to reinforce that buying decision. I called this the Influencing Page. In this page, contents are create to reinforce buying decisions. It could be testimonials, it could be a summary of USPs, it could be a promotion to create the need to ‘buy now’.
Remember – in a conversion site, it is important to craft contents that are relevant to the search objective, guide them through the site, reinforce buyng decision and then convert. The process should be sharp and sweet.
