Getting Creative: The Art of SEM Campaigns
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Written By Reprise Media | March 7, 2006 | Share This
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Three not-so-secret ingredients to a successful search engine marketing campaign are: applicable keywords, a good creative, and a reasonable budget. But while the keywords (and the money allocated to them) will determine a campaign’s visibility, it is the ad-copy that draws in the online user.
On top of the challenges of writing an eye catching creative, SEM advertisers making a pitch on Google must also worry about the impact their ad copy will have on Google’s quality score. And while Yahoo and most other search engines rank their ads based solely on bids, Google also takes into account the click-through-rate (CTR). Although a hefty paid search budget never hurts, the ability and willingness to shell out the dough is not enough for a successful campaign, especially on Google. Not only does the creative amass the proper audience, it can also have a dramatic impact on campaign metrics.
While not as complicated as some of the other mysteries in this universe, Google’s quality score is definitely a puzzle waiting to be solved. One thing’s for certain; a poorly written creative will diminish CTR, which in turn will lower the quality score. A low QS can mean a death sentence for your keywords by causing the minimum bid to soar sky high ($10 activation bids anyone?). In any case, regardless of whether or not an engine has a quality score system in place, a higher CTR may allow for lower CPC rates. Advertisers may be able to bid lower and still achieve set benchmarks if an effective creative draws in a high number of qualified internet users.
As supported by numerous research articles, paid search is a natural complement to other forms of advertisement. However, it is important for advertisers to keep in mind that a successful ad in print or on TV may not necessarily engage online users in the same manner, particularly when Yahoo!’s and Google’s limitations force messages in online ads to be communicated using 70 characters or less. A little flexibility from clients can go a long way in finding a message that will both communicate the brand and attract users.
Topics: SEM: Paid Search |