Today’s digital age means consumers are facing an online journey that is inundated with new paths of discovery, emerging technologies, and social influence. Big tech, like Google, are building richer automation tools and continually modifying the search experience to minimize steps for searchers to get to helpful answers, faster. In fact, Google search touts over 35 features and listing types, not to mention the massive evolution of experiences with Generative AI in the mix.
Despite all of this change, one thing remains the same: marketers have a responsibility to optimize their paid and organic search results and an opportunity to elevate outcomes through deeper focus.
Successful brands understand the critical role search plays in the consumer journey to harness its unique power: intercepting users in an active state of need.
The common roadblock to execution? Separation in how paid and organic search is managed. Modern search marketers face three main challenges:
- Understanding contextual searcher intent at scale.
- Monitoring SERP (Search Engine Results Page) changes and spotting emerging trends.
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Leveraging SEO/SEM as a first-party powerhouse in the cookieless future.
Brands that do not integrate their teams and processes for a more holistic approach to search risk having blind spots, lack context about consumer needs, and miss emerging trends.
While this may sound logical, putting it into practice can be challenging. So how do we bring this concept to life? Let us show you.
/ CONTEXTUAL SEARCH INTENT
Let’s address the existential question: ‘Why are users searching?’ The answer is straightforward—there exists a need. Understanding that need, however, is much less apparent.We cannot get lost in the silos of Google Ads and Search Console. We need to step back and consider the consumer—the person who takes out their phone and performs a query. As search marketers, we should focus on purpose-driven content and experiences aligned to the needs of our customers. Doing so has boosted ROI by as much as up to 15%.
A greater focus on purpose will not only encompass intent, but also considers a searcher’s’ context, the ‘why’ behind the query. When users turn to search, they are seeking information, education, inspiration, assurances, or to purchase goods and services. Modern search marketers must grasp context and intent, across the entire search landscape, and apply those insights to target audiences uniquely. This transforms your search acquisition strategy from simply ‘appearing in search’ to ‘resonating in search.’This transforms your search acquisition strategy from simply ‘appearing in search’ to ‘resonating in search.’
Ultimately, search should act as a connection point between your brand and a user’s purpose.
To help brands understand what meaningful connections look like for their customers, we developed a new, holistic approach for gaining a better understanding of context and intent in search. The dentsu Search Matrix is a cloud-based proprietary search intelligence tool that leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to extract deeper meaning from user search data and accelerate identity-first decision making. We’ve removed the limitations of manual analysis and Excel processing power to enable less data crunching and more insight finding.
The dentsu Search Matrix prioritizes data preservation to build a brand specific record to elevate analysis beyond the limitations of traditional data storage. As a result, we’ve created a comprehensive view of the total search landscape that facilitates better search behavior analysis, enhances understanding of brand positioning and performance, and identifies SERP features. These insights support strategic and tactical planning.
Our efforts culminate in an action-forward approach that focuses on developing search strategies aligned with user intent and context, tailored to fit the SERP format likely to achieve top-of-page visibility and engagement.
/ TRENDING SERP CHANGES
The search landscape in 2024 is perplexing, even daunting at times. The SERP has become a visual battleground, growing increasingly complex while favoring visibility on Google’s own native listings, such as the Knowledge Panel or its “People Also Ask” feature. To a brand, the visual search experience and ever-shifting listing variations dominate users’ research and conversion decision journey.
One of the biggest wildcards in 2024 will be how Google uses GenAI in its top of page search results. Without any confirmation on what Google’s SGE launch will look like, the industry has been diligent about trying to understand its impact on primary KPIs.
Adweek notes that SGE impacts spark “significant fears” for ad revenue losses, projected up to $2 billion annual “shortfall” in ad revenues for publishers. SERP Ads visibility and click loss (in SGE, ads show much lower on the page) is also a concern. But, we know that Google gets a significant amount of its revenue from its ad business; so, experts are hypothesizing if revenue is lost, SGE may not show for vastly impacted queries, such as ‘life insurance quotes’.
Aside from revenue and paid search impact, organic search will no doubt feel an erosion of current traffic levels with the projected impact of SGE to range anywhere from 20-60%. According to renowned search industry authority, Danny Goodwin, the biggest SGE threat exists for brand and product queries. On March 22nd, Google announced the rollout of SGE to users beyond those who opted-in search labs, with SGE providing third-party sites a great opportunity to rank higher for brand and product terms. Additionally, research shows that SGE is displayed for 91.4% of all search queries, so there is little opportunity where SGE isn’t a threat. Another threat? PPC ads were seen in just over 50% of terms, of that 51% appeared in SGE and 49% appeared under SGE, while shopping ads appeared below SGE 64% of the time.
The moral of the SGE story: there are more unknowns than knowns, Google hasn’t confirmed much about launch, and impact will ultimately come down to how users modify their search behaviors due to this experience.
So, what can brands do about it? At iProspect, we leverage our dentsu Search Matrix InSights tool to evaluate the competitive SERP landscape for holistic insights for both organic and paid placements in Google search. Breaking this down, consider a valuable search query or keyword for your brand. When was the last time you reviewed the variety of Google listing types, as well as the orientation and nature of those listings? What changed month-over-month or year-over-year? Did any competitors rise in share or alter their positioning? Does your brand observe meaningful performance implications when certain conditions are met? All of these questions and more are easily accessible in the dentsu Search Matrix InSights tool.
/ SEO & SEM THE FIRST PARTY
Holistic search management also plays a pivotal role in addressing one of the major themes of 2024: privacy and third-party cookie deprecation. In a cookieless future, search is coveted medium in an advertiser’s marketing strategy. Consequently, we often emphasize that search has a new and expanded responsibility: leveraging first-party data and its robust intent signals more than ever before. Its relative importance in customer targeting and support during the buyer’s journey has increased, especially as third-party targeting has declined.
Search serves as one of the best channels for new customer acquisition. For many small and medium-sized businesses, it becomes the primary driver of a customer’s initial interaction with a brand. Therefore, the brand’s approach to search significantly impacts the future growth trajectory of their business.
With cookie deprecation looming, it is imperative that marketers have an identity-first decision making mindset, fusing data and identity to connect every media touchpoint.
When identity and insights lead the brand’s interactions with consumers, we have seen campaigns achieve as much as a 40% increase in ROI through improved targeting and suppression tactics. Leveraging data and identity to double-down on the right advertising strategy and reducing waste through suppression are equally important.
/ iProspect ONE SEARCH MODEL
At iProspect, we believe that future-ready brands grow at the precise point where people, content, data, and technology intersect.
Applying a customer-centric and performance-driven mindset, brands can harness the power of search marketing to create frictionless experiences for the modern consumer.
- Understand context and intent across the entire search landscape to create connections with your consumers. The Dentsu Search Matrix tool dissects consumer intent themes at scale and in real-time and addresses a critical theme of 2024—leveraging AI in modern search.
- Identify emerging trends to future proof your SERP strategy. The iProspect InSight program monitors and measures Google’s SERP to understand how Search Engines are testing new ways to respond to queries.
- Be a future ready brand as the cookie deprecation looms. iProspect leverages Merkury for Media, our proprietary suite of products underpinned by Merkury, dentsu's global identity, data and insights platform, to enable addressable media experiences, intelligent media allocations, and decisions that drive higher value and performance, in a single connected environment.
Want to talk to one of our search experts to find out more about how to be a future ready brand? Reach out today.
Future ready brands grow at the precise point where people, content, data, and technology intersect. To harness the power of modern media and accelerate brand growth, iProspect challenges the way things are done, with a customer centric and performance driven mindset at every touchpoint. #FutureReady
