Too often in search engines, we don’t find what we’re looking for, and waste time in the process. Search is still far from perfect, and it’s up to advertisers to smooth the process.
Remember when we discussed how corporate marketers were beginning to admit that search engines had caught up to email, in terms of marketing upside?
Looks like now that trend is playing out among the general public, as well. Last month, the Pew Internet and American Life Project published a study with the following abstract:
“The percentage of internet users who use search engines on a typical day has been steadily rising from about one-third of all users in 2002, to a new high of just under one-half (49%). With this increase, the number of those using a search engine on a typical day is pulling ever closer to the 60% of internet users who use email, arguably the internet’s all-time killer app, on a typical day.”
We’ve reached a point at which certain generalizations can be made, without the risk of being reckless:
- Virtually everyone on the Internet has an email address.
- People with email addresses check them with regularity.
- Virtually everyone on the Internet has used a search engine.
- People who use search engines know how to use them.
Well… this last one might still be a reach. The engineers at all the major search engines are a heroic lot and have covered a lot of ground in relatively little time, with respect to demystifying search for the casual internet user.
Too often, however, we still have to click to the next page, or cancel out of a website and start over, or simply concede that certain things just can’t be found on the Internet. Hence, search is still far from perfect. That’s where YOU the advertiser come in.
Here’s what you can do to make the search world a better place:
- Research your target, and the keywords they use. You’ll save money and earn happy customers.
- Build website content in your landing pages which will guide even the most squeamish customer from introduction to sale.
- Invest some time in building a good negative keyword list. If someone’s not your customer, don’t let them get near you.
- Balance your paid search with your organic search marketing. The extra coverage will help you squeeze more value out of your budget.
- Pay attention to your website analytics. This data is much more than a curiosity; it can unlock the key to windfall profits.
See how when you give back to society, we all benefit?
