Search Marketing Archives

How Two Major SEM Changes Affect Online Retailers

March 22, 2013
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Mobile Commerce, Search Marketing, Tablets
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Recently Google made some bold moves in the search marketing space, in particular with Google AdWords and Google Shopping, which could affect many online retailers. Let’s take a quick look at these changes and exactly how they could affect your operational methods…

1) Google AdWords launched “Enhanced Campaigns”

AdWords, or the platform which Google uses for their paid search, is getting a serious overhaul. In the past, mobile ads included both mobile and tablet devices and required a completely different campaign within Google Adwords to manage. With enhanced campaigns, there is now only one campaign for all ads and tablet devices are lumped in with desktop ads. Mobile ads are now broken out and can be bid on separately.

Optimizing Pinterest for eCommerce

One of the fastest growing social networks of 2012, Pinterest has not only connected users through its image-rich site but has also attracted the attention of major brands. With several retail brands launching Pinterest accounts over the past twelve months, here are some ways brands can optimize their Pinterest efforts to drive more traffic to their eCommerce sites…

4 Things to Know About the Mobile Ad Industry

Many online retailers are still attempting to fully understand the concepts and capabilities mobile devices bring to their industry. With the mobile landscape ever-changing, mobile advertising has been at the forefront of growth within the retail industry. Although 9 out of 10 online retailers have a mobile strategy, according to Forrester less than half of retailers currently use mobile display ads, a percentage which will likely increase in the coming years.

With both the digital and traditional advertising industries in a constant state of change, here are four things to know about the mobile ad industry…
1) The mobile ad industry is growing around the world – Few industries are growing at the same speed as the mobile ad industry. According to Gartner, mobile ad revenue around the world is expected to increase to $11.4 billion this year, an 18.8% increase from last year ($9.6 billion) – last year the U.S. led all countries in mobile ad revenue with over $2 billion spent. Gartner also forecasts that global ad revenue from mobile devices will reach $24.5 billion by the end of 2016, almost three times the revenue generated last year.

Changes in Search Engine Optimization and Marketing

Search engines continue to be a critical part of any eCommerce strategy. While social media may have taken some of the thunder away from search engines for brand awareness and recognition, the majority of people looking to buy online still use search engines for product discovery.

Over a year ago we sat down with our resident search engine expert, Neil Lemons, and discussed how search engine marketing worked with eCommerce. This time we’re sitting down with Neil again to discuss some of the major trends and changes in search engine optimization and marketing:

What are some things retailers overlook from time to time in regards to optimizing their site to make it friendly for search engines?

Keeping Up With Mobile Commerce

How mobile phones have evolved over the past two decades.

From grey screens to HD displays, the evolution of mobile devices has come fast and furious. Keeping up with the latest trends in mobile technology is not only difficult for mobile experts but also online retailers. Before technologies such as handheld touch screens can even mature and reach the majority of U.S. consumers, they are slowly becoming yesterday’s news as three-dimensional smartphones are starting to be mass produced. Mobile is one of the few industries which is significantly different one year to the next.

So how can retailers keep up with the ever-changing mobile technology? Here are some suggestions…

Drop the “e” from eCommerce and the “m” from mCommerce – Traditional online retail and mobile shopping are becoming one, with almost 30% of consumers using their mobile phone as their primary internet device. When thinking of an online strategy for an eCommerce site it’s no longer typical to view mobile as an extension of the site; for long-term plans given the shift in consumer behavior (94% of smartphone owners ages 18-29 access the internet via mobile devices) having a strong mobile presence is becoming more of a necessity and a core focus of site development.

Use the sophistication of mobile analytics to your advantage – While web analytics can tell the story of consumer behavior on an eCommerce site, consumers can sometimes be “faceless” to online retailers and just an e-mail address on a list. Mobile devices can be a key catalyst to foster consumer trust as two-thirds of consumers who engage in mobile commerce are willing to share personal information with retailers for customized services and deals. Demographic information such as age and gender can be used to optimize remarketing and customer retention tactics which can help boost sales.

Search Engine Marketing and eCommerce

Internet marketing has changed and it’s not looking back. While the term “Search Engine Marketing” (SEM) may be broad, there’s no denying catering to search engines has become one of the key building blocks for retailers in creating successful internet…