Paid Search Strategies for Changing Buying Behavior

Paid search continues to be a sales driving force for online retailers, but the way in which users are shopping online may have changed.

Internet Retailer had an interesting post the other day that included a new study by Google and Compete Inc. which found that consumers shopping online may be searching more before buying. Although the study indicates that conversion rate (for the categories in the study) is up this year, consumers are taking more time after their initial click on a search term to make a purchase.

This change in user buying behavior is most likely due to the current economic climate. People are simply taking more time to decide how they spend their money. Knowing how users are searching is vital information to online marketers.

What does this mean for your paid search campaign?

Well, if you have any sort of seasonality differences in your business – your paid search campaign should be adjusted to keep up with the recent trends. This means that you should be increasing your ad exposure at least 4 or 5 weeks before your busy season. This will allow shoppers more entry points early to discover your brand before they find your competition.

You can also adjust your ad copy to better speak to users who are comparison shopping. Try highlighting the value of your product, or if you are a discount retailer, the price. This will catch the eye of the price-sensitive shopper.

Paid search is very flexible, but unless you keep up on the recent trends, your campaigns may not fit with current search behavior. It is very important to understand how users are searching, so you may find them when they are searching and how they are searching; then tailor your paid search campaign to fit their mind-set.