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Marketers' budgets are clearly in the process of shifting from offline media channels to online, such as Search and Display, and show no signs of slowing down. With the growth of online media consumption by today's consumers, the need to reach and deliver the right message online has become a competitive imperative. Current projections show spending for Search and Display will drive online advertising spending past $36 billion in 2012 and approach $50 billion by 2015.1
The proliferation of new devices, technology, and rapid innovation continues to increase the time today's consumers are spending online. The increased attention drives online advertising dollars upwards, and the effectiveness of channels like Search validates the continued shift of marketing dollars. In the case of Search, a consumer can be targeted and influenced at all levels of the marketing funnel—from low- to high-purchase intent. It is important to note that Search is not limited to impacting online sales. The impact of online channels on in-store sales is growing, as it is estimated that 48% of all retail sales are web-influenced, whether purchased online or in-store.2
The growing investment to online media channels and the increased impact of search engines places an even higher importance on understanding user search behavior. Rosetta sought to further understand how users interact with Google search engine results first hand by conducting a small usability study focused solely on the search process. This gave Rosetta a deeper look beyond the best practices already established through client usability testing, which often includes search behaviors. Examining user search behavior presented the opportunity to evaluate the assumptions and methodologies that underpin many search strategies. Rosetta conducted a qualitative usability study—through use of its advanced, in-house User Research Lab and eye-tracking equipment—to evaluate a user's interaction with Google search results. Evaluation included interactions with features such as Google Instant, Google Autocomplete, Local Results, Preview Pane, and Universal search results (images and videos).
The findings from the study revealed insights into various assumptions that serve as the cornerstones of many Search strategies. These insights, in combination with Rosetta's Search expertise, push today's marketers to challenge their existing search strategy and ask the following questions:
If there is ever a constant in Search marketing, it is that things are continually in flux and never stagnant. That which may have been deemed an appropriate approach 6 months ago for SEO or paid search, could now be outdated.
Over the past 2 years, Google has rolled-out a variety of innovative features to enhance the user search experience, including Google Instant, Local Places, Preview Pane, and Autocomplete. For every new feature rollout, industry experts speculate the impact. In turn, those speculations are tested, refined, and incorporated into Search strategies. Accordingly, the Rosetta team sought to test previous assumptions and provide insight that either validated or questioned existing strategies.
The following are the common assumptions that Search strategists have. Results from the study confirmed some previous understandings and challenged some current lines of thought:
The phrase "Search marketing to create brand awareness" is not often muttered in marketing circles. It is assumed by some that Search marketing should be left to do what it does best: capture brand-aware consumers with purchase intent. The reality is Search can be an effective tool to create brand awareness when users are using high-funnel, non-brand terms in their purchase path process.3
Rosetta's test validated the importance of Search marketing for brand awareness. In the test scenarios where users had to search for an item they sought to purchase in the near future, a subset of testers used generic, non-branded terms. It is at this moment that marketers have an opportunity, both through paid search and SEO, to introduce consumers to their brand.
It is important to note that effective online brand marketing does not end with targeting non-brand search queries. In many instances, when a user began a search for a common and highly familiar purchase (e.g., "jeans"), they started their queries with a brand keyword modifier. Through proper brand-targeted pay-per-click campaigns, the right message can be delivered at the right consumer moment. If not, the door is open to competitors and their story.
The following is a client example of the various search touch points a user had along their way to conversion. The path demonstrates how a user starting with brand unaware queries was exposed to a brand through both SEM and SEO, ultimately indicating brand awareness through a branded product search and "closing" on a direct site visit.
| Awareness | Consideration | Conversion Decision | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Introducer |
→ |
Influencer |
→ |
Influencer |
→ |
Closer |
Example of an Actual Purchase Path Generated by a Student Borrower
Local online tools like Google Places, Bing Local, and MapQuest allow companies to be found when consumers want to find them.
Any obstacle that keeps a user from accessing accurate information could quickly detract from a potential sales touch point. With the rapid rise in use of smartphones and devices in the purchase process, the Local Search channel is becoming increasingly important—whether to find the nearest clothing retailer or to search for in-store product reviews. In Google's Mobile Movement study, 95% of mobile users looked up local information. Of that 95%, 88% take action within a day.4
In the case of Rosetta's usability study, the majority of testers engaged and utilized the local results in Google when they were lower in the purchase funnel, such as looking for a checking account. As indicated by the heat map below, testers engaged with both the listings located in the primary area of the search results page and the map located on the right portion of the page. Ensuring that proper, accurate, and detailed information is present will make it easier for potential consumers to get the information they need.
The heat map above shows one user's engagement with local results. Areas of dark red and orange represent sections of greater focus.
The proper incorporation of the Search team at the key touch points of a site redesign or build is vital and ideal. However, reality does not always align with expectations. It is becoming apparent that the convergence of site design and Search is increasing and will be even more important in the future. With Google's introduction of the Instant Preview in April 2011 and their latest iteration in September 2011, the post-click experience is occurring pre-click.
In Rosetta's study, the results indicated that current adoption rate is low. But, as users became aware of the feature, a few were engaged and noted that the preview provided by Google would influence their click-thru. The study confirms the need for integration between Search and User Experience teams in website design to create an engaging experience for the user.
The above gaze plot shows how one user engaged with the Preview Pane. This particular image shows how a user engaged with the preview of the post-click landing page and the importance of having an optimized and well-designed page for the post-click experience.
Search results are not what they once were. Result pages now incorporate a greater variety of assets including images, videos, reviews, and product feeds. Opportunity exists to maximize a company's search engine real estate, also known as the "digital shelf space" by properly optimizing key digital assets. Being able to grab the users' attention at multiple touch points on a results page results in enhanced brand presence.
Our study shows that product feed images within search results are drawing users' attention significantly. Considering the engagement and attention the product results get, the importance of branding comes into play. The product feed represents another avenue to insert your brand in the search engine results, providing the opportunity to either create or strengthen brand awareness. Therefore, the delivery of these product images makes feed optimization important. In addition, if Google considers product feed listings as an important element to the search results page, your brand's listings get that visibility vs. your competitors.
The white area of the above focus map shows where 9 users focused during the eye tracking test. Areas where users did not look are in black. The eye-tracking test shows product feed results are attracting users' attention even though they do not always click on them.
The qualitative eye-tracking test involved 10 participants, aged 19 to 55 years, who use the Internet on a daily basis and have previously made online purchases. Participants were asked to complete 3 primary tasks freely on a live site:
Users were then given static images of predetermined search results to gauge a baseline of the impact of new features in the search engine results page. Results were analyzed using eye gaze videos, heat maps, and focus maps. The testing structure was formulated to analyze results against a series of hypotheses mapped to a set of Google Search features.
1 eMarketer Search and Display Trends, eMarketer (06/11)
2 Forrester Research Web-Influenced Retail Sales, Forrester (12/09)
3 From Intent to In-Store, GroupM (10/11)
4 Mobile Movement, U.S., Google (4/11)
Download "5 Questions Every Marketer Should Ask About Their Search Strategy" (PDF)