Each day, wisdom galore pours into the world regarding search engine optimization. Value and prestige belong to those who rank high. A lofty position, of course, commands the highest percentage of clicks – and consequently the lion’s share of visitors. Not surprisingly, most brand marketers go all out for a choice position on search engine radar. Rank, without question, is the ultimate traffic magnet.
But what do the lured do once they’ve landed? The answers are vital knowledge for digital marketers, as internal user moves speak loudly of interests and motivations – the prime pathways to converted customers.
Google Adwords supplies this important info – efficiently and thoroughly. It does so with internal site search data, which traces visitor movements as they romp through different web pages, sections, menus, and most importantly – searches. What they’re looking for is easily known to the curious.
The unleash the power of omniscience, Adword users must do so in three simple steps – select behavior, then site search, then overview. Bingo! Appearing before your very eyes is critical user data, including the icing on the cake — What exactly did users hunt for while roaming through your site? Conveniently, search movements can be tied to a specific time frame – say a specific hour of the day.
Interestingly, internal search data often reveals that visitors are looking for terms, products, or names currently absent from a brand website. Mental lightbulbs should illuminate without delay. Why? Because these ‘unrelated’ searches reveal bona fide user interests. Should other users conduct similar searches, their actions amount to a headline screaming – “The multitudes are interested in this stuff! Do something about it”
What a brand can do is (1) ignore the obvious interest, risking user disappointment and consequently abandonment. Or (2) Introduce new, relevant pages and/or content that caters to this potentially profitable interest. Hint: Choice 2 likely will work better for the bottom line.
If you have any questions or comments about using Google Adwords to access internal site search data, or about any other brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way.