News
 How
to Improve Search Engine Marketing
Catalogers looking for ways to improve their search
marketing campaigns were treated to the session “15
Sizzling Hot Search Ideas for Merchants” at the ACCM
conference earlier this year. Patricia Hursh (SmartSearch
Marketing) found these four tips offered during that
session to be most valuable:
1. Pre-qualify clickers. Don’t pay for visitors who
are unlikely to become customers. Be specific about
what you offer. Instead of describing products or
services in a literal fashion, use “qualifiers.” For
example, if your catalog focuses on high-end window
coverings, don’t just say “wood blinds.” Rather, use
more descriptive, qualifying words in your ads like
“highest quality, exotic wood blinds.”
2. Use unique, compelling calls to action. The days
of “click here” and “buy now” are gone. Generic
calls to action are not unique or compelling. Find a
specific way to differentiate your products. For
example, one company posts customer testimonials on
its Web site using MP3 audio files. Its search ads
include a call to action to “hear what our customers
are saying.”
3. Help consumers comparison shop. Catalogers should
actually help people comparison shop. Why? Because
consumers are going to do it anyway! At least this
way you have a voice in the process. Place a
comparison chart on your landing page that
summarizes your unique selling proposition relative
to the competition. Ad copy should entice people to
“see how we compare.”
4. Integrate your search efforts. Merchants engaged
in search advertising quickly should be able to
identify their best converting keyword phrases.
Integrate these lessons learned and make sure your
search optimization efforts are also targeting these
important money-generating phrases.
Patricia Hursh
is president and founder of SmartSearch Marketing, a
Boulder, Col.-based search marketing consultancy.
She can be reached at (866) 644-3134 or at phursh@smartsearchmarketing.com.
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