The Importance of Timeliness in SEM

Timing is everything. It is the difference between making a purchase offer to a customer who is ready to buy, and making a purchase offer to a customer who is still considering their options. If you reach customers at the right time with the right kind of communication, then as a marketer, you’ve done your job.

There are many special instances and occasions that can influence how your SEM will perform. External factors and trends influence consumer search habits and purchase processes. As a search engine marketer how should you react to some of these special instances?

New Product Launches

Whenever you launch a new product you should always have one cohesive message about that product. Make sure that the communication in your SEM campaigns is consistent with the communication throughout your other channels.

  1. Talk to your public relations people and see how they are pitching the product to the media. See what types of terms they are using to describe the product and how they are angling the product and its functions.
  2. Cultivate information from product marketing managers. Your product people know your products best. Which features of the new product do your product marketers emphasize? What type of consumers are they talking to? Figure out how they are talking to potential customers and use the same language in your ad copy. If PR teams or product teams highlight certain words, then you should implement these words in your SEM campaigns. PR representatives and product managers have worked hard to develop a unique selling point for your product. Make sure you adhere to this strategy.
  3. Research brand association and product association. As a search marketer you have special insights into what customers are looking for. Before you launch a new product, use a keyword insight tool to see how people are looking for your new product or similar products. Figure out the things people associate with your brand and speak to those points.****

Bad Press

Sometimes, bad press is unavoidable. But, as search engine marketer, you can do something about the negativity swirling around your product or brand. If people have been bad-mouthing your product or its features, you can create “negative campaigns” to address these concerns.

For example, consider the false rumor that the new Adobe Photoshop CC only works with an Internet connection. In order to debunk these myths, Adobe bid on terms related to this type of bad mouthing and explained the facts.

Use simple, informational landing pages that show the facts of your product and easily debunk the bad press about it. I’m fond of comparison columns because they’re easy to scan. You might be able to turn bad-mouthers into customers!

Holiday Seasons

Sometimes sales surge (think Black Friday or Cyber Monday). How can you take advantage of upswings in sales using SEM? Simple—use SEM in conjunction with promotional offers.

You can offer exclusive promo codes for discounts in your SEM ad copy or you can simply link customers to sale pages. Customers are more likely to buy when they see something is on sale.

During strong buying seasons, savvy consumers will be on the lookout for discounts and sales. You may want to consider bidding on related terms like “sale” or “discount”. These general terms could be expensive, so consider mixing in some brand terms or other terms specific to your product.

Speak at the Right Time

SEM is one of the fastest marketing mediums. Almost immediately after you post an ad it becomes available to searchers. Use this to your advantage. Depending on the occasion, alter your ad copy and landing pages to suit customer needs. Make sure you choose the right time to make the right offer!