When crafting a paid search strategy, marketers need to research keywords, craft an effective call-to-action and target specific demographics. Along with these components, having a solid social media strategy is crucial for several reasons that marketers might not initially consider.
Social Media as a Center of Information
Though consumers can visit your brand's official website to learn about your products or make purchases and get in touch with you, research shows that they place a growing value on social media profiles as a source of information. In fact, a recent study reported on by PR Week revealed that 50 percent of consumers searching for information on a brand look at its Facebook page first. Even if you have a paid search campaign that links directly to your website, it's vital that your social networking profiles — including Facebook and Twitter — are updated and include information relevant to your paid search campaign.
For instance, if a shoe retail store is crafting a paid search campaign to drive sandal sales for summer, it's vital that the brand's Facebook page has additional information on the types of sandals available, special coupons, deals for social media users and other perks. Not only does this reinforce the original paid search copy's message, but it also rewards those who interact with the brand on social media. This last point is particularly germane, as the ability to get deals and save money is a top reason consumers follow a brand on Facebook, according to Social Media Strategies Summit.
Turn One-Time Clicks Into Repeat Customers
Total conversions is the first measure of success marketers might look for in a paid search campaign, but social media growth is also a big part of the equation. Consumers who "like" a page on Facebook or follow a brand on Twitter are more likely to engage with the brand over the long term. Though the paid search campaign designed to sell sandals may direct users to a landing page featuring sale items, a prominently located social media button informing customers that fans and followers get exclusive deals will encourage social interaction and may turn what could be a one-time conversion into a repeat customer.
How Impressions Help Your Social Media Strategy
Cick-thru rates are important in evaluating the success of a paid search campaign, and impressions are, too — but not for the reason you might think. While interested consumers who see a paid search ad but don't click may keep that information in mind for later, it's far more likely that they will seek out its social media profiles for more information. Consumers overwhelmingly expect brands to keep a Facebook presence, according to Social Media Examiner. Impressions from a paid search campaign may draw more eyeballs to a social media profile than an official website because consumers use social channels to find "real" information on a brand.
Paid search campaigns are a great way to boost visibility, but having a cohesive social media strategy is a must for brands looking to reach more consumers.
