July 23, 2009

The Best And Worst Of Paid Search In 2009

Forrester Applies Its Search Marketing Review To 300 Keyword Ads

by Shar VanBoskirk

with Thomas Cummings, Emily Bowen, Angie Polanco

Executive Summary (This is a document excerpt)

Forrester applied an adjusted version of its Search Marketing Review methodology to 300 paid search ads from the retail, travel, consumer packaged goods (CPG), media and entertainment, financial services, and business services industries. Despite some bright spots — primarily in retail and travel — the majority of ads failed. Retail, travel, and CPG companies must improve their calls to action; media and entertainment companies should screen out irrelevant clickers; financial services firms should mention keywords searched in their ads and landing pages; and business services marketers should learn paid search basics. All marketers can improve their paid search return by applying search for short- and long-term goals and across a customer's entire purchase process.

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