The Google search engine is one of the most important traffic suppliers in the online marketing mix of online stores. For example, users who come to the online store via transactional search phrases are often more likely to make a purchase. However, to ensure that this sentence makes sense for all readers, we explain in this article what types of search queries there are. We then provide five hot tips on how Google AdWords can generate additional sales for online retailers. Let’s go!
Search types and profitability
First, we should look at the three different search engine search types and check which one offers the highest ROI (return on investment) for your own store.
Navigational search queries
Such a search query requires a certain pre-qualification. The user has already researched a product type and is now looking for alternative suppliers or manufacturers. The search phrase could be “test winner espresso machine”, for example. The user expects a customer review of different machines, taking into account technical and product-specific factors.
Informative search queries
Anyone who makes such a search query is still relatively far away from making a purchase. In this case, users often use long phrases to search for a solution to a problem. In this context, a query could read as follows: “gift ideas 50th birthday man”. The user has a distant intention to buy, but is looking for inspiration for possible products that are suitable as gifts.
Transactional search queries
Users with transactional search queries have a concrete interest in buying and know exactly which product they want to purchase. An example search phrase would be: “buy Canon 5d Mark III set”. The probability of a sale is high with this type of search. The click prices for such a search query develop accordingly, but more on this later.
From an ROI perspective, it makes sense for online store operators to focus on transactional search terms and target users via search or Google Shopping. So think about your customers and consider how customers should find you. From an SEO perspective, it even makes sense to appear for informative search types and to appear to users very early on in the purchasing process.
5 tips for more sales with Google AdWords
Now that we have given you the necessary knowledge about search query types, you should revise your existing AdWords account.
Tip 1: Conversion tracking
Implement conversion tracking on the order confirmation page of your online store. It makes sense to transfer the net shopping cart. Then you can optimize the campaigns not only via the information “Sale” or “No sale”, but also include the economic value of the turnover. This allows you to compare costs and turnover and thus optimize according to the cost-turnover ratio. Here you can determine for yourself what percentage of the margin you want to reinvest in growth.
Tip 2: Use Google Shopping
Google Shopping is a very powerful channel in most cases. A product data feed is created from the JTL-Shop, which runs into the Google Merchant Center. Linking the Merchant Center with AdWords enables the Shopping ads to be placed in the next step. Optimization of the campaign is recommended at product level. Products with a Good cost-to-sales ratio should get more reach through a higher click price and therefore be sold more frequently.
Tip 3: Bid adjustments
The fixed click price and the quality factor determine the ranking position. However, the performance of the ad varies greatly depending on the device used (desktop, mobile or tablet), the location of the users and the time of day at which the ads are displayed. Active bid adjustments ensure that they appear prominently for the target group with a high conversion rate and a good cost-turnover ratio. Unprofitable constellations can be corrected downwards accordingly in the CPC control.
Tip 4: Remarketing & target groups
Users who have already visited your online store and/or abandoners are an additional, interesting target group. Remarketing lists can be stored in Google Analytics and actively used in Google AdWords.
An example: A user comes to your store via your Facebook Ads campaign and looks in the category “cooking pots”. The campaign is canceled and the next day the user searches for “buy saucepan” on Google. Here it would be interesting to pick up this user again if their historical user behavior is positive towards the store. An active bid adjustment ensures a higher ranking position here.
Tip 5: Keep at it
It is probably the simplest, but also the most important tip. Stay on the ball. Unfortunately, AdWords is not a sure-fire success. Constant optimization of ad texts, evaluations of search reports and CPC adjustments mean work. But with the right approach, an AdWords account can become an important part of your online marketing strategy.
Conclusion Google AdWords with JTL-Shop4
AdWords is a powerful tool for acquiring new customers in conjunction with your JTL-Shop. However, it is important to see this tool only as part of a holistic online marketing strategy. It can also make sense to consider Bing Ads, as the click prices there are cheaper on average. Diversify the channels through which you address your target group and avoid dependence on individual platforms.
