There is no question that the Coronavirus pandemic shifted consumer behavior and the way people spend money. Despite this, the pandemic proved just how much businesses rely on digital advertising to keep their companies solvent during times of crisis and growing the rest of the time.
Statistics published in a March 2021 article for Search Engine Land confirm this fact. During the fourth quarter of 2020 alone, businesses placed $7 billion dollars worth of ads with Microsoft Advertising and $39 billion with Google. Pay per click (PPC) is more popular than ever.
What will the future of PPC look like in a post-pandemic world? We explore two anticipated trends in this blog post.
Companies Must Understand Their Audience and the Buyer’s Journey Even Better Now
In 2021, marketers can no longer rely on controlling their ads and PPC bids based on words alone. That means they need to look beyond data to view a complete picture of the intended audience. Marketers who achieve the greatest post-pandemic success will develop into strategists with a hyper-focus on their intended audience.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation has made things easier for marketers in many regards, but it has also given them less control over who sees their ads unless they define a narrow target. Finding the ideal alignment between the buyer’s journey and PPC will be essential to achieving the highest return on investment (ROI) and rise above the competition. Questions for PPC strategists to consider include:
- Where do members of their target audience interact?
- What information do they need, and how do they search for it?
- What are the best ways to measure success?
Increased Use of First-Party Data
New restrictions regarding third-party cookie access and updated global electronic consumer privacy laws mean that marketers must develop new ways to source data. Going forward, search marketers will need to focus on data while working with a marketing agency to ensure privacy compliance. They also need to make sure that they source useable data in light of the new restrictions.
Digital marketers have become extremely dependent on data extracted from cookies to use for customer targeting. Those who achieve the highest level of success in 2021 will develop new technologies for extrapolating data that does not rely on cookies. Businesses should plan to obtain and segment first-party data.
Customization is still key when it comes to reaching new customers. The good news is that customizing offers for specific groups of consumers can be easier when companies align the process with the brand and business goals. Although creating first-party data is a time-consuming task, the benefit is that marketers can use it across multiple channels.
Schedule a Consultation with Clever Light Media
Times are changing, and companies have no choice but to make new marketing plans to change with them. We offer everything from PPC marketing to local SEO to conversion tracking and optimization. We invite you to learn more about our services during a personal consultation with Jenn Wentworth.
