Most people use SEM for direct response, but I want to use it to capture users who are just starting their research. What is the best way to bid on broad "educational" keywords without blowing the budget on people who aren't ready to buy for another six months? Should I use different landing pages for these?
3 answers
Using SEM for Top of Funnel (ToFu) requires a very different mindset. You shouldn't send these users to a "Buy Now" page. Instead, send them to a high-value resource like a whitepaper, a webinar, or a "Top 10" comparison guide. Bid on "How-to" and "What is" keywords using a "Maximize Clicks" or "Target Impression Share" strategy. The goal here is to get your brand in front of them early. Then, the most important step is to use "Remarketing Lists for Search Ads" (RLSA). Once they've visited your educational page, you can bid more aggressively on "Bottom of Funnel" buyer keywords when they search again later.
How do you justify the spend to clients when these ToFu keywords don't show an immediate "Last-Click" conversion in their monthly reports?
Content is king for ToFu. If your landing page provides a genuine answer to their research query, they will remember your brand when they are finally ready to make a purchase.
Exactly, Deborah. Building that initial trust is the hardest part of the customer journey, and SEM is a great way to skip the line and get that first interaction.
Patrick, you have to use "Data-Driven Attribution" in Google Ads. To answer your question, show the client the "Assisted Conversions" report. This proves that while the user didn't buy immediately, that first "educational" click was the starting point that eventually led to a sale three weeks later.