When people search for products, let’s say, coffee makers, or a brand like Keurig, are they ready to buy? Some people are moving through the shopping process funnel and will buy. Some are just looking for information. Choosing the best keywords for your adword campaign is the first task. Read more about keywords in this article: SEO & Keyword Research - Your Quest For Good Keyword
There are some people looking for a website that has a specific model to compare prices. These shoppers have a higher intent to buy. The website they will spend time one will need to have:
- the name of the product they are looking for
- a picture or two of the product
- price
- product specifications
- easy order button
Product listing ads, PLAs, make it easy for online shoppers to find a site with inventory in stock. These PLAs are delivered by Google, Bing, Amazon and others. It’s pay-per-click on steroids. Highest bidder gets best placement.
(PPC ads are always at the top and on right hand side of page on search results pages. Google just changed how they are displayed – you will see a small yellow box that says ad near some. There is a visible difference in the display, though you may think it is subtle.)
PLAs claim a significant amount of clicks.
Pictures and format lure in shoppers. Google populates most product seach results at the top of the screen (above the fold) with PPC ads. It makes sense. They are delivering impressions to advertisers.
According to Google+ article by Larry Kim, research on SERPS like these PLAs found that two-thirds of clicks on commercial searches goes to ads. People who go past the paid ads are organic results. They account for less than half of the search. It was concluded that the people who scroll to these ads have less intent to purchase than those who click on the PLAs.
PLAs make it easy for shoppers at the end of the funnel to buy.
The ad shows an image of the product, price and a link to a landing page where they can buy. Product listing ads are bottom of the funnel ads and highly competitive.
