2017 predictions - Greenlight Digital

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2017 PREDICTIONS AUDIENCE IS FIRMLY AT

D E C E M B E R 2016 The Predictions Edition

THE HEART OF INNOVATION

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Paid Search

ANGELA KNIBB HEAD OF PAID SEARCH

As 2016 unfolded, we saw a lot of innovation from Google anchored around users; including audience targeting strategies, ad extensions and ad formats. As we move into 2017, I expect the consumer to stay firmly at the heart of Google’s innovation, highlighting the need for marketers to focus their attention towards them more than ever and put them first when strategising. GETTING TARGETING RIGHT

Having the consumer at the nucleus of advertising

Data can no longer be ignored – we need it to target the

strategies starts with our ability to target specific

right people, in the right place, at the right time – and as

audiences appropriately. Google has already made waves

audience targeting innovations develop, advertisers need

here, first with Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSAs)

to become better at grouping and segmenting their own

which allow advertisers to target users who’ve already

data. The results should speak for themselves as to why

been to our websites, and then, secondly, with Customer

it’s worth going to the effort of better segmentation, which

Match which enables specific email addresses to be

should see advertisers investing more time and effort in

targeted in search. This has allowed us as advertisers to be

building better segmented lists and, ultimately, targeting

much more focused with our investment and messaging

those audiences more effectively in 2017.

against specific audiences. Google has since released the functionality to target ‘lookalikes’ of both previous website visitors and our specific list of email addresses.

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Paid Search

“I imagine 2017 won’t just bring with it more innovation in terms who we can target and how they’re targeted, but it should also, in theory, see advertisers improving their own methods.”

WHAT ARE WE TARGETING WITH?

Alongside thinking about how we can target our chosen

to see more innovation in terms of actions taken within

audiences better, we also need to think about what we’re

the search results; as with text ads, the ability to control

targeting them with. Shopping is hands down a key weapon

which audiences you’re targeting with your Shopping Ads

in any retailer’s arsenal, and the PPC world is rife with talk

is likely to improve, as will the ability to include more ad

of what we can expect to see in this arena in 2017. Long

extensions to gain credibility and trust.

story short, I think we’re all expecting to see Shopping expand to take up more space in the search results

And this brings me nicely onto my next point. Every year,

pages, complete with better imagery, multiple images

Google releases new and innovative ad extensions, with

on mobile to allow for scrolling and a more user-friendly

the intention of giving users the information they need in

experience. The knock-on effect for advertisers here is

that moment to win the click. I highly doubt 2017 will be

that feed optimisation and maintenance becomes even

any exception, and fully expect to see new ad extensions

more crucial in order to win those all-important clicks,

creeping into play.

especially against your key audiences. As such, I expect

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Paid Search

PAID RESULTS WILL GAIN MORE IMPORTANCE All this adds up to the paid results taking more space

we really do need to be able to understand who our

on the page and pushing the organic results down even

consumers are, where they’re coming from, and what their

further. As a PPC-er, to me this makes your paid ads even

journey looks like.

more important, as they can truly dominate the space should others be bidding on your keywords (whether

The ability to track and report cross-channel helps with

they be brand or generic terms). Of course, this can

understanding when you should be pushing your PPC

get expensive – and that’s why I would expect to see

and when you can rely on your organic to win the sale.

cross-channel reporting and attribution becoming more

This time last year, I wrote that 2016 would be all about

important in 2017.

integration and looking at cross-channel to understand our consumer’s behaviour, and to tailor our campaigns

Attribution has been something of a buzzword for years

accordingly . As we continue to see targeting options and

in search, but with all the innovations we see year-on

ad formats develop, this holds as true now as it did last

year, I think we as advertisers are getting to a point where

year.

MOBILE NEEDS TO BE A PART OF YOUR MIX And finally, I couldn’t write a predictions article without

desktop – and ensure that our mobile sites, responsive

using the dreaded sentence “it’s the year of mobile”! I

sites and apps service those needs accordingly.

hate it break it to you, but the year of mobile happened

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several years ago. Now, mobile is the only device which

So, what’s my key message for 2017? It’s all about your

has reliable traffic growth year-on-year , while smartphone

audience. From your Shopping results expanding, to your

penetration only continues to grow . The observation is

ad formats, to your ad extensions, to who you’re targeting,

clear: whatever business you’re in, your customers want

to device; I think we’ll see a lot more innovation around

to be able to find you on mobile. It’s true, conversion rates

targeting the right people, in the right place, at the right

for mobile are not as high as those for desktop, but if you

time. This means ensuring that you’re reporting cross-

consider cross-device reporting and attribution, we can

channel and cross-device to better service those user

build a picture as to what it is that consumers are looking

needs, as well as prioritising the right channels to grow

for on mobile – which may not be the same need as on

your revenue efficiently.


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