expertSEM

Local search is an emerging trend in search engine marketing. It can be a very lucrative marketing strategy, especially for national companies looking to make an impression in specific locations. Due to the newness of local search, search engine marketing agencies are currently evaluating various ways to tackle this PPC technique. SearchAdNetwork, a Denver-based search engine marketing agency, discovered a creative approach for one local search campaign.

The WildBlue Communications campaign presented a unique challenge for SearchAdNetwork. WildBlue is a satellite-based provider of high-speed Internet service. Their primary markets are rural areas that do not have access to DSL or cable Internet access. Due to the nature of WildBlue’s target market, SearchAdNetwork needed to focus on lower density population areas – less than 50 homes passed – where larger Internet providers are unable to service. Currently, there are some 20 million homes that cannot be reached by DSL or cable Internet providers.

SearchAdNetwork’s objective for this campaign was to drive traffic to targeted landing pages, resulting in one of three success metrics: generate a phone inquiry or sale, enter a zip code to display local dealers and promotions or register leads for follow-up marketing campaigns. This objective challenged the standard targeting capabilities of local search marketing and SearchAdNetwork was forced to explore new methods to generate optimal results.

Based on internal market research studies, the WildBlue marketing team provided a detailed, targeted list of zip codes and associated county names to seed the campaign launch. This list exceeded the allotted number allowed by search engine zip code targeting. SearchAdNetwork compiled a catalog of geo-modified industry keywords, yet they estimated the ads would reach only 20 percent of relevant searchers. To accurately reach the WildBlue market share, SearchAdNetwork needed to target high volume, high cost keywords, such as “high speed internet”; yet, only in areas with a lower population density. These restrictions made the WildBlue campaign all the more difficult to execute.

Enter Google polygon mapping. Google’s local search option allows an advertiser to target an area by plotting points on a map; only those searchers with an IP address originating in that unique geometrical shape will see the ad. Aided by targeted zip codes and low density population maps, SearchAdNetwork formulated 150 polygons with a radius of 100 miles or less. Targeting these specific regions allowed SearchAdNetwork to resourcefully bid on broad industry keywords, as well as competitive terms and phrases.

SearchAdNetwork also recommended that WildBlue design unique landing pages, which would reflect the disposition of its rural target customer base. Using content that appealed to this specific audience, the landing pages were able to focus and convert searchers that may have otherwise exited if they were initially directed to the WildBlue homepage.

Additionally, SearchAdNetwork recommended that WildBlue use a unique and traceable toll-free number on the customized landing pages. The SearchAdNetwork Media Agent system allowed the monitoring of zip code and registration conversion metrics; the addition of the toll free number added the opportunity to oversee individuals making phone inquiries and sales, data that proved to be invaluable in determining the success of the WildBlue campaigns.

The results of this innovative local search campaign were astounding:

• WildBlue lead registrations increased 220 percent since the launch of the geo-targeted campaign. 5,055 registrations were generated in Q4 2006.
• 5,023 quality phone leads were tracked using the unique toll-free numbers in Q4 2006.
• 85,090 promotion and local dealer look-ups were delivered in Q4 2006.
• The local campaign garnered the lowest cost per acquisition and greatest return on investment.

The use of Google’s local search program was the correct decision for the WildBlue campaign – it had the lowest cost per conversion of any pay per click campaign WildBlue had previously executed, accounting for over 30 percent of all conversions. Thomas Gallagher, WildBlue’s Online Content Manager, was particularly thrilled: “We had worked with search engines directly for a few months, but decided we needed a team that would interpret both the traffic data and our specialized business objectives to respond to campaign modifications in real-time. SearchAdNetwork’s business acumen and technology knowledge has been invaluable to the success of WildBlue’s marketing plan.”

Impressed by the results, SearchAdNetwork’s Relationship Manager at Google stated, “The innovative use of our polygon targeting option by SearchAdNetwork was not only demonstrative of their knowledge of regional targeting, but proved that products and services targeting remote areas of the country can have incredible success with Google AdWords.” SearchAdNetwork’s Media Agent system proved to be essential in monitoring the WildBlue campaign success metrics. Media Agent tracked conversions not only by keyword and search engine, but by location of the original click as well. This geo-tracking ability provided the team with the necessary information to optimize WildBlue’s search campaign for rural markets; areas in which their service is needed most.