Is Your Paid Search Cannibalising Your Organic Search?
In this opinion piece, iProspect Australia’s head of paid media, Dani Downs (pictured below), explains how brands can ensure that they’re getting the most out of their search strategy.
Paid search is an easy, scalable and affordable means to get in front of people actively seeking topics related to your business, but have you ever wondered whether your paid activity is cannibalising your organic search traffic?
A brief history
Cannibalisation of organic search results has been a topic open for discussion since the dawn of Google AdWords in 2000. However, in more recent years, changes to the Google search engine results page (SERP) layout have brought this topic to the forefront of advertisers’ minds.
In February 2016, Google rocked the world of search with (arguably) the most memorable SEM algorithm update of the past two years:
- The removal of right-hand column ads;
- The addition of another paid ad above organic results, now totalling four ads instead of three, and;
- The addition of paid ads below organic results.
This move towards a ‘mobile-first’ format was cause for concern amongst search marketers who predicted an increase in competition (and effectively CPCs) with fewer ads now visible above the fold. Concern was equally shared by SEO marketers who saw their organic listings pushed further down the SERPs.
After the change launched and the dust settled, advertisers were pleased to find Google Ads CPCs hadn’t noticeably shifted. The same couldn’t be said for SEO marketers, who witnessed organic search traffic and click-through rates (CTR) take a sizeable hit.
Since the new format rolled out, paid search has become an even more critical element of search strategy.
Should I bid on keywords I rank well for organically, or does organic have me covered?
Nick Lyengar, director of digital intelligence at Cardinal Path, spoke to this point at the 2016 Google Master Class, stating that the digital analytics consultancy observed a rise in combined organic and paid search CTR when both mediums appeared in the SERPs together, as opposed to one or the other. Where true, the extent varies on a search query basis.
What about my brand name? Am I paying for clicks I would otherwise get for free?
It’s a fair point and one that’s frequently asked.
Bidding on a business’s own name can seem counter-intuitive; however, Lyengar revealed through Cardinal Path’s generous data sets that if a user searches for a company, they won’t necessarily visit that company’s site – and in fact are commonly intercepted by competitors. The minor cost to defend brand keywords is a small price to pay to protect brand search when users are in the sensitive final stages of their conversion journey.
Here are a few reasons to bid on your own brand:
- Increase your visibility to defend against competitors – position one for organic search often isn’t position one on the SERPs. If competitors are bidding on your brand name, up to four ads can appear above your organic links. These can now be accompanied by maps and other SERP features. The simple truth is users won’t always scroll to find you in the organic results.
- It’s low cost – quality score for your own name keywords is almost always higher than your competitors, especially if you can trademark your brand name restricting other accounts from using it in ad copy. This means you pay significantly less for your own brand name clicks than what your competitors will.
Measurement
Industry stats are all well and good, but how do we answer the above questions for a single company? Running a cost efficiency analysis using the ‘Paid & Organic’ report in Google Ads will shed light on where it is profitable to bid (or not bid) for certain searches.
Within the Google Ads interface, advertisers can link Google Search Console – a platform used to monitor organic rankings and performance. Once linked, the Paid & Organic report is ready to use!
Navigate to the report via:
Google Ads > Reports > Predefined Reports > Basic > Paid & Organic
From here you’ll see columns such as:
- Search term
- Search result type (ad shown only, organic shown only, both shown)
- Performance metrics (paid clicks, organic clicks, combined clicks, etc)
- Segmentation by day of week & other attributes (campaign type, keyword status, etc)
Use this information to answer questions like:
- Should I bid on my brand terms?
- Are there any organic keywords generating traffic that could be further supported by paid ads?
- Are there any keywords performing well on Google Ads that I don’t rank for organically?
An example of an analysis to answer “should I bid on my brand terms” may look like this:
Search result type | Organic CTR | Ad CTR | Total CTR |
Organic shown only | 7% | – | 7% |
Ad shown only | – | 12% | 12% |
Both shown | 5% | 14% | 19% |
In this table, we see that when both organic and paid are shown in the same search result, total CTR to the website is far higher than either result alone. Taking this one step further an advertiser would also consider the impact on traffic, spend and revenue.
Where to from here
Experiment! Every company’s search landscape is unique and the ever-changing environment means no answer is set in stone. Keep a watchful eye over paid versus organic traffic to get the best bang for buck out of your search strategy.
Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.