The roles of organic and paid search
Search marketing starts by understanding what the customer is trying to do. Someone learning about a category needs different information from someone comparing suppliers or looking for a nearby location. Organic search and paid search can address overlapping questions, but their work and investment profiles differ. The plan should explain which topics need durable website content and where a paid campaign has a specific acquisition or testing role.
What the campaign plan needs
Use the brief to connect the media choice with the customer experience and the people responsible for delivery.
- SEO: organic discovery
Review technical accessibility, page structure and content quality. Create pages that help a reader understand the offer and take an appropriate next step.
- SEA: paid search
Define the eligible queries, markets, budgets and landing destinations. Group campaigns so the team can distinguish different products, intentions and commercial priorities.
- Landing-page relevance
Match the page to the promise in the result or ad. Make the key information, availability and enquiry or purchase route straightforward.
What to measure
Assess the quality of the resulting enquiries or purchases alongside clicks and conversion rates. Review search terms and destinations to understand whether the campaign attracts the intended demand. Separate brand-related interest from other search activity where useful, and explain how attribution and existing demand affect the result. Ranking or traffic growth is useful when it contributes to a relevant customer journey.
Improving a specialist service enquiry
A supplier receives visits from broad informational searches but few suitable enquiries. A revised page explains the service, the customers it suits and the information needed for a quotation. Paid search then tests more specific buying-intent queries against qualified enquiries.
Connect this channel with the wider plan
Compare its role with the other channels in your mix, the destination customers will use and the evidence needed for your next investment decision.
Read the channel-planning guideDiscuss your search strategy
Share the offer, market and outcome you want to achieve. We can identify the campaign requirements and the questions to resolve first.