A Google analyst recommended that retailers use a multichannel approach and maps in paid search at the Digital Marketing Days conference in New York on June 15.
Yael Davidowitz-Neu, industry analyst for the retail sector at Google, said retailers should take advantage of the fact that consumers are researching online and shopping in stores.
“If we want to be successful as marketers, we have to follow consumer behavior online and offline,” said Davidowitz-Neu.
She added that retailers should also use maps in paid search. For example, a search of Office Max could result the company’s web site or locations near the searcher. By giving the location, a marketer can attract a consumer into a store.
Meanwhile, Kathryn Wang, account executive for the retail sector at Google, said marketers should take advantage of data. However, Wang warned that first marketers should define their goals and only use data that makes sense to them.
“It is key to look at the metrics that are important for what you are trying to accomplish,” she said.
Wang also suggested that marketers use predictive modeling. For example, if a marketer sells cold medicine, it is smart for that company to look at flu pattern trends. By looking at spikes in when the flu has typically taken off, marketers can anticipate future epidemics and buy keywords in advance, she said.
“[It] lets you predict when there will be a spike in searches and it can help you decide how to spend your money,” added Wang.
