Tracking Consumer Touchpoints: Buying Intent Keywords

There are two distinct types of keywords: buying intent keywords and research intent keywords. You should be focusing first on buying intent keywords, and using the right tools to track this consumer touchpoint.

What are research intent keywords?

Here is the difference: research intent keywords are used by someone just looking to find information. For example, a student may be trying to complete an assignment, or a curious person may only be wondering about how a product or service works. The people that use research intent keywords are not in buying mode and will not be likely to make a purchase.

What are buying intent keywords?

On the other hand, buying-intent keywords are used when a prospect is looking to buy a product or service.  For example, a research intent keyword might be dental implants recovery time, while a buying-intent keyword might be dental implants Philadelphia.

When you focus on buying intent keywords, you are more likely have ads that convert to sales. So, especially at the beginning of your AdWords campaign, isolate buying intent keywords and focus your attention there.

Ask yourself, “what else could someone be searching for when using this keyword? What can I do to target only those that are really looking to make a purchase?”

Also, you can review the organic search results page for each keyword by going to Google and searching for that keyword. Reviewing what comes up will show you what most people are looking for when they use that specific keyword because Google’s algorithm tries to give people the information they are looking for when using specific keywords.

Over time, Google has become so popular because it can do this so well. If your keywords turn up a lot of informational articles on the results page, that is a sure sign that you have got a research intent keyword, and you will want to to make a change.

Tracking your AdWords

Google provides metrics to its AdWords’ users. Once the AdWords tracking features are set and activated you can get the data you need.  

But what happens when a person clicks on an AdWord and then calls? You don’t know.

Make sure you have both website call tracking and ad call tracking. These two different services will give you valuable information and fill the gap in your customer’s journey.

Do not make the mistake of underestimating your marketing ROI. Make sure you capture your phone call leads and use call tracking to get accurate ROI numbers.

AdWord BONUS:

Use Negative Keywords

Another keyword mistake many people make is not including negative keywords. Negative keywords are essential because they focus your ad on relevant prospects in a modified broad search.

Negative keywords work like this: you can use a minus sign (-) before any unrelated search term to prevent your ads from showing on irrelevant searches.

Following the example from Friday’s blog, Tracking Consumer Touchpoints: Use the Right Keywords, you might have:

Philadelphia Dentist

as your keyword, but you would also include these as negative keywords:

-school, -job opportunities, -salary

This means that when people type in your main search term with any of these negative keywords, your ad will not appear.

You will not be using your budget to target uninterested searchers. It is essential to brainstorm and include negative search terms in your ad campaign.

Also, as time goes on, you can use the Search Terms Report to see what words are triggering your ad and then turn irrelevant search terms into negative keywords. This strategy will allow you to focus solely on your target audience.