Discoverability in Paid Search:

4 Underutilized Tactics

Ryan Gibson

EVP, Marketing Strategy

Merkle | RKG

@RyanDGibson

2 souce: thinkwithgoogle.com

Many Travelers Start Travel

Planning Undecided on a Brand

New Customers: More Than Brand

Underutilized Paid Search Tactic One:

Target How Customers Search

Duluth airport hotel

Hotel shuttle Duluth airport

Duluth hotel airport free breakfast

DLH hotel

DLH airport shuttle

Hotel near Miller Hill Mall

Hotel near UMD campus

DLH park and go hotel

DLH park and fly hotel

Target How Customers Search

NYC Hotel

Times Square Hotel

Hotel on Times Square

Best NYC NYE Hotel

Business Hotel Times Square

HSMAI Hotel

Marquis Theater Hotel

Target How Customers Search

Target Where Customers Search

6

[VALUE]

27%

Non-Brand Revenue

Google Bing

7

One Hour

Direct Flight

Two Hour

Direct Flight

Three Hour

Direct Flight

Target Your Customers’ Locations

Underutilized Paid Search Tactic Two:

8

“Bahamas Vacation

from IAD”

“Bahamas Vacation

from IAD”

Prioritize Geo + Non Brand Search

10

+240%

Revenue

Year 1 Year 2

Paid Search Revenue

Prioritize Geo + Non Brand Search

11 11

85% of

bookings come from

Unique

Keywords

Research & Booking: Across Devices

12 souce: thinkwithgoogle.com

Target the Mobile Context

Underutilized Paid Search Tactic Three:

Be Present When Needed:

Example: Airport Locations

“Hotels Near Me”

- On Mobile

- Near Airport w/

Shuttle

- FAA / Weather

Delays

16

Growing Revenue + Mobile PPC

Helps Capture Consumers

Throughout the Conversion Funnel

Targeting Audiences

Underutilized Paid Search Tactic Four:

Adult Caribbean Vacations cheapcaribbean.com/Adult-Only

Kid-Free Caribbean Vacations.

Book With The Beach Vacation Experts!

Adult Jamaica Vacations cheapcaribbean.com/Adult-Only

Kid-Free Jamaica Vacations.

Book With The Beach Vacation Experts!

First Time Visitor

Visited Jamaica Destinations Page

Established Brand PPC Growth

+64% YoY Revenue

One of World’s Largest

Hotel & Resort Groups

• Developed robust non-brand

keyword list

• Aligned with how their

customers search

• Focused Geo-Targeting

• Advanced Audience Targeting

• Different messaging and

landing pages for known

searchers

Thank You!

Ryan Gibson

EVP, Marketing Strategy

Merkle | RKG

@RyanDGibson