Expert: Why better understanding of Google, Facebook is key for marketers

Most of consumers' online time is spent with two Internet giants: Google and Facebook. What's more, roughly 60% of the digital ad spent is also spent with these two behemoths. That, according to one expert, is why marketers need a better understanding of how both search and social - and in particular Google and Facebook - work.

by Kristina Knight

Kristina: Are marketers and brands doing enough to unite their search and social campaigns?

Wesley MacLaggan, SVP of Marketing, Marin Software: In most cases, no. Advertisers are still typically working in channel silos which results in budget battles and inefficient spend allocation. At Marin, we see a 2x increase in conversions for users who click search and social ads versus users who only click search ads. On the social side the results are even better--users who click a search and social ad have a 4.5x conversion rate versus users who only click social ads. So cross-channel is the only way to go; it's simply a must-have proposition for advertisers.

Kristina: For those who aren't putting search and social data together, what is a good way to start?

Wesley: It's important to demonstrate quick wins for your cross-channel efforts. We recommend running incremental lift tests to show ROAS gains; the results will justify bringing your search and social teams closer together. Once the gains are compelling, double-down on cross-channel budget allocation to run campaigns that deliver on your advertising and business goals.

Kristina: Why is it important for this to happen?

Wesley: Besides the performance impact, failing to run cross-channel campaigns comes with major disadvantages, including the following:
• Attribution failures: uncertainty over which channel is actually driving conversions
• Budget mistakes: double-counting conversions when viewing each channel separately
• Mixed messaging: failure to message customers seamlessly across both channels

Kristina: What are your top 3 tips to coordinate search and social campaigns?

Wesley: My top 3 tips for coordinating search and social campaigns are:
• Create an organizational structure that aligns search and social activities
• Implement a unified attribution model that values each touch point to conversion
• Partner with an industry expert to set up and run stellar cross-channel campaigns.

Tags: advertising, Marin Software, mobile marketing, search marketing, search marketing tips, social marketing, social marketing tips