Small businesses are having a hard time attracting new customers with Google Search, as consumers can now find the information or products they are looking for directly from the search engine results page (SERP). This means that they are less likely to visit a business website, making it difficult for small businesses to grow.
To better understand how marketers can use SERP to their advantage, LaComparacion Pro spoke with CallRail co-founder, CPO Kevin Mann.
You mention a June 2019 study that claims that less than half of the SERP actually generated a click (on a website I guess). Can you tell us more about the substance of this investigation and were there any caveats / difficulties in your opinion?
The study, conducted by clickstream data company Jumpshot, revealed that June 2019 marked the first time that less than half of Google searches generated a website click. Based on data from 40 million browser-based searches on desktops and mobile devices in the United States, 50.33% were classified as "zero click", while 45.25% and 4.42% have generated organic clicks and clicks, respectively.
While the study does not provide accurate data on the number of searches for mobile devices, all marketers are aware of the steady growth in searches for mobile devices. As we can expect that more mobile searches will not get clicks, depending on the immediate responses consumers are looking for when searching their phone, marketers need to take this into account when tracking overall Google activity.
Jumpshot has a panel of more than 100 million devices in the world. Although the company retains the exact number of private US devices, it represents between 2 and 6% of the total number of Internet browsers for desktop and mobile computers.
One downside to note is that the figures are based on data collected from Android devices only. Differences in search behavior between Android and iOS users could bias these results, but probably not significantly.
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Do you think this is good or bad for companies that rely heavily on Google?
Ultimately, this will be a challenge for businesses that rely heavily on Google, especially the small businesses that generate the most new business opportunities from search traffic. Now that customers can find basic information about a business in the SERP, such as a phone number or office hours, they are less likely to visit a website. Many customers decide to call a business directly from the SERP. Since click-to-call is considered a no-click search, it is impossible to map these click-to-call contacts without the proper solutions.
What tools or solutions are available that allow you to accurately track a user, from a SERP to a website, to an entire transaction? "
Google's mobile search advertising and call extensions generate a large number of leads from the SERP, allowing marketers to integrate calls with a single click, to accurately track the activity of those calls. users. To better track calls made directly from the SERP, marketers can implement tools that identify the specific PPC keywords that generated each call and associate the conversion with additional information, including the duration of the call. phone, call recordings and full identification of the caller.
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What is the role of smart assistants in shaping this trend?
Smart assistants certainly play a big role in the trend towards more one-click searches. In fact, 91 million American consumers use voice assistants with certain types of devices, and by 2020, one-third of Americans will use a voice assistant for their daily tasks. While more and more consumers are using technologies like Siri and Alexa to conduct research, businesses must prioritize SEO optimization for voice. Hiring a designated SEO for the voice manager will ensure sustainable expertise and innovation in this area.
How do you see the trend evolving? Will one website category (eg transactional) be more affected than others (eg news sites)?
Given the steady increase in the number of zero click searches in recent years, I don't see this trend going away anytime soon. The rise of voice search and mobile search indicates an even greater number of searches without a click in the future. But there is a caveat here. The types of inquiries made through voice search tend to be very direct and loaded with intent. They look more like commands than scans. We use voice search to respond to a decision already made. We ask for directions, contact information or data about something that we have already identified. Therefore, transactional sites must remain in a position to handle these direct actions through voice search, and marketers must ensure that they optimize SEO for voice.
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Does this mean that marketers need to pay more attention to improving their marketing mix (focusing more on direct, offline, and other audience sources)?
Therefore, marketers must be careful to reduce friction from consumers who want to know more about your business and ultimately make an appointment, make a purchase, or sign up for a free trial. Google has gotten more sophisticated and can answer user questions directly on the SERP. Beyond that, consumers are less patient than before and wait for the opportunity that Google offers. Therefore, it is important to consider a well-balanced marketing mix, but it is also imperative to pay attention to consumer preferences and ensure that marketers have the right tools to track the success of their marketing campaigns. All conversion points.
With the increasing number of click-free searches, marketers need to get creative with their campaigns and ensure that there are complete lead attribution solutions for every customer, allowing them to get started. Effectively allocate your budget to campaigns that generate the most leads. While search traffic is still crucial for generating new business, don't underestimate other forms of digital marketing, such as content and social media, to drive customers to your website.