Robert Langenback

There’s no question that 2021 will be a strange year for advertisers; that’s essentially baked into the cake when you’re ‘comping’ a year as aberrant as 2020. There’s no question that 2021 will be a strange year for advertisers; that’s essentially baked into the cake when you’re ‘comping’ a year as aberrant as 2020. Revenue…

With only a few weeks until Cyber Weekend, limited time remains for dialing in your bid automation strategy. Algorithmic bidding, while powerful, also has its limitations. One of those limitations—sub-optimal performance during periods of significant conversion rate volatility—is particularly pertinent to advertisers during the holiday season. Understanding this limitation, as well as strategies for mitigating…

While Auction Insights reports are a critical tool for monitoring changes in competitor impression share, it’s also important to understand the many ways in which increased competition can express itself in account performance. We all know increased competition in Google Ads auctions negatively impacts performance by making clicks more expensive. And yet increased competition isn’t…

Blog posts are powerful engagement tools. They drive organic traffic to your website, demonstrate your expertise, and generate shares and leads. But to do all that, your posts must grab the attention of your target audience, sustain their interest, and fulfill their expectations. Read on for simple strategies to help you compose engaging blog posts…

Google announced on 5/28 plans to release a new ranking algorithm that will quantify a user’s perceived experience (UX) when determining rank for a particular page, or website. This update is not expected to go live until 2021, but it will mark the first time Google will officially take user, or ‘Page Experience’ into account…

The best product page SEO strategies help both people and search engines discover your products. Effective product page content is far more nuanced and complex than simply tossing a few keywords into the copy. Read on to learn the essential elements of product page SEO to achieve content that generates traffic and boosts conversions.  1….

There is no avoiding the tradeoff between these two goals for the simple reason that paid search auctions are very competitive. This is especially so in verticals with entrenched players. These advertisers have large budgets, an established customer base, and longstanding Google Ads account histories that allow them to deploy ad spend highly effectively. This…

Paid search ads are small but mighty. When written well, they inspire click-throughs to your landing page. When poorly written, searchers will bypass your ads, or—even worse—click through only to not find what they expected. The most effective paid search ad copywriting draws qualified searchers and drives qualified click-throughs. In other words, the copy attracts…

COVID-19 is taking its toll on search marketers in the form of slashed budgets and reduced consumer demand. In this difficult (and worsening) macroeconomic environment, it can be easy to ignore one search-specific tailwind that many Google advertisers are currently enjoying: the absence of Amazon in both Google Shopping and text ads. While Amazon has…

‘What should my ROAS target be?’ is a common question for advertisers new to paid search, but one that’s surprisingly difficult to answer. The difficulty lies in part in its subjectivity: There’s no right answer for all businesses; there’s no industry ‘best practice.’ Ultimately, the right ROAS target will depend on business priorities (growth versus…

On 4/21, Google announced a change that will allow merchants to sell on Google for free, regardless of whether they advertise on Google. The change is expected to take effect before the end of April, but what does it really mean for merchants? First off, this change is for products found on the Google Shopping…

As COVID-19 continues to affect the dynamic search marketing landscape, we’re monitoring our client portfolio for trends, opportunities, and learnings. Most of our guidance during this time has focused on the increased volatility in search due to rapidly shifting consumer behavior and changes in competitor strategy. But while increased volatility creates challenges, it isn’t especially…

When customers reach the lower half of the marketing funnel, they’ve already done their research. At this point, they’re seriously considering spending money on your product or services. But they’re also considering spending money on the products or services of your competitors.    Bottom of the funnel (BOFU) content—detailed, helpful, and engaging blog posts and articles—can…

5 Warning Signs Your Agency Doesn’t Have an Automation Strategy Since its launch in 2016, Google’s Smart Bidding technology has proven its value. Companies of every size are using the machine learning tool to automate bids and maximize conversions—including within specific targets such as ROAS or CPA.  But bid automation is not without risks. Optimizing…

Navigating choppy waters in paid search with dedication & experience. In the current shopping environment, paid-search campaigns require constant analysis. Every day brings new challenges, and the year-on-year benchmark for gauging performance has gone out the window. It’s time to make sure you’re making the most of every precious ad dollar. No, it’s not 2008…

Managing Paid Search in a Crisis COVID-19 is presenting new challenges to search marketers. Performance volatility can recall Cyber Weekend, but with additional uncertainty around the overall economic environment, its impact on consumer behavior, and potential inventory issues as a result of supply chain disruptions. We hope everyone is tucked away safe and quickly adapting…