Onboarding a new client is one of my favorite parts of the job. It’s an opportunity to not only build a personal connection but to gain meaningful insight into their business. These insights allow us to build a successful, long-term paid Search strategy. While budgets and location targeting matter, a deeper understanding of the client’s business, goals, competitors, and audience is critical to building a strategy that works.
Business Goals
A strong onboarding process begins with learning what overall goal the business is trying to achieve. Is the company looking to increase revenue? Build brand awareness? Lower customer acquisition costs? Once we understand these goals (and determine if they are realistic!), we can then begin to determine how we can best support the business. If the client is looking for brand awareness, we may explore Display or Video campaigns. If increasing revenue is the focus, we can discuss Search, Performance Max, and Shopping campaigns. Many clients have several goals they wish to achieve, which often leads to a more robust, full-funnel approach.
Paid Search Goals
Each advertising effort plays a different role in a company’s overall marketing strategy. It’s important for us to understand what success looks like, specifically for paid Search. Does the client have a specific ROAS or tCPA in mind? Has the company considered the Life Time Value for their clients? Which conversion actions are important to track, and should some be weighed more heavily than others? For clients already running PPC campaigns, is the goal to scale what is currently working or improve efficiency? Understanding what has or hasn’t worked in the past helps us build upon what has been successful while avoiding wasting time or money on approaches that have already been tested unsuccessfully.
Core Audience
A strong paid Search strategy requires a clear understanding of who the client is trying to reach. Who is the ideal customer? What demographics are most likely to convert? Are there any behavioral insights that can be shared? What is the lifetime value of a new client? This information not only helps us tailor our messaging, but it also helps us determine what types of similar audiences, in-market audiences, or remarketing groups may be most effective.
Competitive Landscape
Understanding the competition is critical for any business. During onboarding, we like to learn who your direct competitors are and how their offerings compare. How are they similar? Most importantly, how does our client stand apart? What value propositions can we highlight that set them apart and can help with the ability to win the sale or lead? By understanding your competition, we can develop a more strategic plan around messaging.
Other Marketing Efforts
Once we understand the overall business goal, we also need to learn what other marketing channels are being used to support it. Most clients rely on a mix of SEO, social media, email marketing, and more. It’s important for us to not only make sure that our messaging is cohesive with these other efforts but to understand how they can impact paid search results. For example, we may notice a large spike in branded traffic after a client sends out a large email blast or runs a television commercial. We also assess how a client is tracking performance, whether it is through their CRM, Google Analytics, or multiple sources.
Asking the right questions during onboarding is essential to building a long-lasting partnership with our clients. It ensures our strategies are aligned with the client’s goals and not based on assumptions. By having a clear understanding of the client’s business, we are better equipped to craft successful campaigns, anticipate challenges, and provide excellent support.
