Measure Your ROI on Google Universal Search

Google Universal Search (GUS) maybe challenging search engine marketers to think outside the box, and move past the two dimensional world of text-based SEO and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising. However, one thing will never change, smart search engine marketers need to keep their eyes on conversions, and make sure their clients are getting a return on their search engine marketing investment.

Paul J. Bruemmer and John Faris in “Google’s Universal Search: A New, Sweeping Approach to SEO” offer some ROI measurement factors marketers should be looking at in their vertical search campaigns:

• Integration of natural search on paid listing shelf-space.
• Keyword inventory and traffic analysis
• Offline and online (paid and natural) competitor analysis
• Natural search cost-benefit analysis

Natural and paid efforts need to be working together to offer the best benefit to the client. It’s not just SEOs that need to pay attention to Universal Search. PPC managers should look into integrating image and video into their box of tricks, because as Universal Search takes over the results, Google will probably be integrating image and video PPC ads in the natural search results.

Look to the future and integrate systems that will not only allow you to target Universal Search, but also measure the results.