The fact that SEA ads give a clear number of individual clicks on an ad is very tempting for many Marketing Managers. Now, one can "prove" the results instead of just guessing as for print ads. Everything is in control, because the click number cannot lie, can it ...?! But what does that number really say?

The biggest mistake that many Marketing Managers make is to think that the click number is solely connected to the SEA ads and conclude: Let's cut everything else as far as marketing is concerned because now there is a number that validates our marketing effort and it looks promising!

 

Fact is, the complete marketing effort of a company is represented in the click number of the SEA ad. That means, any type of marketing such as e.g., postal mailings, print ads, printed articles, printed flyers, online banners, participation at exhibitions and conferences, social media, even business dinners and free small gifts that are given to customers will strongly influence the results of clicks, once the company places a SEA ad. 

For those that disagree, just imagine the following: Let's just say a  company "x" sells sophisticated milling machines and only chooses SEA ads for marketing. Nothing else. And once somebody types in milling machines into the search engine the ad of company "x" pops up. Would you consider buying from them, if you have never read or heard about them, saw their ad somewhere, met them at an exhibition, conference or else? Probably not! 

Certain marketing activities like print ads or printed articles are not able to give direct feedback; in most cases, not even indirect feedback, as it is extremely rare that a customer tells you what in fact triggered his or her interest. But print ads and articles do play an important role in helping a company obtain and keep a certain reputation and recognition, even if it cannot be quantified in numbers. 

Andrzej Wojtas (Ph.D.), Chief Editor 

of MFN, E-mail: andrzej@mfn.li