5 minute read
An interview with Google
An Interview with Google
Keys to Succeed in an Era of Uncertainty
Advertisement
As an independent retailer, you have challenges on your plate that you’ve A never had before. Retailer Web Services can help in a variety of ways. Tap into the experts on our team, leverage the latest in automation and machine learning in products like AdRocket™, and gain valuable insights from RWS partners, like the interview to follow with Google.
As states across the country began to re-open for business, RWS’ Jennie Gilbert and Genna Majuta spoke with Google’s Patrick Tam, strategic partner manager of SEM & Platform Partnerships, to learn how independent retailers can succeed in an era of uncertainty and pandemics. Note: This interview has been edited for space and clarity. To access the full discussion, visit www.retailerwebservices.com/videos-andwebinars.html.
RWS: As states begin to reopen, what advice do you have for independent retailers to really help them prepare for this period that we’re all facing together?
Patrick Tam: The main thing is thinking through consumer behavior. About 24 percent of people said that they recently made an online purchase of something that they would have normally bought in store. And after doing that for the first time, 87 percent of those people said they would buy online again after discovering how easy or straightforward this was.
People, at the end of the day, always value convenience. And if I can buy a freezer online, or I myself just recently bought a TV online for the first time and had a 65-inch TV delivered right to my doorstep—which wasn’t even possible without paying a ton of money a few years ago—I’m going to do it again.
These are all things that people are going to be expecting because it’s been so normalized during the pandemic and can potentially open you up to more customers who are now interested in buying your products where they haven’t before, because you’ve made it so easy for them to engage with you in whatever way they choose.
The second thing to think through is really communicating constant business updates and store re-openings on your site.
If shelter-in-place orders have been lifted or are reinstituted, providing guidelines through your website and on your Google My Business page is important so that people know exactly when and how they can engage with you.
And this includes your keywords that you’re showing up against as well. So, making sure that you’re accounting for searches for curbside pickup or home delivery in your keyword list.
PATRICK TAM
Strategic Partner Manager, Google
RWS: There’s no uniformity in terms of what every business is allowing or how consumers are responding either, so it’s not necessarily, “I have these restrictions and now they’re gone.” I think consumers are still going to look online to find out, can I go in any time or do I have to make an appointment? Do I have to wear a mask? What precautions are they taking? If I don’t want to go in, can I continue to shop the ways I’ve gotten used to? So, it’s really good advice to keep thinking about over-communicating what your business is doing and how people have shopped with you.
PT: If I’m comparing two businesses who vie for my dollars, I’m going to go with one that is more helpful, and that offers me more information to help me make my decision. Next, really thinking through your audience and your customers and what they’re responding to within your business. What categories or which products are really resonating with people? Or even within my website, what is the shopping experience like? Is it as easy for people to make a purchase as it could be?
RWS: For the month of April, folks using AdRocket saw more than 70 percent increase in online orders over those who were not using AdRocket. So with that, I wanted to maybe talk to retailers who are exploring or considering doing something new for the first time, like digital advertising, to try to find a way to set themselves apart in this environment. So, what is something that you would tell that retailer who might decide that now is the right time to dabble in it?
PT: First of all, I would say it’s not as scary or as hard as you think it is, and you have many resources to help you get started. So, at a minimum, having a digital storefront with a website is something that you will need to get started. Ideally, it’s a website that is e-commerce enabled and can feature your product catalog to drive online sales. Companies like RWS can provide support and really digitizing your product catalog, so that you can begin promoting them on your website through Google ads.
Next, if you are really interested and focused on driving online sales, think through some of the other non-ads related components to the logistics of it, like having an order management or payment system in place. Logistics, like having shipping services ready to go and integrated, and then customer service, whether it be by phone or chat, to be able to help answer questions in real time for customers who may be shopping and interested in making a purchase. Lastly, recognizing that advertising is here to help consumers find you. Search remains one of the key entry points for people making purchase decisions. And we know that many small businesses are really budget constrained at this time.
One tactical thing to think through when you’re getting started and you don’t have a lot of resources is go with direct response solutions, like text ads on search or shopping ads to be able to drive direct response purchases with search. You could target brand specific keywords or product specific keywords or leveraging in market audiences. So, if you’re getting started, I would start with a personal approach like that. Yeah, absolutely. The small tweaks can really help really make the difference between a sale and an abandonment.
Thinkwithgoogle.com is a really fantastic site with a ton of insights, case studies and tools…that are available to anyone.
