Marketing: Holiday '09 Starts Now

But many companies treat paid search only as a profit center, and limit its use as a new customer generator. Managing paid search is a complex process, so here are some practical suggestions:

• Leverage site promotions in paid search ads with an expiration date. Include the date to prompt consumers to act immediately.
• Since paid search brings new visitors to your site, test different landing pages that showcase popular, lower-priced products.
• Introduce consumers to your brand by giving them a little background on your company, similar to a two-page spread in a catalog. Again, these are prospects; treat them as such.

Banner Ads
Many retailers take product photos and use them in banner ads. These kinds of ads let you test with very little cost. Once you’ve paid to create a banner ad, you can test on a cost-per-click basis using Google’s ad network with no minimum spend. Testing lets you develop the necessary elements of a successful banner ad, including offer, image and text.