Keyword Research: How To Work With Your Team, When Everyone Dissagrees on Keywords?

original question on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/advice/0/your-team-client-clash-sem-keyword-0h4rc?trk=cah2

To ensure that your SEM data aligns with actual business outcomes, here are some effective steps:

1. Define Clear KPIs Linked to Business Goals: Set specific KPIs (such as revenue, conversion rates, or customer lifetime value) that directly reflect your business goals. This helps gauge whether SEM metrics (e.g., clicks, impressions) truly impact business performance.
2. Track Full-Funnel Conversions: Monitor not only clicks and leads but also the downstream conversions, including purchases and repeat interactions, to assess the entire journey from SEM click to sale or other significant actions.
3. A/B Testing: Regularly conduct A/B testing by creating control groups that aren’t exposed to SEM ads. This allows you to compare the performance of your SEM campaigns directly against a baseline, revealing the genuine lift they provide.
4. Monitor Quality of Leads: Evaluate lead quality rather than focusing solely on volume. If SEM brings in leads that don’t convert, review and adjust your targeting or messaging.
5. Leverage Customer Feedback and Analytics: Use feedback from customers and data from analytics tools to refine keywords and ad copy. Keywords that drive high engagement but low conversions may indicate a need for targeting adjustments.
6. Review and Adjust Budget Allocations: Reallocate budget towards the highest-performing keywords and ad groups, as identified by ROI metrics, to optimize spend based on what drives actual outcomes.
7. Use Multi-Touch Attribution Models: Implement multi-touch attribution to track the role of SEM within the entire customer journey, helping you see how SEM contributes to conversions compared to other channels.
8. Regular Reporting and Analysis: Set up regular reports to review SEM data alongside business results, such as revenue changes or customer acquisition rates, ensuring your strategy evolves with real-world performance.

By consistently aligning SEM metrics with business goals and using conversion data and testing, you can make sure SEM reflects actual business outcomes effectively.