How Email Marketing Is Revolutionizing Paid Search through Customer Match #SMX

Cleo Hage (@theRealMissCleo), paid search strategist at Wordstream, is going to talk about the future of email marketing. Yes, this is an SEM presentation.

Email is the OG of digital marketing.

• Email is cluttered.
• Email is growing.
• Emails aren’t going anywhere.

You log in to things, get updates and receive shipping notifications through email. Even a GOOD email campaign has a 20% open rate. And then a click-through rate of 5% on top of that. You’re left with FOMO — 80% of unopened email and 95% of lost leads.

The answer is Customer Match, the ability to upload lists of email* into AdWords to create audiences for precision targeting! This is how to target individual, specific people in search ads.

It works like a remarketing list. Is it only for Gmail? Nope! All email platforms are accepted.

Customer Match for PPC

How does it work?

• Emails are linked to Google IDs.
• Those Google IDs are turned into a remarketing list.
• It acts just like a remarketing list.

You can use them in Google search, YouTube and Gmail.

Why should I use Customer Match?

The Unicorn Scenario: You meet Larry at a conference. You upload his email into your Customer Match list. One day Larry is watching a video on YouTube. Your ad may show up on that video! Now you’re bridging the gap from in-person meeting to serving an ad and reaching that 95%!

Upload those hard-earned emails. Here’s a case study. You see a comparison of clicks, impressions, CTR, conversion rate, CPC and average position for branded terms, retargeting, and Customer Match:

The conversion rate of a non-targeted campaign was three times as high! Increase bids for more valuable target audience.

Treat someone you know well, someone who knows your brand, differently than a stranger, someone you’ve just met. Treating them differently includes different offers:

Let’s talk email. CPCs are cheap. Impressions are high. You’re on the top of the inbox. Gmail Ads is how you stay on top. Gmail Ads will bring you to the top. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be on here. Gmail Ads live in the AdWords UI and they are easy to set up.

Don’t forget about Similar Audiences! Shopping and YouTube are a beautiful pair. YouTube Shopping — use it. YouTube Shopping campaigns are shopping PLA overlays on YouTube Ads.

Don’t worry, Lead Gen people. There’s something for you, too.

Traditionally, Lead Gen = Can I get your number? Stop asking for their email if you already have it. You want to push them down the funnel. Serve them something different at every level of the funnel. Every stage of the funnel should be a different Customer Match list.

Are you keeping your leads engaged? Stay top of mind (hello YouTube), top of SERP and top of inbox. In-Stream Ads give you at least 5 seconds of branding for FREE because they have to watch at least 5 seconds and can then skip, in which case you don’t pay.

Remember the importance of exclusive targeting. Show them something they haven’t seen before. You’re talking to someone specific. Bid on generic terms and create different ad copy.

*Editor’s Note: The email list you upload for Customer Match must be collected first-hand from your customers or visitors to your websites, apps or physical stores. See the AdWords policy for more details.

Virginia Nussey is the director of content marketing at MobileMonkey. Prior to joining this startup in 2018, Virginia was the operations and content manager at Bruce Clay Inc., having joined the company in 2008 as a writer and blogger.

See Virginia's author page for links to connect on social media.