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DECEMBER 2017 Predictions Magazine

Machine Learning: Empowering Marketers’ Ability To Determine Intent & Inform Targeting

ANGEL A KNIBB HEAD OF PAID SEARCH

EWELINA LEDO

SHIBLU AHMED

PAID MEDIA PERFORMANCE PAID MEDIA PERFORMANCE

KIT BIENIAS PAID MEDIA

DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

MANAGER

IAN OH

DAN WALKER

JONATHAN KELTERER

NATASHA HOLE

SENIOR PAID MEDIA

SENIOR PAID MEDIA

PAID MEDIA

PAID MEDIA

ANALYST

ANALYST

ANALYST

ANALYST

SACHA DORF

TRISTAN SCHADLER

HANNAH REESE

L AUR A BALDRICK

PAID MEDIA

PAID MEDIA

PAID MEDIA

GR ADUATE TR AINEE

EXECUTIVE

EXECUTIVE

EXECUTIVE

PAID SEARCH

Each year when myself and my team stop and

either when it comes to paid search! This year, we

consider our predictions, I’m always in awe at how

came forward with an extensive array of predictions,

fast the year has gone. Perhaps that’s a good thing

so we upvoted those we thought would be most

– time flies when you’re having fun they say – and it

prevalent: artificial intelligence (AI) and machine

looks like 2018 isn’t going to disappoint on that front

learning.

Empowerment through technology For paid search, it should come as no surprise to

Personally, I see machine learning as the most

anyone that we see artificial intelligence – and more

exciting application of AI, and it’s certainly the

specifically, machine learning – as the most exciting

easiest to apply directly to paid search. It involves

topic on the horizon. But before going into how it’ll

using algorithms to determine intent and inform

affect the industry, let’s clarify what it comprises:

specific targeting based on data; and perhaps most excitingly for marketers, it means time savings and greater efficiencies. We’re already applying machine learning in ways that are considered business as

ö ö Artificial intelligence (AI) is an intelligent

usual:

machine ö ö Machine learning refers to the ability for a machine or computer programme

ö ö Smart Bidding and bid strategies in

to learn without being specifically

AdWords or DoubleClick (Google’s

programmed

campaign management tool)

ö ö Deep learning, which is often referred

ö ö Smart Display Campaigns to identify the

to in the same context as AI and machine

right users and creatives to meet a set

learning, is a type of machine learning

cost per ad (CPA) ö ö Adaptive Shopping to automatically break out top performing products ö ö Adaptive location targets to automatically break out top performing placements ö ö Data-driven attribution ö ö Google Analytics Smart Lists for Audiences ö ö Similar audiences for search

“We’re seeing an increase in the number of tools and functionalities to automate important daily tasks and checks, which seems to back up the move towards freeing marketers up to focus on strategic growth and testing” 2

PAID SEARCH

While many of us would like to have more visibility

Dynamic Search Ads wasn’t clearly defined yet, we

of the data and the reasons why the algorithm makes

see these becoming bigger in 2018. We also felt that

certain decisions, we find that the efficiencies it

similar audiences for search, and Google Analytics’

drives when dealing with big data are far greater than

Smart Lists, would also improve in terms of their

any necessary concern over the reliability of data or

performance and efficiencies. We also hoped that the

decisions. Admittedly, the algorithm doesn’t always

algorithms would become smart enough to take big

get it right, so currently we do need to continually

sales dates (such as Black Friday) into account and

monitor and tweak the rules.

automate bid optimisations for those, rather than having to pause the strategies and manually optimise.

When considering how we saw this changing in 2018, we were excited by the opportunities. We know a lot

The upshot of these changes is that we as marketers

of clients want to focus on driving new users, and

can really focus more of our time on finding

we feel there are a lot more opportunities we can

new opportunities to point the

take advantage of moving forwards to essentially

machines at, rather than manual

trick the system into over-valuing audience cohorts,

builds and implementations.

such as upweighting revenue driven from new users,

We’re seeing an increase

and pulling that into bid strategies to increase bids

in the number of tools

more aggressively for new users who are more likely

and functionalities to

to convert. Dynamic Search Ads, which allow us

automate important

to automatically insert an ad into relevant search

daily tasks and

results when we’re not bidding on the keyword, were

checks, which

identified as a second area of growth. We’ve used

supports the move

these in a few iterations now, but the algorithm has

towards freeing

improved significantly, and we’re seeing fantastic

marketers up to

results from these campaigns, with the added benefit

focus on strategic

of being able to use them as a notable source for

growth and

new keywords. While the group felt the role of

testing.

Towards better audience targeting There’s a clear desire within the industry to get to

There was consensus in the

a place where we have a deeper understanding of

room that confidence and trust in

the impact and make-up of audiences. As we use

the algorithms would increase, leading

algorithms more, we need to strike a better balance

to an increase in adoption rate across the

between volume and control. We believe we’ll see

industry. Perhaps reassuringly, many within the

a move towards having a less granular audience

team feel that the industry is already very closely

breakdown, but also speculated that Google or

entwined with machine learning, and that this was a

DoubleClick might consider creating an ‘Adaptive

key growth area for marketing overall, as well as paid

Audiences’ functionality, which would automatically

search specifically.

break out top performing audiences from a broad audience base (I must stress this is pure speculation at this stage).

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PAID SEARCH

The rise of voice search Voice search is also a key area for machine learning to grow into. While we need a higher uptake of

Finally, we believe that this trend will also have

virtual assistants for this to fundamentally change

an impact on websites themselves, which will also

search, we’re already seeing small influences break

need to be optimised for voice search to align with

through. In 2017, the team reported an increase in

consumer search preferences. There are two key

searches starting with “hello Google” in search query

benefits we’ve identified with this:

reports, especially on mobile. This means we need to adapt how we’re building out long-tail keywords to reflect how users speak rather than how

ö ö Firstly, sites would become more

users type. Additionally, voice search

informative, giving Dynamic Search Ads

will also impact how product

more information to increase visibility

titles will need to be written for Shopping, to make

ö ö Secondly, site personalisation would

the product titles more

become more widespread

suited to how users describe products when speaking

While giants such as Amazon are doing a great

(rather than

job at surfacing products based on user interests

typing).

and previous purchases on its homepage, we think there’ll be a move towards making this easier for smaller websites to achieve as well. Ultimately, we’d be able to wholly tailor landing pages to our targeted audience, thus increasing relevancy and value for the user.

The role of PPC experts going forward It goes without saying, there’s been a lot of negative

more technical in terms of tagging, coding, and

press around this trend – we’ve all read about

programming abilities. We’re becoming more and

marketers’ fears that machines will learn to do

more data-obsessed, with a need to have at least

their jobs in a fraction of the time, and ultimately

an abstract understanding of how machine learning

make them redundant in the workforce. Nonsense

– and all the functionalities it touches – works.

says I, and (luckily for me!) so does my team. We

Ultimately, the role of PPC experts will become more

feel that our core job functions will shift, but we

focused towards strategy, testing, and growth – and

won’t be obsolete. We’re already seeing a shift

the machines will do all the manual labour.

in the workforce, with PPC experts becoming

Bring. It. On.

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