MarTech Interview with Ashley Fletcher, VP of Marketing at Adthena

Tell us why you decided to harvest insights from CMOs about Search Engine Marketing.

We wanted to better understand CMOs’ perceptions around the value of SEM and the strategic role it plays in driving growth for the enterprise. We know that SEM makes up the largest Digital Marketing budget line for CMOs, but globally ROI metrics have dipped – indicating evolving needs for both CMOs and consumers when it comes to this function. If we can understand where their gaps exist, as applied to SEM, we can help the CMO build a stronger Marketing portfolio.

Google recently changed its Search Console tools. Do you think it will impact Search Engine Marketing tactics and strategies for CMOs?

As advertisers become more demanding, the cadence with which their data refreshes need to be met is picking up, hence the Search Console updates. However, even with fresher data, this update still doesn’t address why something may be happening and how to fix it. It also seems this update leans more SEO heavy, rather than guiding both Paid and Organic.

What is still missing here is the true SEM insight, the ‘what’ is impacting a particular advertiser’s strategy and the ‘why’ it’s happening. Google still doesn’t provide advertisers with the depth of segmentation capabilities that an advertiser would need to make insightful decisions about their SEM strategy and how competition is playing their part.

Are CMOs seated too far away from actual SEM processes? How can CMO-specific SEM training help to boost the overall growth of Content Marketing campaigns? 

Today, we know that 45% of global digital ad revenue is influenced by paid search advertising, so in my opinion, CMOs shouldn’t be that far from the process as it’s a huge part of their Marketing investment. We also know that CMOs face increasing pressure to generate growth and prove the value of their marketing programs. And SEM is an excellent value driving asset in their Marketing mix.

We don’t expect CMOs to be involved in the nitty-gritty details of the search, but we do want them to understand the implications it has on their Marketing strategy and the broader business. If CMOs fall into the trap of thinking about SEM as a solely tactical tool they miss out on opportunity. Not only does search intelligence serve as an early warning signal of industry shifts – challengers entering a market or a change in customer intent – but it can help CMOs monitor competitor strategies and evaluate new markets before entry.

Search also maps nicely to the user journey and the content displayed at each phase of the funnel. Through a well-devised customer-centric content strategy you should be able to tailor engagement to reflect where visitors are in the buying cycle (e.g. research, consideration, purchase, and post-purchase support).

How do Email Marketing, Social Media Advertising, and Video content come together to positively impact SEM outcomes? 

Brands today are focused on a cross-channel strategy, but they must own the narrative. And as the customer journey is more important now than ever before, SEM is a key touchpoint in that journey.

Search is an extremely powerful tool when it comes to brand marketing. Ensuring an advertiser’s message is on brand and consistent through all the touchpoints is essential. Search can also be your test-and-learn environment, rolling out a successful search strategy to other mediums. CMOs can use SEM as an opportunity to nail the most engaging ad copy that can then be used via the other channels.

Replacement question: Tell us about the Market Research and Business Intelligence involved in deciding the survey format and the results specific to CMO titles.

Now more than ever, CMOs are being tasked with driving growth for the enterprise. In order to get an idea of how search engine marketing is contributing to this overall business growth and other priorities for CMOs, we surveyed 151 Marketing decision-makers in the U.S. and UK across a variety of industries. The survey gauged the current knowledge and awareness of SEM and its value as a Digital Marketing function.

AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHICS

What are your predictions on the role of Google and other search engines in making SEM easy to adopt and execute? Can SEM be replaced by other technologies in the next 4-5 years?

AI will continue to be a massive driver for adopting and executing effectively within Search. AI will be the only way for brands to both simultaneously scale and compete within their landscape.

But search itself will not be a static tool; search is evolving as consumers evolve how they themselves search and buy across different platforms and mediums.

Thank you, Ashley! That was fun and hope to see you back on MarTech Series soon.