Smart online segmentation through search behavior

While search is the number one activity that most people do online, not many realize that searchers reveal more than they conceal! Thanks to the power of big data it is indeed possible to use search behavior to indulge in some informed and powerful segmentation. Let us take a couple of instances.

1) You work with a company that is launching a fitness tracking watch

• You would definitely be interested in people who are looking for fitness-related information. So the usual keyword suspects would include terms like "Gym", "Fitness Center", "Healthy Living", "Exercise recommendations", "Healthy Eating", "Fitness Tracker", "Fitness Tracking" etc.
• Additionally, you would be even more interested to know which of these searchers went on to visit the website of health related companies and organizations.
• Further insights could be gained if you could filter down to searchers who actually looked at competing brands/products from your competitors
• A glance at Analytics data would give you a precise fix on the age group, gender skew, attitudes, opinions and interests.
• Combing all of these would provide you with a laser-like focus on exactly the right audience. No reach wastage, no unnecessary spends!
• It would also inform you about the precise price-point that will attract these searchers.

2) You work in the travel vertical, booking custom vacations for customers

• You would be interested in searches around terms like "Best Vacation Option", "Best place to visit in October", "Vacation for two to <Destination>", "Best family vacation in <budget>", etc.
• You would be even more interested in finding out which of these searchers went on to check travel aggregator sites, individual operator sites or even airline and package tour websites.
• Specific information on people who looked at online shopping sites for travel-related purchases could give you an alert that they are seriously planning things.
• Further insights could be gained if you could filter down by searchers who visited your closest competitors for similar services
• Again, analytics data would give you age, gender, attitude, opinion, interest specific information.
• You could even look for specific inputs on people who browsed through ratings on sites like tripadvisor and kayak.
• These channels could also give you a wealth of social media information helping you pin-point the right prospects.
• All of this information would help you collate a list of active searchers who are inclined towards the product/service that you are specifically selling!

All of this is possible even with free tools available online. Even more specific information like where people came from, how long they spent, which specific parts of your site and where they went on-wards can be gained by deploying the free and simple Google Analytics on your blog or website. Getting analytics on your website should therefore be your number one priority. After all, here is an opportunity to see the power of segmentation work for you. Up, close and personal!