Keeping track of competitors can make anyone dizzy. Often, no matter how well you’re doing – it doesn’t matter unless your competitors are doing even better.
The example above is of course a bit exaggerated, but most can probably relate.
Sell to your competitors’ visitors before they do
As a relatively new feature in Google Ads, you can now use a targeting called Custom Intent. With Custom Intent, you can target your display ads to people who have taken actions that indicate interest in products or services similar to yours.
The most obvious use case – which many have already started using – is to target display ads to visitors of your competitors’ websites. Simply select a few competitors by entering their website addresses. Once you’ve done this, Google lets you show ads to those who have visited those pages.
Another opportunity with Custom Intent is to show ads to people who have searched for certain keywords on Google. You select which keywords are relevant to you and thereby reach an even wider audience and show ads to people searching for those terms.
Understand the customer journey
When considering trying Custom Intent ads, it’s smart to first dive into what the customer journey looks like for your products – both short and long term.
The customer journey affects your results and helps you decide when to expect impact from your campaign.
If you sell cheap products often bought immediately, the competitor’s visitors may have already purchased. In those cases, instead try showing display ads for related or complementary products to what the competitor sells.
If you sell products where the purchase is usually considered first, you can spark interest for your offer before the customer chooses the competitor. Then you become part of the decision process before the purchase decision is made.
Your competitors can use this too
Unfortunately, this possibility is also open for your competitors. They have the same chance to target ads to people who have shown interest in your company and products. That’s why it’s important to keep visitors on your site as long as possible and give them the best possible experience.
Easier said than done, but you should always strive to give visitors a positive experience. Try to stand out in a good way and highlight your advantages.
You can also use remarketing to your own visitors and benefit from those who have already visited your site. Again, think about the customer journey and consider it in your ad strategy.
Make it easy to create micro-conversions
Your goal doesn’t always have to be a sale. Focus also on conversions with a lower threshold that still provide long-term value.
Are you collecting email addresses efficiently so you can reach people later? Is it easy to contact you – by phone, email or contact form?
Make sure it’s easy for visitors to make micro-conversions, which will strengthen your position if the competitor tries to lure them away.
Ideas for your advertising
How your advertising should look will vary case by case, but take the opportunity to highlight what sets you apart from your competitors.
Know your competitors respond slowly? Highlight your quick response! Have faster deliveries? Say it! Is the competitor poorly reviewed? Show off your great customer reviews.
If you want to advertise to competitor visitors without being too bold, you can use more generic messages, but it’s still important to clearly show what makes you better so you don’t disappear in the crowd.
Before you start
It’s not worth driving a lot of traffic to your website if the site and experience aren’t up to par. At worst, you confirm to the competitor’s visitors that they should buy elsewhere.
So before attracting more of the competitors’ visitors, make sure you’ve optimized your own site and that new visitors get the best possible impression. This benefits both new and existing customers.
Want to know more about the possibilities in Google Ads? Check out our other blog posts:
How to find information about your competitors in Google Ads
Display ad formats in Google Ads
