If you use an internal site search, use the Site Search Report to learn what users are searching for after they are already on your site. You can use this data to improve your conversion rate by following these two specific tactics:
Mine for keywords. The report shows you exactly what users typed into your custom search box, so you can see what users are looking for on your site in their own words. It's likely that users use the same or similar terms in search engines, so including site search terms as keywords in your paid campaigns may help you target your ads to the most receptive audience.
Optimize landing pages that also appear as top search pages. Users might be using site search on a landing page if it doesn't meet their expectations, which were set by your ad. You may need to designate a more specific landing page or revise your ad text to improve retention.
Investigation
Compare your keywords to the terms users type into your site search box. Can you find any search queries that lead to conversions or transactions? Should you turn those into new keywords for your paid campaigns?
- Navigate to Content > Site Search > Search Terms.
- Under the Explorer tab, select an option like Goal Set or Ecommerce. Different metrics appear in the table based on this selection.
- Select Export from the menu near the top of the page, and choose a method to generate a file (e.g. PDF, CSV). Compare this list to your Google Ads keywords. Search for differences and revise your keyword list as necessary.
Segment your data to see if paid search traffic uses internal search on a specific landing page. You might find new terms to incorporate as keywords or discover a landing page that needs revision:
- Navigate to Content > Site Search > Pages.
- Apply the default Segment called Paid Search Traffic.
- From the Explorer tab, select a metric set, like Site Usage.
- Click through the data to find a page and the the search terms used on that page. You could narrow this report by changing the secondary dimension to Landing Page.
- Apply Keyword as a secondary dimension to see which terms drive users to either a Start Page or Destination Page.
Action
Create new keywords for your Paid Campaigns out of the same words users search for on your site. Bid on any new or popular terms and any logical variations, like a combination of popular terms and your brand name.
Review your landing pages and ad text. Make sure the ads are matched to the most specific and relevant pages.
