At Performics, we're leveraging analytics to develop strategies to achieve holistic (paid + organic) search performance. These case studies illustrate how OneSearch testing and learning can answer questions like: -What’s the optimal mix of paid and organic search? How do we properly diversify traffic sources to avoid overexposure to organic search volatility? Can we boost paid search position to maintain lead/sales volume if organic position falls? Can we drop paid search position for keywords that rank highly in organic search and still achieve our goals? Does dominating the SERP in both paid and organic boost traffic, sales/leads & brand awareness at an efficient cost?

1. OneSearch “Test & Learn”

2. “Test & Learn” Approach
 Brands should leverage analytics to
develop strategies to achieve
holistic search performance
 OneSearch testing can answer questions like:
– What’s the optimal mix of paid & organic? How do we properly diversify traffic
sources to avoid overexposure to organic search volatility?
– Can we boost paid search position to maintain lead/sales volume if organic position
falls? Can we drop paid search position for keywords that rank highly in organic
search & still achieve our goals?
– Does dominating the SERP in both paid & organic boost traffic, sales/leads & brand
awareness at an efficient cost?

3. Case Study

4. How Do We Balance Paid & SEO?
 A Performics EMEA car manufacturer client wanted to discover the
right balance between paid & organic search to maximize
visibility, traffic & leads while minimizing costs
 Performics conducted a three-month OneSearch test on generic
keywords, using 3 different scenarios:
1. One-Channel Test: We didn’t bid on any keywords that had top (1–3 ranking)
organic coverage
2. Pull-Back Test: When SEO position was 1–3, we ensured that paid search position
was 4–6
3. Dominate Test: When SEO position was 1–3, we ensured that paid search position
was also 1–3

5. Results: “One-Channel” & “Pull-Back”
 The first two scenarios focused on  We sought to determine whether SEO could
decreasing paid search position when the generate the traffic & conversions that would
client had high visibility in organic search normally be driven through paid search
 SEO traffic did increase; however, it
didn’t pick up the slack from paid search:
86%
decrease in Paid traffic
10%
increase in SEO traffic
82%
decrease in conversions

6. Results: “Dominate”
 The third scenario focused on determining  Initially, the dominate strategy was
the gains achieved by dominating the SERP expensive as cost-per-acquisition (CPAs)
in both paid & organic search rose. But over time, CPAs decreased due to
higher quality scores.
 This “dominate test” amplified
performance for the generic keywords &
drove both incremental traffic &
conversions
542%
increase in Paid traffic
241%
increase in SEO traffic
380%
increase in conversions
KEY FINDING: Both channels together = much high potency

7. Case Study

8. How Do We Protect Against Organic Volatility?
 A Performics U.S. lead-gen client sought to maximize holistic lead volume
while protecting from organic search volatility
 Performics measured lead volume for a group of generic, mission-critical
keywords as paid & organic positions changed
 We utilized a test/control methodology:
1. Create test & control keyword pairs based on performance correlation
2. Use control performance during the test period as a reflection of seasonality
3. Apply the variance of control keyword performance to test performance, and
measure incremental lifts in test performance

9. Findings
 A drop in organic position for the keywords caused a significant decrease in overall (joint paid & organic)
leads
 However, when organic position dropped, boosting paid search position made up for the loss in organic
 The chart illustrates the steep drop in organic position. This drop was followed by an increase in paid
position, which protected the brand from losing leads as a result of the organic volatility: