• by Matthew Greitzer , Op-Ed Contributor, February 15, 2008

Last month's column outlined the emergence of search-focused content strategies, one of several growing practice areas that will reshape search engine marketing over the coming years.  This piece, part two of a four part series, examines the rise of "search-as-research" and the opportunities and implications this developing practice will have on the marketing and business community.  

When search marketers talk about research, they usually do so in the context of making their search campaigns better.  Keyword research, for example, is the most basic form of planning search marketers have in their toolbox.  Sophisticated search marketers may go beyond basic keyword research, analyzing query patterns and searcher segmentation to better target ad copy and landing pages.  But these efforts, too, use research only as a means to increase search marketing success.   

The emerging practice of "search-as-research" goes beyond the context of search marketing effectiveness.   Instead, search-as-research applies observations and interpretations of searcher behavior to develop insight into marketing and business challenges outside the search landscape.  Through this approach, marketers exploit the search channel to develop deeper insight into consumer needs, better understand market trends, and inform new product opportunities.  While search-as-research is a relatively new trend, some interesting applications have already emerged.    

On the most basic level, for example, marketers are using search as a testing ground to inform other promotional and marketing efforts.  One advertiser (who shall remain nameless) employing this method very effectively uses paid search ad copy to test various promotions, offers, and product positioning statements.  The "winners" in these copy tests are incorporated into the messaging for other marketing communications, both online and off.  True, this kind of testing can be done in other channels, but not with the speed, ease of execution, low cost, and real behavioral feedback paid search affords.  Search, and the insight derived from searcher response, provides quick and accurate feedback, allowing this advertiser to make its print ads, online media, mail, and other messages more effective.  

Another example of the "search as research" phenomenon is the use of search query volume to predict future developments.  Google, for example, discovered a high correlation between search query volume for feature film titles and those movies' ultimate box office success.  In effect, Google discovered that search can predict "hits" and "flops" weeks, sometimes even months, before a movie's release.  This information is hugely valuable to studios, who can then allocate promotional funds more effectively (no need to spend millions promoting a film if it's sure to be a flop).  No doubt this technique could be (and perhaps already is) useful in channels outside entertainment.  

Search as research practitioners received a windfall recently when Microsoft opened up its Keyword Services Platform (KSP) to the development community.  Microsoft probably intended the KSP to be used primarily by search marketers seeking insight into more effective search marketing tactics.  But the information available in the KSP -- essentially an unfiltered view into search query activity across the Microsoft search network -- is so rich with raw data on consumer behavior and market demand it's sure to spawn entirely new research tools methodologies.  With the potential to create an entirely new business segment in the search marketing community, the search as research channel deserves serious attention going forward .