Server Side Tracking is the new standard. A significant advantage is the control provided over the data flow, especially user data. In this article, we discuss Server Side Tracking using Google Tag Manager as an example and review its benefits and which user data is sent. But first, the important question: What is Server Side Tracking? In short: Server Side Tracking is a data collection method where the tracking information is processed not in the browser but directly through the server of the website operator and forwarded to analysis or marketing tools afterward. The traditional tracking method is Client Side Tracking (CTS) , where a code snippet is embedded in the page, for example, via the Google Tag Manager. This sends event data directly to third-party services like Google Analytics 4, Meta Ads, etc. However, control over the sent user data (IP address, demographic data, etc.) is limited to the adjustments offered by the tool. Additionally, a third-party cookie is usually set, resulting in loss of data amount and quality.   Figure 1: Comparison of Client-side and Server-side tagging With Server Side Tracking (SST) , all data is first sent to a private server, where, for example, the Server Side Google Tag Manager is running. This ensures that there is no undesired data transfer occurring on the website with the users. This transfer happens only in the Google Tag Manager Server Side. However, this can then be adapted to a data protection-compliant standard by clear insight into the data and further configuration options like transformers . Server Side Tracking vs. Client Side Tracking The traditional Client Side Tracking (CST) is still widespread but increasingly reaching its limits. In CST, tracking scripts are executed directly in the user’s browser, sending data like page views, clicks, or conversions to third-party tools. However, this approach is very susceptible to modern tracking protection measures such as ad blockers, VPNs, intelligent tracking prevention (ITP) in iOS/Safari, and various data protection regulations. In contrast, Server Side Tracking (SST) uses a different approach: Tracking data is no longer sent directly from the browser to external tools but first to the server. This acts as a proxy or central data hub through which all tracking requests run. The server request is treated similarly to an API request and is thus less vulnerable to blocking . Additionally, all data processing takes place within one's infrastructure , significantly reducing the risk when dealing with data protection authorities. Another difference lies in the use of cookies: While Client Side Tracking relies on third-party cookies – which are increasingly blocked by browsers – Server Side Tracking prefers first-party cookies , considered more trustworthy and stable. Why is Server Side Tracking now standard? While Client Side Tracking is increasingly losing its effectiveness due to growing restrictions, Server Side Tracking offers a future-proof, high-performance, and privacy-friendly alternative – with significantly higher data quality and control for companies. Overview of the benefits of Server Side Tracking: More data control : Unlike the specifications of external tracking tags, companies with SST retain full control over the collected data. Higher data quality : SST can often bypass ad blockers and tracking protection measures, typically leading to at least 12% more data. Performance advantages : Instead of addressing many individual tracking tools directly from the browser, only one server is contacted – conserving resources and improving website load time. Data protection compliance : By processing exclusively within their server structure, companies can better respond to legal requirements. Server Side Tracking and Data Protection Regulations Server Side Tracking offers not only technical advantages but also a significantly better basis concerning data protection laws. The main legal regulations in the European area are the GDPR, the TTDSG, and the EU-USA Data Privacy Framework.  An overview: General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) The General Data Protection Regulation ( GDPR ) mandates that personal data – which can be traced back to a real person, such as name, email address, or IP address – may only be collected and processed with the explicit consent of the users (e.g., through a cookie banner). It has been applicable in all EU member states since May 25, 2018, forming the central legal framework for handling personal data in the European area. The GDPR requires companies to inform transparently which data is collected for what purpose and how long it will be stored. Additionally, users must be able to object to processing or revoke consent at any time. For tracking, this means: No data may be collected or shared with third parties without clear and voluntary consent – even if the technology allows it. Violations of the GDPR can result in hefty fines. Server Side Tracking offers the advantage that data collection, storage, and sharing can be centrally controlled and better documented – facilitating GDPR-compliant implementation. Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act (TTDSG) The TTDSG (Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act) supplements the GDPR specifically for online services and stipulates that no arbitrary user data , especially through cookies or similar technologies, may be stored or read without prior consent . The law came into force on December 1, 2021, merging central data protection requirements from the GDPR and the German Telemedia Act (TMG) as well as the Telecommunications Act (TKG).  For online tracking, this means: Even setting a cookie that is not purely technically necessary requires active, informed consent from users, for example, through a consent banner. Tracking methods attempting to create user profiles without consent – even through technologies like fingerprinting – are prohibited under the TTDSG. This tightens the requirements for data-driven online marketing measures and underscores the necessity to make tracking privacy-compliant and transparent – something that is much better controlled with Server Side Tracking. EU-USA Data Privacy Framework Particularly relevant for international companies is the new EU-USA Data Privacy Framework , which facilitates transatlantic data transfer and has been in effect since summer 2023. Previously, it was problematic to send personal data to US services because US authorities had extensive access to it by law. The new agreement creates more legal certainty when US services like Google or Meta are used – but only if the services are certified under the new framework. These are just a few of the laws affecting tracking. Therefore, an understanding of user data is important. Conclusion: Why does Server Side Tracking offer more data protection compliance? Server Side Tracking allows the entire data processing to initially run through one's server infrastructure. This means: Tracking occurs not directly with the users but only after explicit consent and under full control of data processing on one's server. This allows the requirements of data protection laws to be better implemented, such as targeted anonymization , pseudonymization , or restriction of data sharing with third parties . Overall, Server Side Tracking enables a more data protection-compliant handling of user data, allowing companies to maintain oversight and control – which is essential under the current regulatory framework. What user data is sent with Server Side Tracking? The good news: Only the absolute minimum. What does this mean? Using Google Tag Manager as an example: When an event on the page, like a click, is triggered, an HTTP request is sent to the Server Side Google Tag Manager . Naturally, HTTP header information is sent along. This includes, among others: Time IP address Page URL Approximate location (by IP address) Operating system Browser Resolution Device Additionally, there are other parameters specifically related to configuration. Detailed information can be found in the documentation at [ https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers ]. There are also parameters automatically captured by Google Tag for campaign optimization, which include: utm_source utm_medium utm_campaign utm_content utm_term and the Click ID It should also be ensured which data is user-defined sent with the Google Tag Manager configuration. In the Server Side Google Tag Manager, users can configure precisely through the use of transformers, which specific data should be forwarded in what form and which should be withheld. However, for a data-secure implementation, the conclusion should be: “ Track only as much data as needed .” The challenge is to limit tracking to what is necessary without incurring disadvantages. We set up correct Server Side Tracking for you The Internetwarriors are a team of experts in various fields of online marketing. One of our main focuses is web analytics and Server-Side Tracking (SST). With extensive expertise and a profound understanding of the latest trends and technologies in digital analytics, we offer tailored solutions to optimize our clients' online presence. We are thus a valuable partner for you when you want to set up professional tracking that provides all the data you need for strategic decisions and monitoring your online marketing activities. Contact us now without obligation !

Website usability means that users can reach their goals without frustration, overthinking, or detours—whether their goal is to get information, make a purchase, download something, or get in touch. The easier and smoother your website is to use, the more likely visitors are to stay—and come back.  Good usability not only saves time but also builds trust and improves the perception of your company or brand. Especially in the digital market, just a few seconds often determine whether someone stays or leaves. Therefore, it's crucial that your website is logically structured, easy to understand, and technically impeccable—for all users, on every device. In this article, we'll provide you with an overview of the fundamentals of website usability, explain why it's so important, and outline which aspects you should consider. What is Usability? Usability can be translated as "usability" and describes the ability to achieve the desired result without difficulty. The term "user-friendliness" is also often used. Optimal usability means that a product, service, or website fulfills its intended purpose precisely. On a website, this could mean a completed purchase, the provision of relevant information, strengthening your brand, etc., depending on the intention. Usability is a key factor in determining whether and to what extent visitors engage with your website content or move on to another site. It is an important factor in customer satisfaction and website quality. A usability analysis can help identify errors, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement on the website. What does Usability encompass? Website usability includes all aspects that affect the user-friendliness of a website—how simple, understandable, efficient, and pleasant it is to use. Many factors interact to create a positive user experience. Specifically, they include: Navigation and Structure: Clear page layout (e.g., an easy-to-navigate menu, logical hierarchy), simple, logical navigation, breadcrumb navigation, and an easily searchable effective search function Layout and Design: A consistent layout across all pages, a visual hierarchy (important elements stand out), responsive design (works on all devices), and appropriate use of colors, font sizes, and spacing Content and Language: Clear, understandable language, relevant, up-to-date content, good readability (paragraphs, titles, lists), and accessibility (e.g., alt text, contrasts, keyboard accessibility) Interactivity and Feedback: Meaningful feedback (e.g., after clicks, forms), helpful and friendly error messages, and buttons and links that are clearly recognizable Loading Times and Performance: Fast loading times of pages and content and technical stability (no crashes, malfunctions) Accessibility: Support for screen readers, keyboard operability, good color contrasts, and scalable font sizes Trust and Security: SSL encryption, transparent data protection information, and a professional appearance (e.g., legal notice, contact information) Conversion Support: Clear calls to action (e.g., "Buy Now," "Learn More"), no distractions from the actual purpose of the page, and support for processes like forms or checkout What are the Goals of Website Usability? The goals of website usability are aimed at designing websites so they can be used effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily by users. Interaction should be as intuitive as possible to lead to the desired outcome. Jakob Nielsen - one of the leading experts on usability, who has been studying the topic for decades - developed 5 key criteria of usability : 1. Learnability Goal: New users should be able to quickly understand and use the website. Navigation, structure, and functions must be intuitive . Example: A first-time visitor immediately understands where to find information or how to make a purchase. 2. Efficiency Goal: Experienced users should be able to complete their tasks quickly and effectively . Optimized workflows, fast loading times, and clear paths lead to goal achievement. Example: A repeat customer can reorder with just a few clicks. 3. Memorability Goal: Users who haven’t visited the website for a while should be able to easily use it again. This is helped by consistent design, familiar symbols, and a logical structure. Example: A user remembers how to find customer support even after weeks. 4. Errors (Error Prevention and Handling) Goal: The website should be as error-tolerant as possible and help users avoid or correct errors. This can be achieved through clear and understandable error messages, opportunities for correction, or well-thought-out forms. Example: An incomplete form clearly indicates what is missing without deleting all input. 5. Satisfaction Goal: Using the website should be a pleasant experience and generate positive feelings. An appealing design, useful content, and easy navigation lead to higher satisfaction among users. Example: A user-friendly interface with clear texts provides trust and enjoyment while using the site. How Can Usability Be Measured? Measuring usability means systematically evaluating the user-friendliness of a product or website using specific criteria, tasks, and user tests. While usability is partly subjective, it can be objectively measured if you use the right methods. Aspects of the above five listed criteria - learnability, efficiency, memorability, error prevention, and satisfaction - are often tested. Various methods are employed for measurement: Usability tests with users who have to perform specific tasks Questionnaires filled out by users after a test An expert examination based on specific criteria (does not replace user testing) Analysis of analytics and user behavior through web analysis tools, heatmaps, or mouse tracking A/B testing - different versions are tested against specific questions and data Why is Usability Important? There are numerous positive impacts of good website usability and just as many reasons why you should pay attention to good user-friendliness. It makes it easier for users to navigate your website, helps you stand out from the competition, and enhances the impression you leave on potential customers. Let's take a closer look at the individual reasons: Users Want to Be Guided A good website makes it easier for users to navigate. It allows them to quickly get to their desired goal (completing a purchase, downloading a document, finding the needed information) without thinking too much. The offered content should be self-explanatory in terms of the positive user experience. In fact, users don't want to think about how to do something on a website. They want to be guided and don't want to search laboriously for certain elements and "discover" the website on their own. They want to intuitively reach their desired goal as quickly as possible. The content offered needs to be self-explanatory for a positive user experience, and any interactive elements should be directly usable. Website Usability as a Competitive Factor The lack of willingness to stay on a website just because is partly due to the market situation. In the online world, a competitor is just one click away. Unlike a physical shopping street, there's no need to walk past a series of stores. The reality is usually different. Most companies don’t have the luxury of offering something so unique (services, physical products, digital products like apps) that users would endure a cumbersome website. Instead, well-prepared and easily accessible website content has the power to convince users to complete conversions on your site rather than a competitor's, making usability a crucial competitive factor. Your website needs to make a good impression from the first second. Many website owners are unaware that users often judge the entire company based on their first impression of the website. A poorly maintained website can negatively impact the entire company's image. Users might question whether the company is capable of offering good service if it can't even manage to keep basic things on the website in order. While this assumption is often incorrect, it illustrates the potential consequences of poor website usability. Usability is More Than Just Good Design The challenge in website design is that it's unlike any other medium because people often have different expectations for how websites are used versus how they're actually used. When website owners and designers sketch out a site, they have a certain image in mind. It's often assumed that users will study all the content thoroughly. But in reality, users often only skim through a page initially. They quickly scan the text and click on the first link that seems interesting or appears to be the closest to their searched goal. As a result, a large portion of the page might not be actively noticed by your users. How users read a webpage greatly depends on their goal in mind. They focus on words and phrases that match their personal interests, known as trigger words. If they don't find these on your website, it can still be beautifully designed and contain seemingly informative content, but it won’t hold their interest. Technical Performance is Part of Usability too Besides graphical design, technical preparation is a key aspect of usability. While large images, videos, interactive graphics, and other moving elements may look visually appealing, they significantly increase loading time. The problem is not all users have access to a fast internet connection. Ideally, a good load time is important for two main reasons: it reduces the chance that visitors lose patience and leave the website, and page load time is becoming an increasingly important ranking factor for search engines. Usability Engineering Usability engineering is a structured and systematic process for developing user-friendly systems, where the usability of a product—or, in this case, a website—is deliberately planned, tested, and improved throughout the development process. This means that usability should ideally be considered from the conception of a website or a relaunch. Good usability doesn't happen by chance; it's systematically planned and tested. SEO and Usability – A Strong Team SEO ensures the necessary flow of traffic through organic search results. But you shouldn't focus solely on generating traffic. Without usability, your visitors will quickly leave again, often without converting. If you only focus on usability, you will reach a significantly smaller group of visitors who may convert well, but due to the small number, may not generate enough revenue to financially sustain the company behind it. Choosing usability doesn't necessarily mean writing off SEO. If you think SEO is just about ranking first in Google's organic search results and driving traffic to the website, you're not thinking broadly enough. SEO measures aim not only for top placement in search results but also ensure that users can find their way around the site. This goal is shared with usability. Classic OnPage SEO measures include, for example: Clear page structure Logical navigation Breadcrumbs and HTML sitemaps Pagination Avoidance of 404 error pages Logical internal linking On closer inspection, it becomes clear that these points simultaneously significantly improve user navigation. So, there are indeed significant intersections between the two online marketing disciplines, which do not contradict each other. Good SEO specialists and user experience managers are aware of this close connection and ensure that all elements of the website complement each other effectively. Website Usability and Accessibility/Accessibility In the context of website usability, the topic of accessibility is also important. Both disciplines pursue the same goal of facilitating the use of websites, but they are approached from different perspectives: Usability aims to improve user-friendliness for as many people as possible. Accessibility seeks to make the website fully usable for people with disabilities (especially visual and hearing impairments). Numerous measures improve both web usability and accessibility (for example, a clear structure and understandable language or good contrasts). Accessibility also requires compliance with technical standards such as the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), including screen reader compatibility or alternative texts for images. Since the Accessibility Enhancement Act , you should assess (or have assessed) whether your website is not only user-friendly but also accessible. This is important to ensure that people with disabilities can use your website without restriction. Usability issues usually only become apparent when expected conversions don’t occur. Retrospective improvements can be expensive or, in extreme cases, unworkable. That's why you should focus on a good user experience at the launch or relaunch of your website. However, this doesn't mean that you should completely disregard usability in favor of SEO. Those who believe that SEO is only about ranking first in organic search results and driving traffic to the website are thinking too narrowly. In addition to good placement in organic search results, SEO measures also aim to ensure that users can navigate the website. This goal is shared by search engine optimization with usability.

Microsoft Advertising (previously known as “ Bing Ads ”) is a powerful addition to Google Ads, offering numerous advantages such as comparatively lower click prices and advanced targeting options.  Are you already using Microsoft Ads, or have you limited your advertising to Google so far? In this article, we explore why it's more worthwhile than ever for companies to invest in Microsoft Advertising , what differences and benefits the platform offers, and why the topic of generative AI should not be overlooked. What is Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads)? To begin, here's a brief overview: Microsoft Ads (formerly known as “Bing Ads”) is Microsoft's advertising platform , enabling companies to engage in search engine marketing (SEM), similar to Google Ads. Ads primarily appear on Bing's search results pages, but also on Yahoo, AOL, and partner networks, as well as in Microsoft products like Edge, Outlook, Windows, and the Microsoft Audience Network. Microsoft Advertising was launched as “Microsoft adCenter” in 2006, rebranded to “Bing Ads” in 2009, and finally to “Microsoft Ads” in 2019. With Microsoft Ads, for example, it’s possible to run keyword-based Text Ads (Search Ads) and also offers Shopping Ads that require a Microsoft Merchant Center feed, Responsive Search Ads , as well as native advertising in the Microsoft Audience Network and Remarketing . Bing in Search Engine Ranking and Technological Innovations When people search the internet, they often “Google.” Over time, the term “Googling” has become embedded in the language of most people and even made it into the 23rd edition of the Duden in 2004. It’s perhaps no surprise that “Googling” originated from the namesake search engine. Other search engines still remain in Google's shadow, often slipping from memory when it comes to marketing efforts. But is this justified? Bing may not automatically come to mind first when thinking about internet research. Nonetheless, the platform has undergone many positive changes and established itself as a solid alternative to Google. In recent years, Bing's market share has steadily grown , while Google currently remains stable (albeit at a high level). According to Statista, Bing's market share was 11.75% globally in April 2025, compared to around 8% three years prior. In Germany, Bing even holds a 15% market share . The Microsoft Search Network leveraged by Bing includes other search engines such as Yahoo!, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia, collectively reaching a significant number of users. This enhances the opportunities for advertisers on Microsoft Ads and increases the potential visibility of their ads. While the Microsoft Search Network still falls short of Google in absolute terms, it has carved out a stable place in the market. It is expected that Bing’s market share will continue to rise, as more people seek alternative search engines in an era of growing privacy concerns. Microsoft, like Google, continually invests in technological innovations to make Bing more appealing to users. This is demonstrated not only by the new AI features continually being implemented in Bing , but also by a general massive increase in interest around Artificial Intelligence among internet users. This development naturally benefits Microsoft Ads as well. For example, Microsoft Office products offer the possibility of integrating Copilot into an extended license. Copilot is Microsoft’s AI-based agent that draws on Bing as a search engine when needed. Advantages of Microsoft Advertising over Google Ads An important factor that sets Bing apart from Google is the demographic composition of its users. While Google appeals to a broad audience, Bing is particularly popular among middle-aged individuals and business professionals . This can be advantageous for companies looking to target these specific audiences. Decision-makers and influencers can be particularly well-reached this way. Often overlooked, but just as important: On most work PCs running Windows, Microsoft Edge is the default browser, making Bing the default search engine . Cortana also pulls its results from there. This greatly increases the likelihood that a search query on Bing will occur in a business-relevant context. Additionally, the majority of traffic consists of desktop users. These factors can further positively influence the quality of traffic . Another advantage of Microsoft Advertising is the native integration of LinkedIn targeting . As Microsoft owns LinkedIn, advertisers can access the extensive professional data of LinkedIn users and target their ads more precisely. The attributes “Job Function,” “Company,” and “Industry” are available for more tailored targeting. Bid adjustments can be used, for example, to place higher bids for particularly relevant target groups. This is especially useful when B2B marketing plays a role. However, possibly the most significant advantage is that Bing, and thus Bing Ads/Microsoft Ads, is still surprisingly underutilized by many companies. Commonly cited arguments include a comparatively low search volume compared to Google and a lack of time to create and manage a complete account setup on this platform. But therein lies a great opportunity for businesses. The much lower volume of competitors positively impacts cost per click and can help companies position successfully on Bing with relatively low budget investment, yielding significantly more sales and leads compared to Google Ads vs. Microsoft Ads - Overview of Pros and Cons: Google Ads Advantages: Higher market share, worldwide and in Germany Greater reach and traffic potential Broader range of target audiences Higher mobile user coverage Disadvantages: Higher competition and hence  typically higher click prices (CPC) More complex user interface Microsoft Ads Advantages: Less competition and hence Typically more affordable CPC, especially in niche markets More cost-effective, even with smaller budgets Additional reach through other platforms/search engines like Yahoo!, MSN, and AOL Reaches an audience that may not use Google (middle-aged and Edge users) Target audience is generally older and wealthier, with many desktop users (particularly interesting for B2B and certain markets) Disadvantages: Lower market share and therefore Traffic potential Less automation and features Copilot in Microsoft Ads Microsoft Copilot is a AI-based assistant integrated into Microsoft Advertising that helps advertisers with various tasks based on campaign data, user inputs, and AI models. This includes: Campaign creation , such as automated keyword research, ad text suggestions, and the creation of Responsive Search Ads based on landing pages or product information Campaign optimization , e.g., bid strategy and budget distribution suggestions or A/B testing of ad elements Report and analysis creation , e.g., intelligent campaign performance summaries and creation of visual reports Like Google Ads, Microsoft Ads offers numerous opportunities to automate routine tasks with Copilot, saving time. Automatic intelligent analysis supports data-driven decisions. Copilot is integrated into the platform and allows for dialog-based interaction, similar to tools like ChatGPT. However, caution is advised with any AI-based automation - results should always be checked. Bid strategy suggestions must be critically evaluated to ensure that changes have the desired effect. Another example is ad text, which should always be checked for relevance to the product or service. Getting Started with Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) As mentioned earlier, many companies forgo advertising on Bing due to the increased setup and maintenance effort, which doesn't seem proportional to the expected return on investment. However, getting started with Microsoft Ads is surprisingly easy. An account can be created in just a few minutes, and the interface somewhat resembles Google's. So those who already advertise on Google’s platform will find navigating Microsoft Advertising straightforward. Importing Google Account Data into Microsoft Ads Additionally, Microsoft offers a useful import function that allows entire account setups from Google Ads to be mirrored into Microsoft Ads with just a few clicks. This also applies to other platforms like Facebook Ads or Pinterest Ads or uploading a completed template. This makes it particularly easy for companies with an existing Google Ads account to get started. There’s even the option to regularly import a Google account into Microsoft Ads, keeping the Bing account up-to-date with frequent changes. But beware: While Microsoft aims to make the entry into Microsoft Advertising as easy as possible and provides various tools, a certain level of account maintenance is still necessary. Importing accounts allows for a quick and easy way to advertise on Bing. However, to get the most out of the channel, Microsoft Ads should also be viewed separately and appropriate optimization measures undertaken. This ensures the target audience is optimally engaged and no potential is wasted. FAQs for Getting Started with Microsoft Ads Here are some questions our clients frequently ask about Microsoft Ads (and previously Bing Ads), giving you a deeper insight and helping you decide for or against Microsoft Advertising: For whom is Microsoft Advertising particularly worthwhile? Due to the differences in target demographics, Microsoft Ads are especially worthwhile for companies selling to B2B customers or targeting an older, more affluent audience. B2C companies can also benefit from Microsoft Advertising due to lower competition. Thanks to Bing's broader reach, Microsoft Ads are particularly effective in Germany, the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia. In contrast, reaching a younger demographic (under 25) might be more successful through Google or other channels. How effective are Microsoft Ads? Microsoft Advertising can be very effective, but the performance of your campaigns largely depends on the services or products you offer and the target group you wish to reach. The lower CPC and highly accurate B2B targeting can make Microsoft Ads very effective. We also observe from many clients a lower cost per acquisition with the same or even higher quality of leads or product purchases. If you’re unsure, we’re happy to advise whether Microsoft is a sensible addition for your business. What types of advertising campaigns are available on Microsoft? The campaign types on Microsoft are similar to those on Google Ads. Available campaign types include Search Ads, Shopping Ads, Multimedia Ads, Audience Campaigns, Remarketing Campaigns, Dynamic Search Ads (DSA), Hotel Ads, Local Ads, Performance Max Campaigns, and App Install Campaigns. Additionally, with Microsoft Ads, ads can be run on CTV (e.g., with an add-on package on Netflix).  What automation options are available in Microsoft Ads? Thanks to Copilot, Microsoft offers AI-based support directly in the advertising platform. Copilot enables automated creation and optimization of ads, as well as analyses and reports. Additionally, automatic bidding strategies (Smart Bidding) are possible as in Google Ads. Campaign management can also be automated, e.g., by setting rules for activating and pausing ads. However, it's important to note that automation is not a substitute for strategy or expertise, but rather a complement to efficient work. It's crucial to regularly check whether all campaigns and ads deliver the desired performance. Is Bing/Microsoft better than Google Ads? No, Microsoft Ads are a worthwhile addition for many companies and can even be an alternative depending on orientation and target group. Both platforms have advantages and disadvantages that need to be weighed against each other. For B2B companies, but also for many other topics and industries, a combination of Google and Microsoft Ads is the optimal blend in the marketing mix. We’re happy to advise if Microsoft Ads can be effective for your business. Microsoft Ads for B2B Companies As mentioned earlier, Microsoft Advertising is a very attractive alternative or addition to Google Ads for companies with a B2B target audience. The combination of target audience, platform integration, and cost-efficiency makes Microsoft Ads, just like earlier Bing Ads, very interesting for B2B businesses. Many users in the Microsoft Search Network are doing professional work when using Windows, Microsoft Edge, Cortana, and Office. It’s an effective way to reach decision-makers and executives . The higher proportion of higher-educated and higher-earning users makes Microsoft Ads relevant for industries like SaaS, industrial, and financial services . On average, Bing users are also older than the Google target audience. The lower competition and often cheaper CPCs are very advantageous for companies with costly leads and long sales cycles . The frequently 20-40% lower click prices make better ROIs possible. The high proportion of desktop users is also an ideal match for a B2B target group, as many purchases and research activities in a business environment occur via desktop, not mobile. The combination of desktop usage in professional fields increases the conversion likelihood for users in Microsoft Ads. Thanks to LinkedIn targeting , users from specific industries or companies, with certain job titles or functions, can be specifically targeted. This segmentation is only possible with Microsoft Ads, making the platform particularly appealing for B2B companies. It is important, though: Microsoft Ads should not be viewed as a replacement for Google Ads, but as a strategically sensible addition to specifically reach a B2B audience and expand reach outside the Google universe. Why Microsoft Advertising? Bing, and consequently Microsoft Advertising, is still often underestimated today but offers many advantages. While both platforms are quite similar, there are some key differences between Microsoft Ads and the major competitor Google Ads that make Microsoft's platform a true alternative or an effective complement. To summarize: Running ads on Bing is relatively simple Cost-effective and efficient with regular account maintenance Enhanced targeting capabilities , especially relevant for a B2B target audience Differences in target audience compared to Google: generally older, higher educated, and with a higher household income Exclusive access to other search engines , e.g., DuckDuckGo and Ecosia For anyone wanting to get a step ahead of the competition, seriously considering incorporating Microsoft Advertising into the marketing mix can unlock full potential in online marketing. We’re Happy to Assist You The internetwarriors team consists of experts in various online marketing disciplines, from SEA to SEO, from workshops for service companies to strategic consulting for eCommerce companies. Our decades of expertise as a full-service agency allow us a comprehensive view of different channels and measures, and an informed comparison, such as between Google Ads and Microsoft (Bing). Have you been thinking for a while about advertising through Microsoft Ads, or would you like some preliminary advice on the topic? Then feel free to contact us, and we’ll find the right solution for your business!

Embedding FAQs on a website offers many advantages. They can, for example, relieve customer service, increase conversion, or improve visibility in unpaid search results. This article explains in detail the options for creating a FAQ page, how they can be optimized for SEO, and their significance in the era of AI. What is meant by FAQ? FAQ is short for “frequently asked questions” and can be translated as “frequently asked questions.” Specifically, the most important information on a topic is collected and formatted as questions. These can be common problems or the most frequently asked questions. FAQs are widespread in the software domain or other technical topics but can be usefully applied to any subject area and industry. One of the goals of FAQs is to answer questions from potential buyers in a simple way and thus relieve customer service. If a purchase has already been made and problems arise, the FAQ section prevents the service department from dealing with the same easy-to-answer questions. A well-prepared FAQ section brings advantages both for users and companies. What do FAQs offer for SEO? First of all: Any type of relevant optimized content is positive for search engine optimization. With FAQs, you have the opportunity to cover compound keywords and phrases (long tail keywords) that, for example, are not answered in the product description. Your website will be found for questions that users ask on a topic, such as your products or services. At the same time, you increase your authority in your topic area in Google’s evaluation, as you offer a lot of relevant high-quality content. Higher authority means higher trust and thus a better chance of being found for competitive terms in unpaid search results. The increasing use of voice search and AI-based chatbots, now including AI Overviews in Google search results, has influenced how searches are conducted. Long-tail queries, meaning complete sentences or questions, have gained importance. FAQs are a response to these developments and can help remain visible even in the age of AI. FAQs as a Rich Snippet in Search Results You might recall that Google used to directly play questions from FAQs in search results as an addition (known as a “Rich Snippet”). In the fall of 2023, Google announced that these types of Rich Snippets will be significantly restricted and will only be displayed for “reliable government and health websites.” For SEO, FAQs are still valuable even if they no longer generate Rich Snippets. Do FAQs offer an advantage in times of artificial intelligence? AI tools and the AI Overviews introduced by Google in Germany in the first quarter of 2025 present new challenges for the SEO industry. Evaluations from the USA, where AI integration has been present in Google for longer, and initial observations from Germany show how AI Overviews reduce the click-through rate on organic results. To continue being prominently represented in the visible area of search results, the question is: How can websites be displayed as a source in AI Overviews to generate potential clicks here? The topic is complex, so we will only address the question here: Can visibility be improved in AI Overviews with FAQs? To have a chance to appear in Google's AI Overviews, many different factors are relevant. This includes, for example: Good content structure Helping Google understand the content, e.g., through structured data and content formatting (like bullet points) Covering a topic in depth Answering questions Focus on usability Demonstrating authority FAQs can help improve visibility and be listed as a source—but this is no guarantee for many clicks. It can also be a short-term strategy to mainly optimize for the (constantly declining number of) keywords and topics for which no AI Overviews are yet displayed in Google. FAQs and GEO - Optimization for AI-Based Chatbots AI-based chatbots like ChatGPT or Perplexity also depend on understanding and categorizing information on the website. The foundation for content optimization here, too, is understanding your target audience and their needs and providing content for it. The key is a range of different content types that answer different types of queries and intentions. FAQ content allows you to answer questions naturally that users enter into AI tools. The goal is to provide precise answers in natural language, similar to a conversation. Imagine, for example, that you are talking to a potential customer who is asking you questions about a product or service. A good structure of the answers through lists, bullet points, and subheadings (for long answers) and tagging with structured data helps tools understand the content. And fundamentally, the best strategy is still a combination of optimization for AI-based tools and classic search engine optimization. Do FAQs on the website improve visibility for Voice Search? In voice search, questions are more often entered than in text-based searches. Answering relevant questions in the FAQ section can therefore bring an advantage here as well. Besides many other factors such as a mobile-friendly website, it is also important for voice search optimization to phrase questions and answers naturally. It is not only about embedding relevant FAQs but also in which language these are written (everyday language). What are the options for embedding FAQs on a website? Depending on the goal of the FAQs, different solutions are available to embed them on the website. Below are the most important ones, along with their pros and cons. Dedicated FAQ Page The first option is to create a single long FAQ page that lists all the important questions collected. For better overview, an accordion element is often used in the layout, where users can expand and collapse the answers to individual questions. Advantages Easy to set up and maintain Simple questions that can be answered in one sentence are not a problem for SEO Disadvantages Rarely ranks for (competitive) terms as different topics are covered on one page, thus lacking focus Fewer opportunities for good internal linking between individual questions SEO-Compliant Setup Each question as a sub headline Use correct headline structure If technically possible, a table of contents at the top of the page with jump links to individual questions Where appropriate, linking relevant products or services from the FAQ texts Implementation of structured data (see below) FAQ Section on the Page An alternative with more SEO potential is a standalone FAQ section on the website instead of a single page. An overview page with all questions links to the subpages with the answers to the questions. If there are a large number of questions, they can be organized thematically for better overview. Using the example of E-bikes, the categories might be: General Questions, Brands, Models, Batteries, Maintenance, and Repair. Advantages Higher chance of being found for keywords Targeted optimization for keywords is possible as longer texts can be created and optimized for a greater number of keywords. Better usability as there is no need to navigate on a long page Disadvantages More maintenance effort as many individual pages are created Individual FAQs require more content to avoid generating “thin content.” SEO-Compliant Setup Overview page with teasers and links to FAQ detail pages with the individual questions Detail pages with correct headline structure (question as h1 headline) Detail pages must be standalone complete pages that contain navigation, footer, etc. (avoid solutions like iframes) Minimum amount of content (if there are still questions with very short answers, it might make sense to exclude them from indexing) Cross-linking between similar FAQs If using categories: Breadcrumb navigation for easy navigation back to the main category or FAQ overview page Links to relevant product pages or services Implementation of structured data (see below) FAQ Section on Service or Product Pages Product or service pages also benefit from a FAQ section. Especially if there are very specific questions about a particular product, these are well placed on the product page. They can help dispel reservations about a purchase or answer questions that would otherwise occupy customer service. At worst, users drop out if they do not find an answer to their question and purchase the product from the competition. Meaningful and relevant FAQs can thus increase the conversion rate. Advantages Enriches the content on these pages with meaningful and relevant phrases and terms Questions may appear in the search results under “Other Questions” and draw traffic to the product or service page from there. Disadvantages For high-competition keyword combinations that individual FAQs are optimized for, there is a significantly lower chance of ranking than if they are created as standalone pages. SEO-Compliant Setup FAQ section with headline Individual questions as headlines (observe correct headline structure) Ideally use unique FAQs - do not include the same question and answer 1:1 on multiple pages Implementation of structured data (see below) FAQs as Blog Posts If the CMS does not allow a standalone FAQ area, one solution is to embed FAQs in the form of blog posts. Each blog post answers a question for which keywords with sufficient search volume have been defined. Alternatively, FAQs can also complement blog posts on a topic by answering the most important questions as part of the blog post. Especially for information-based keywords (the main intent of searchers is to get information), this can be a sensible solution. Advantages Easy to maintain Good chance of being found Disadvantages Individual FAQs require a minimum amount of content May become lost on the website (poorer usability) SEO-Compliant Setup Correct headline structure Minimum amount of content Cross-linking between similar FAQs/blog posts Links to relevant product pages or services To feature the FAQ more prominently on the website, FAQ could be established as a blog category and this category page could be linked to. Implementation of structured data (see below) The SEO-friendly Embedding of FAQ Sections To create FAQs that are optimized for both users and search engines, layout and technical embedding are also important. A widespread method is accordions, where only the question is visible and the answers can be expanded. These sections do not take up much space and are clear to page visitors. But how does Google rate content that is not directly visible but must be expanded? Are Accordion Elements for FAQs SEO-Friendly? The first question is, how was the accordion technically implemented? Are the collapsed contents visible in the source code, or are they loaded only after clicking? From an SEO perspective, it is important that all relevant content is available in the source code and does not require action. For example, a collapse function using CSS is more effective than a JavaScript action that triggers the display of the content. And how about the contents themselves? Traditionally, Google rates content higher when it is directly visible. However, due to the focus on mobile, this evaluation has slightly shifted. “Hidden” because collapsed content is a legitimate solution for maintaining clarity on mobile sites for usability reasons. Google itself has been saying for years that all information in the HTML is read and considered, even if it is “hidden” in accordions or tabs. Various studies (for example by Searchpilot in 2020) suggest that directly visible content performs better than “hidden” content. Therefore important content should preferably always be visible without additional clicks. For FAQ sections on pages, however, accordions remain an important way to keep content organized. Alternatives to Accordion for FAQs Accordions are not the only way to integrate FAQs without users having to scroll through long text blocks. Tabs are another option, but there remains the factor that “hidden content” may rank worse. An alternative is to integrate the FAQs as plain text but add a table of contents with jump links so that visitors can quickly find the question they are looking for. Optimize FAQs for Search Engines - 3 More Tips Above we have already provided hints for an SEO-compliant structure of the various types of FAQ pages and the technical integration. We would like to give you three additional tips to get the most out of your FAQs. Identify Relevant Questions If you have set up your FAQ section so that each question is a separate page, we recommend using a keyword analysis to research sub-topics or questions of interest. If you have already collected questions that you know from practice are relevant because, for example, customer service frequently receives them, keyword analysis helps describe these questions using the words your target audience uses. The goal is to identify terms or phrases that are frequently searched. You can use these sources for keyword analysis and identifying questions: Paid keyword tools Free keyword tools (for example, answerthepublic) Google search results: Google Suggest (suggestions from Google when entering terms into the search), questions in Google Search, related terms under the search results Google Trends SEO tools that display competitors' keywords Your own analysis tools, especially Google Search Console, which shows you which topics and questions you already have some visibility for. Internal site search Social media comments and platforms like Reddit Screenshot from the SERPs - Example E-Bikes Using “E-Bikes” as an example, this incomplete list of general topics and questions can be identified: Which E-Bike is recommended? (Question in Google search results) How much watt should a good E-Bike motor have? (Question in Google search results) How much does a good E-Bike cost? (Question in Google search results) Which E-Bike suits me? (Keyword tool in SEMrush) How long does an E-Bike battery last? (Keyword tool in SEMrush) Who repairs E-Bikes? (answerthepublic) How to charge E-Bike battery? (answerthepublic) Use FAQ Markups If your CMS allows it, it is advisable to embed structured data to help Google interpret and categorize content. In the case of FAQs, the FAQPage markup ensures that Google recognizes what is a question and what is an answer and can classify this content as an FAQ. Detailed explanations can be found at Google as well as on schema.org’s page for the FAQPage and the QAPage . Structured data can be checked in Google's tool “Rich Results Test” The tool shows which markups have been integrated and identifies any errors. Using the example of testberichte.de, we see in the Google tool that the FAQ markup is used: Important: According to Google's statement , the same question and answer must not be marked up multiple times. For SEO reasons, it is optimal to create unique FAQs if, for example, you embed FAQs on product pages. If you still want to embed identical FAQs on different pages, these should only be marked up on one of these pages according to Google, as otherwise it would violate their guidelines. Optimize Internal Linking One of the biggest advantages of a FAQ section on the website is, besides generating relevant content, the possibility of improving internal linking . Linking related pages within your website or online shop strengthens the linked page and also helps users discover new content and stay on your website longer. Consider for each question whether there are relevant products, services, blog posts, other FAQs, or other pages you can link from the text. For good internal linking, use descriptive link text instead of general text like “read more here.” To identify suitable links, it is also useful to ask the question after creating the FAQ text: what is the most logical next step for users who are asking this question and have read this content? Is it a product page? Are there usually more questions? Is the answer to the question to use your service? Alternatives and Complements to FAQs FAQ sections and pages are not the only way to effectively expand regular content. A well-thought-out SEO strategy considers all types of content to increase visibility for keyword combinations and related keywords. A powerful strategy is glossaries that explain technical terms. An application could be to compare different materials, cuts, or designs for a product and thus provide additional decision-making help for customers. Idealo, for instance, integrates a glossary section on category pages instead of a FAQ section, where relevant terms for the category are explained. Best Practice - Examples of Successful FAQ Pages There are many examples of well-thought-out FAQ pages on the internet that have been sensibly structured and answer meaningful questions about the respective topic. Every industry, every target group, and every company is individual, but it can still be helpful to look at best practice examples for inspiration. Therefore, we have put together some FAQ sections and FAQ pages that we find successful: Samsung Technical devices are a good example of products for which many questions are asked before a purchase decision. Especially the expensive, annually released models from large companies such as Samsung and Apple with their technical details offer a lot of potential for explanations and help in product choice. Samsung answers the most important questions on the product presentation page in the FAQ section. On the product page in the shop, purchase-related questions are mainly answered. Here you will find a mix of generic questions and specific questions and answers. In the first answer, you can see how the general question was answered in relation to the product. Booking.com A FAQ section does not necessarily have to be named “FAQ.” Booking.com calls it “Quick Help” and organizes the questions by their topic. Jump links have been added at the top of the page, allowing you to jump directly to the desired category without having to scroll for long. Avocadostore The Avocadostore also organizes the FAQ section by topic and directly suggests questions on the FAQ overview that are likely to be frequently asked. This saves users with these questions a click without losing clarity through categorization. Zalando Zalando also uses categories that are always accessible via navigation, so users can easily jump between FAQ sections. Content Optimization from FAQ to Blog with the internetwarriors Do you want to improve your organic visibility with optimized content? Our experienced SEO team knows all the tricks and tools to be better found on Google. We analyze your content , support you with optimization, or deliver relevant optimized content for your website or online shop. This can be FAQ texts, but, for example, also product descriptions or blog posts. Just contact us, we will gladly create a non-binding individual offer for you!

In today's B2B marketing, there is often tremendous pressure: Every lead counts, and every conversion must happen as quickly as possible. Marketing teams are gauged by short-term KPIs, and your focus is nearly exclusively on capturing the few potential clients ready to make a purchase right now. But what if this approach is fundamentally flawed and ignores the greatest growth potential? This is where the provocative yet evidence-based work of Professor John Dawes from the renowned Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science comes into play. His research challenges conventional wisdom and introduces the 95:5 rule: A simple yet transformative idea suggesting that at any given time, only about 5% of your potential B2B clients are actively seeking a solution in the market. The overwhelming 95% are part of your target audience but are not (yet) ready to buy. A marketing strategy focusing solely on the "hot" 5% risks overlooking the vast growth opportunities present in this larger, currently "passive" segment. You’re competing in a crowded pond for few fish, while an ocean of potential future customers is largely ignored. In this article, we dive deep into the 95:5 rule. We explore the problem of "now" obsession in B2B marketing, explain the scientific foundation of the rule, and most importantly, show you concrete, actionable strategies on how to adjust your marketing to not only serve the 5% but also win over the critical 95% for future success. The Problem: The Dangerous Fixation on the "Immediate" 5% Marketing and sales teams are under constant pressure to generate leads that quickly turn into revenue. This environment fosters an excessive reliance on bottom-funnel tactics: Performance Marketing: Paid search, retargeting. Sales Activities: Aggressive cold calling, direct approach via LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Content: Focus on product comparisons, case studies, demo requests. All these efforts target the small group of the 5% actively seeking a solution. This fixation on the "now" carries significant drawbacks: Intense Competition: Every one of your competitors is vying for the same 5%. This drives up costs for keywords, ad space, and ultimately customer acquisition costs (CAC). Lack of Differentiation: Amid the hustle of bottom-funnel offers, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out from the competition. Messages often sound very similar ("We boost your revenue," "Our software solves problem X"). Missed Potential: The 95% not buying right now are overlooked. When these potential clients are ready to purchase in 6, 12, or 18 months, they may never have heard of your brand or formed no positive association with it. Weak Negotiation Position: If a buyer meets your brand only when deeply into the buying process and actively comparing options, your chances of winning the deal are statistically low. Brands that are familiar and trusted beforehand have a massive advantage. Solely concentrating on the 5% is a reactive approach, which incurs high costs and leaves long-term growth potential untapped. The Paradigm Shift: Understanding the 95:5 Rule The 95:5 rule is not an arbitrary number but based on extensive research by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, known for its evidence-based marketing principles (including Byron Sharp’s bestseller "How Brands Grow"). The core message is simple but profound: 5% are "In-Market": This group has a recognized need, is actively researching, and is ready to make a purchasing decision in the near future. 95% are "Out-of-Market": This group belongs to your potential target audience (e.g., companies of the right size and industry) but currently has no need, urgency, or awareness of a potential problem. They are, however, your future buyers. The key insight is: The 95% are not a lost group but your most important asset for future growth . If you manage to be present with this vast majority before they even think about a purchase, you have an unbeatable advantage when the need finally arises. The Solution: Building Bridges to the 95% – Marketing for the Future So how do you reach the 95% who are not actively listening right now? The answer lies in building Mental Availability . This concept, central to the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute's work, describes the likelihood that a buyer thinks of your brand in a relevant buying situation. Imagine the CTO of a manufacturing company (part of your 95%) reading a technical article about production optimization. If your ERP systems brand comes to mind positively because he recently saw an interesting ad or a relevant post from you, you’ve created mental availability. Months later, when he is actually evaluating a new ERP system (and becomes part of the 5%), your brand is already positively anchored in memory. How Do You Build Mental Availability? Broad Reach: You need to reach as many potential buyers within your category as possible, including the 95%. It’s about generating a large number of market contacts over time. Consistency: Brand building is a marathon, not a sprint. Regular presence over long periods is crucial. Distinctive Brand Assets (DBAs): These are the sensory and semantic cues that help buyers easily recognize and remember your brand without having to read the brand name. These include: Logo Color scheme (e.g., Telekom Magenta, IBM Blue) Slogan or tagline Jingles or sounds (e.g., Intel Inside) Characters or mascots Unique visual style in ads and content These DBAs must be used consistently to build strong memory structures. Linking with Category Entry Points (CEPs): CEPs are the various situations, needs, or problems that prompt a buyer to think about a specific product or service category. Examples in B2B: "We need to reduce our production costs." (--> ERP system, automation solution) "Our current software is outdated and no longer secure." (--> New software solution) "How can we make our sales processes more efficient?" (--> CRM system, sales automation tool) Effective marketing links the brand’s DBAs with relevant CEPs in the target audience’s mind. The 95:5 Rule in Practice: 4+1 Strategies for Your B2B Marketing Based on the insights of John Dawes and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, specific recommendations arise: 1. Rethink Success Measurement: Look Beyond Immediate Sales The greatest mistake is measuring the success of marketing activities—especially those targeting the 95%—solely by short-term sales or leads. If 95% of your audience cannot buy immediately, 95% of your efforts will inevitably have a delayed impact. What You Can Do: Measure Brand Health Metrics: Track long-term indicators like unaided brand awareness (when asked "Which providers for X do you know of?", is your brand mentioned?), aided awareness, brand image, and recognition of your DBAs. Measure Reach: What percentage of your total addressable market (TAM) do you reach with your marketing activities over time? Is this percentage growing? Measure CEP Associations: (Advanced) Understand with which buying situations your brand is associated and if you occupy the most relevant CEPs. Accept Longer Periods: Building a brand takes time. Do not expect immediate miracles but track trends over quarters and years. 2. Prioritize Reach: Speak with More Potential Clients Many B2B marketers believe in the power of high frequency—the assumption being that complex buying decisions require many touchpoints. However, Ehrenberg-Bass research shows this is often inefficient. What You Can Do: Focus on "Unique Reach": Invest your budget so you reach as many different potential buyers in your category as possible, rather than targeting a few repeatedly. The first exposure to advertising often has the most impact on memory. Further repetitions have diminishing returns. Utilize Broad Channels (sensibly): In addition to targeted performance channels, broader reach channels can also be sensible in the B2B context, such as trade media, industry newsletters, relevant podcasts, LinkedIn brand awareness ads, YouTube, or even industry-specific events. Be Patient: It takes time to achieve broad market penetration. 3. Focus on New Clients: The True Growth Engine A widespread misconception is that growth can mainly be achieved through more sales to existing clients (upselling, cross-selling). However, the data clearly show: The greatest growth potential almost always lies in acquiring new clients (penetration). What You Can Do: Primarily Align Your Marketing with Acquisition: Indeed, customer retention is important, but most of the marketing budget and strategic efforts should aim at acquiring new buyers for the brand—reaching out to the 95%. Understand the Limits of Loyalty: Existing clients often have a natural cap on what they can or are willing to buy from you. Excessive efforts to yield more from them often result in low returns. 4. Build and Defend Distinctive Brand Assets In a sea of often generic B2B messages, strong, recognizable brand elements are invaluable. What You Can Do: Identify and Define Your DBAs: What makes your brand unique and recognizable? Is it your logo, colors, slogan, a specific visual style? Use Your DBAs Consistently: Deploy these elements across all marketing channels and touchpoints—from the website to ads to sales presentations. Resist the Urge for Frequent Rebranding: New marketing leaders often want to leave their mark by redesigning everything. This can be disastrous as it destroys memory structures built over years. Instead, strengthen and nurture your existing assets. Changes should be evolutionary, not revolutionary. +1. Adapt Creativity and Messaging for the 95% How Do You Talk to People Who Have No Immediate Buying Need? Be Interesting, Not Just Sales-Driven: Provide valuable content, insights, or entertainment relevant to the industry, even if it does not directly prompt a purchase. Focus on Branding: Use creative approaches to create positive associations and embed the brand in memory. Tell stories, show expertise, build trust. Link Yourself with CEPs: Communicate in which situations your solution is relevant to set the right triggers in the target audience's mind. Less Hard-Sell, More "Always-On": It’s about continuous presence and being perceived as a helpful and competent resource. Balance Is Key: Not an Either-Or The 95:5 rule does not mean neglecting performance marketing or serving the active 5%. Quite the opposite: An optimal approach combines both: Long-Term Brand Building (for the 95%): Investments in reach, DBAs, CEP linkage, and creative brand communication. Short-Term Activation (for the 5%): Efficient performance marketing activities, sales enablement, and conversion optimization to capture demand as it arises. The art is to find the right balance and synergy between these two approaches instead of focusing on just one. Conclusion: Think Long-Term, Act Strategically The 95:5 rule by John Dawes and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute is more than just an interesting statistic; it is a fundamental wake-up call for B2B marketing. It challenges us to rethink our obsession with immediate results and embrace a longer-term, more strategic perspective. By consciously starting to advertise for the 95%—through building mental availability, prioritizing reach, focusing on acquiring new clients, and consistently using distinctive brand elements—you lay the foundation for sustainable growth. You reduce the reliance on expensive bottom-funnel battles and increase the likelihood that your brand will be the first choice when your future clients are finally ready to buy. It’s time to end the chase for the 5% and start cultivating the ocean of the 95%. Your future self (and your sales team) will thank you for it. Sources and Inspiration This article is significantly inspired by the work and publications of Professor John Dawes from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science. His research on the 95:5 rule and the principles derived for effective marketing, especially in the B2B context, presents a valuable, evidence-based challenge to traditional marketing approaches. We encourage all marketing professionals wanting to dive deeper into this matter to engage with the publications and discussions by Professor Dawes and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute to gain a more comprehensive understanding of long-term successful brand management.

Where else can you find heated debates about nuclear physics alongside cat pictures and the best baking recipes? Only on Reddit. With over 1.5 billion users, Reddit is one of the largest and most influential online communities in the world. Reddit - A gold mine of marketing potential or a minefield for companies? The platform offers enormous potential but also presents risks. Is Reddit SEO even feasible? And how can companies win over the Reddit community without breaking the rules? In this article, we will take you on an expedition through the Reddit universe and show you how to generate more traffic, enhance your brand awareness, and gain valuable leads. Discover the secrets of Reddit marketing! Reddit: Where Diverse Communities Come Together Reddit is a unique entity. Those who don't speak its language quickly get lost in the jungle of Subreddits. Understand the nuances of this platform before you start your Reddit online marketing. What is Reddit?  Reddit is a social media platform where you can share, discuss, and rate content. What sets it apart: Reddit is divided into countless Subreddits – thematic communities where users exchange specific interests. From cat pictures to programming tips and political debates, you can find it all. You can create posts with videos, images, and texts, and interact with other users. Especially valuable for businesses: the intense exchange within these communities. Here, you can identify and better understand your target audience. How Does Reddit Work? Reddit has clear rules you need to follow if you want to use the platform for your marketing. The most important rules for your marketing are: Authenticity over advertising – forget about blatant promotional messages! Reddit is about authentic exchange and valuable contributions. Advertising is (mostly) taboo: Reddit supports advertising only to a very limited extent. Direct product advertising is not allowed in most Subreddits. Inform yourself about the exceptions and possibilities, such as paid ads.   Here you can find the complete Reddit rules. Take the time to read them thoroughly before starting your marketing! Deep Dive into Subreddits Reddit is more than just a platform – it’s a universe of thousands of communities with their own rules and cultures. The heart of Reddit is the Subreddits – thematic communities where users exchange interests. Each Subreddit has its own rules – and you should definitely know them before interacting with the community. Humor is welcome in some Subreddits, strictly forbidden in others. Some communities value detailed contributions, while others prefer short and concise comments. Take the time to read the rules of the Subreddits you want to be active in. This will help you avoid unpleasant surprises and ensure your contributions are well-received: Fig. 1: Screenshot Reddit community rules - https://www.reddit.com/r/marketing/   Choose the right Subreddits for your topic! Reddit offers a huge selection of communities – from /r/technology/ for tech news to /r/entrepreneur/ for entrepreneurs. If you're developing software for musicians, /r/wearethemusicmakers/ is the right place to connect with potential customers. Research the relevant Subreddits and analyze the discussions there. This way, you can find out where your target audience is active and what topics interest them: Fig. 2: Screenshot - Overview of top communities ( https://www.reddit.com/best/communities/1/ ) If in doubt: Ask the mods! If you're unsure whether your post complies with a Subreddit’s rules, contact the moderators. They are happy to help. Upvotes and Downvotes are the heart of Reddit culture. They show how the community rates your posts. Constructive contributions and helpful comments are rewarded with Upvotes, spam and inappropriate behavior are penalized with Downvotes. Reddit is more than a platform for discussion and knowledge exchange. It’s a place where ideas are born, trends are set, and opinions are formed. Use the dynamics of this community to reach your target audience and advance your business. Reddit: Secret Tip for Your Online Marketing or Time Waster?  Strategies Reddit can be leveraged with a bit of background knowledge about the platform. The platform polarizes – and precisely for that reason, it holds enormous potential. But how can you use Reddit for your online marketing strategy? We show you how to harness the power of Subreddits! The Secrets of Reddit Rankings Forget keyword density and CTR optimization! On Reddit, engagement and community count. These factors influence your Reddit ranking: Upvotes and Downvotes: The more Upvotes your post receives, the higher it will rank in the Subreddit. A post with many Upvotes and lively discussion will rank higher than a post with only a few Upvotes, even if it is perfectly optimized for keywords. Engagement: Reddit loves active discussions and comments. It shows that your post is relevant and interesting to the community. Encourage interaction by asking questions, responding to comments, and participating in the conversation. Recency: Reddit prefers fresh content. Older posts lose visibility over time. To keep your content ranked high, post regularly and keep your content updated. Understanding how Reddit rankings work enables you to create content that engages your target audience and drives traffic to your website. Remember, it’s not just about getting Upvotes, but also about creating valuable content that sparks conversations and builds relationships with your audience: Fig. 3: Screenshot - Overview ChatGPT community, “hot” posts - https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/   Reddit Online Marketing: An Explosive Mix for Your Business! Downvotes, Karma, Subreddits – Reddit is a world of its own. But that's precisely what makes the platform so valuable for your online marketing! It's all about authentic exchange and valuable contributions. Reddit is not a place for blatant advertising - SEO is redefined here. Those who understand this can leverage the platform: Build expertise: Become a thought leader in your community In certain Subreddits, you can position yourself as an expert by actively engaging in discussions and sharing high-quality content. Over time, you’ll be seen as a trusted voice in your niche. This pays off: Google rewards expertise with better rankings (E-E-A-T factors). Understand your target audience: Get to know your customers on Reddit Reddit is a goldmine for businesses that want to truly understand their target audience. Here, you can gain valuable insights and optimize your products/services without expensive market research. Find out what moves your customers and what topics they are interested in. Spot Trends: Stay a step ahead of the competition Reddit is known for its timeliness. Here you find the latest trends in your industry. Use this knowledge to adapt your marketing strategy and stay ahead of the competition. Google Bonus: Use Reddit SEO for your search engine optimization Google is the only search engine that indexes Reddit results. This means: If your posts are current and have many Upvotes, they can appear in the SERPs and bring valuable traffic: Fig. 4: Screenshot Google search results - “Cats community”, Reddit The secret weapon for your recruiting Forget impersonal job portals! On Reddit, you'll meet engaged talents who are genuinely interested in your company. In theme-specific Subreddits (e.g., job search), you can post job ads and connect directly with potential candidates. The reach may be smaller than on other platforms, but you’ll meet highly motivated candidates who perfectly fit your corporate culture. Note: Posting job offers is only allowed if explicitly permitted in the community rules. Are you looking for talented employees who share your passion? Then get active on Reddit! Marketing: Who Is Reddit SEO Suitable For? Reddit not only offers opportunities for recruiting but is also a valuable platform for online marketing and SEO. Startups can win their first customers on Reddit and collect valuable feedback. Large companies can use the platform to increase their brand awareness and communicate with their target audience. Your Advantages of Reddit SEO Marketing at a Glance: Build expertise: Position yourself as an expert in your industry. Understand your target audience: Get to know your customers and optimize your products/services. Spot trends: Stay a step ahead of the competition. Google Bonus: Achieve better ranking in Google search with your Reddit posts. Share your expert knowledge through theme-related case studies! Show potential customers how you can help them solve their problems.  Another advantage: By being active on Reddit, you increase your visibility. However, always exercise caution: no advertising or community-disallowed actions to avoid receiving downvotes/violating rules. Reddit SEO Tools Now that we have found out that Reddit SEO is feasible, albeit with a completely different form and perspective compared to traditional SEO, it’s important to consider which specific Reddit SEO tools exist and which ones are right. Keyword Research: Indeed, you can research keywords for Reddit as well. Here, as mentioned, it's important to focus on the topic (Subreddit), relevance, and natural implementation. With the right keywords, your Reddit post can appear on Google. You can proceed traditionally and use tools like SEMRush . To understand what the most relevant keywords are, you should analyze your Subreddit and precisely filter out what can be used. The informational content is crucial, as Reddit is not an advertising platform. For research and inspiration, the tool AnswerThePublic is perfect. Here you can excellently analyze questions and derive keywords from them. You can also use Google search. You should enter the search word combination site:reddit.com (e.g., cats site:reddit.com) in the search bar and then, e.g., analyze the top threads as keywords using Google’s Keyword Planner. This gives an overview of what Reddit offers for the search query: Fig. 5: Google query - cats site:reddit.com Additionally, you can access specific keyword tools for Reddit: The tool Keyworddit offers the possibility to analyze Subreddits directly and obtain ideas comprehensively. However, it is only available for the US-American realm, meaning US-Reddits. It might also happen that the tool doesn't extract keywords from the Subreddit because it doesn’t find any. However, the listed topics can be seamlessly used further in search. Anvaka.github is another free tool that not only enables analysis and overview of posts once the Subreddit name is entered but also shows related Subreddits. This provides an easy, comprehensive overview of related topics. More general topics can be specifically used for further research. However, it might also occur that no thematically related Subreddits are found. In summary, when choosing a Reddit SEO tool, you have relative freedom. Even if a direct Subreddit SEO analysis cannot be conducted (e.g., because no data is available), you can still identify the keywords that are relevant and have sufficient search volume for the topic. The focus should be on informational content, long-tail keywords, thematic alignment, non-branded keywords, and W-question keywords. Therefore, it’s worth focusing on keyword tools.  If you are interested in the topic of keyword research, check out our blog post with insider knowledge ! Behind the Scenes of Reddit SEO: Benefits & Challenges It's always valuable to know what opportunities you have when undertaking certain steps. Even more interesting is the question of the risks: Are they worth it? For this reason, we have critically examined Reddit SEO to succinctly point out the pros and cons:  Benefits Reddit can be an effective SEO tool when used correctly. By actively participating in thematically appropriate Subreddits, you can not only generate valuable traffic but also establish authority in your niche. With a clever strategy, you can discover and leverage the following advantages of Reddit SEO: 1. Backlinks: Among the advantages of Reddit SEO optimization, backlinks certainly count. Despite the nofollow links, it generates significant referral traffic. 2. Authority and Expertise: By actively engaging in communities, answering questions, and crafting content, you can position yourself as an expert and thus indirectly influence the E-E-A-T factors. 3. Google Rankings: It should not be forgotten that Google can rank Reddit posts relatively high (conditional relevance). 4. Trends: There is the possibility of going viral with the post and keeping an eye on trends. Challenges However, SEO on Reddit is anything but intuitive. The benefits face challenges and there are additional hurdles you may encounter: 1. Backlinks: This is also a disadvantage because Reddit undermines self-promotion and "blatant" link placement (always consider community & mentioned Reddit rules). 2. Guidelines: Strict rules and moderators in the respective Subreddits should never be overlooked or neglected. 3. Downvotes: You can also be downvoted. 4. Time: It’s quite time-consuming to achieve sustainable SEO successes. 5. Subtle Difference: You must carefully distinguish between measures for a company on Reddit, a person on Reddit, and a person from a company, because not everything fits or can be implemented (in traditional form or known from other platforms/websites). 6. Traditional SEO doesn't work in the Reddit community. Your Small SEO Guide for Reddit Now that Reddit and its peculiarities are clear, we can derive some results and thus give you a small SEO guide for Reddit: 1. If you decide on an account on Reddit , choose the right niches or communities so you not only share a wavelength with other participants but also remain specific and precise in your comments, posts, and discussions. Golden Rule: When sharing and writing content, remember to stay factual and informative, as Reddit users particularly appreciate added value. 2. Optional: If you manage to become an active participant in the community, you can try to set a natural link (not a blatant link) to your company. However, ensure it’s not an advertisement, but an added value (e.g., case study, sharing knowledge, etc.). Subreddits like AMA (Ask Me Anything) or a thematically relevant community can be well-suited for this. Always bear in mind that such measures can involve certain risks. Thus, it is recommended as an optional measure.  3. Think outside the box : This could really be the restart for your SEO strategy. With Reddit, you can conduct relatively good target audience analyses, especially among very specific target groups (thanks to Subreddits). Moreover, you can also clear up specific questions since experts frequent Reddit. By actively and usefully participating, you can also become an expert or a thought leader. Ideas for topics for keyword searches can also be found in some Subreddits, as many relevant and interesting topics are discussed daily. At a Glance: The question "Can I do Reddit SEO for my product/service?" can probably be answered more with " no ", because you don’t really have the means to do so, and if you do, then only indirectly (especially connected with time effort). Direct Reddit online marketing is thus not possible. More important, however, is how you integrate and use Reddit in your SEO strategy. Our conclusion is: no classical SEO measures on Reddit but use Reddit for SEO measures. Get to know your own target audience better, never miss important trends again, and don’t forget that in principle, you can also monitor opinions on your brand or product in specific Subreddits! Harness the potential of Reddit and improve your website's performance!  With Reddit SEO, It Doesn’t End! Are you curious about what else our warriors team knows and can do, or are you perhaps seeking targeted support in the area of SEO , Paid , Strategy , or Web Analysis ? Feel free to check out our services and get a non-binding and free initial consultation from our experts!

Welcome to the fifth and final post of our blog series “5 Tips on How to Keep Your Online Marketing Strategy Relevant in Times of Automation” . In this part, we focus on Website Optimization . We discuss why it's important to keep an eye on the competition, the ways to identify them, and how we can leverage insights to gain advantages. If you missed the previous parts of the series, feel free to check them out. We talk about why it's important to define the right business goals , the benefits of broadening your online marketing channels , why contextual advertising is often underestimated, and how a competitor analysis can provide a competitive edge. Optimizing Your Content Arguably the most important aspect of optimization is undoubtedly one's own website. No matter how much effort we put into optimization measures before the click - if the foundation, the website, is not right, we cannot be successful in the long run. Therefore, it's essential to make the user experience on our website as smooth, enjoyable, and intuitive as possible. It starts with user-friendly navigation that guides users clearly and directly through the pages to their intended goal. An optimized checkout process, guest checkouts , as well as up-to-date and secure payment methods , also help to reduce cart abandonment hurdles. To ensure everyone finds what they need quickly on our site, it might also be worthwhile to implement an intelligent site search that provides suggestions during the actual search and, in some cases, shows product recommendations directly. We'll see what such an intelligent search looks like in the following example from Nike. But even on specific landing pages, where we either advertise strategically or want to push in other ways, there are additional content optimization measures: Clear and compelling offer Effective call-to-actions Adequate information for informed (purchase) decisions Trust-building elements Fast load times + Mobile optimization A/B testing! The Impact of FAQs Today, we have less and less time to convince people of our offer. Therefore, it's all the more important to answer as many questions as possible already on the landing page. FAQs, for example, in an “accordion element,” help provide as much information as possible that users can expand when needed without being overwhelmed by walls of text. At this point, the importance of A/B testing for landing page optimization should be highlighted . They serve as one of the key elements for improving performance and should always be an integral part of optimization measures. All major companies have likely subjected their landing pages to hundreds or thousands of tests, and for good reason. Quick tip : External tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity help enormously in better understanding user behavior on the site and making data-driven optimizations. The content available on landing pages should also depend on the target audience the page is intended for. Providing Solutions & Contact Options When generating leads, we should ensure we provide adequate contact opportunities . A persistent contact field can be helpful here, allowing users to establish contact when they're ready without having to search. This is particularly relevant for pages with a large amount of text content. Here, we also bridge to target group definition from Tip #2. On our landing page, we now have the opportunity to understand the pain points of our target group and present solution approaches . An effective means can also be showing opportunity costs if a collaboration is foregone. It quickly becomes clear how the service could impact one's own company and how much working hours and/or money can be saved. By sharing expert knowledge, such as case studies, white papers, or webinars , we not only inform and qualify our target group in advance but also create a higher level of trust. This is especially important in B2B, as the costs for offered services can easily reach six to seven figures in euros, and decisions are often made at the highest business levels. Those who score with their expertise in advance significantly increase their chances of being commissioned. On product pages, alongside many of the previously mentioned points, the following content optimization options can also be added: High-quality product images Detailed product descriptions Encouraging/displaying customer reviews Product recommendations/similar products/“Often bought together” Product videos Price and market analyses Clear, customer-friendly return policies Focusing on Customer Satisfaction We should make it as easy as possible for users to decide whether the product is relevant or not. Above all, high-quality content on the product page helps. The impact of customer reviews should also never be underestimated, especially for high-priced products. Nowadays, many people compare products in advance, and one of the crucial criteria is often a good product rating. Not only do we benefit to some extent from user-generated content, but we also have the opportunity to see what customers appreciate about our product and, importantly, where we can still improve. Those who actively reach out to their customers, take suggestions for improvement, and then implement them, increase long-term customer satisfaction and thus also customer loyalty . Speaking of customer satisfaction: A good customer support is, of course, essential for long-term success. If we receive an inquiry from a dissatisfied customer, we have the chance to turn the negative experience into a positive one. This not only leads to a better customer experience but often also reflects in customer reviews, which can directly impact the purchase decision and give the brand a more positive image. Through email marketing or newsletters , we effectively reach existing customers and prospects, announcing new products or promotional offers. Often, such offers are exclusively available to newsletter subscribers, which can positively impact the signup rate. This way, we gather more customer data without significant monetary additional costs while simultaneously providing attractive offers. With loyalty programs , customers can be retained long-term by the company, increasing the number of repeat buyers. These programs range from points for purchases to referring other people to cashback promotions or subscriptions with additional benefits or discounts. There are therefore manifold website optimization possibilities that can help improve the user experience, increase CLTV, and thus also have a direct impact on various marketing channels. As mentioned earlier, website optimization is undoubtedly one of the most effective measures to improve performance since it is the place where most users ultimately convert one way or another. Conclusion In conclusion, we return to the initial question: Will online marketing become obsolete due to developments in AI and automation ? Here we can reply with a resounding NO . Those who rely solely on automation and AI for their marketing strategy will lose in the long run. While all the new AI features are indeed helpful and can enrich online marketing, they are not the ultimate solution. The heavy reliance on data, on which AI is based, enables the processing of countless pieces of information, but it is also its greatest weakness. Many data points are often inaccessible, and important connections are thus lost. Apart from advertising platforms, there are many other optimization possibilities that should be utilized to get the most out of one's strategy. Ultimately, only the proportion of work shifts from operational to strategic . And for that, at the end of the day, you still need a human with experience. Thank you for your attention! We hope you enjoyed our blog series on “5 Tips on How to Keep Your Online Marketing Strategy Relevant in Times of Automation” and that you can not only justify your marketing job better to your boss but also take away a trick or two. If you haven't seen our other blog entries yet, feel free to check them out! Automation in Marketing - Part 1 | Optimize for Goals Automation in Marketing - Part 2 | Channel Diversification Automation in Marketing - Part 3 | Contextual Advertising Automation in Marketing - Part 4 | Competitor Analysis Automation in Marketing - Part 5 | Website Optimization for More Conversions Did we forget something important, or do you have further questions on any of the topics? Then feel free to write it in the comments!

Welcome back to our blog series “5 Tips on How to Keep Your Online Marketing Strategy Relevant Even in Times of Automation”! In this part, we focus on a often underestimated yet essential topic: Competitive Analysis. Why is it so important to keep a close watch on the competition? What tools and methods can help identify relevant competitors? And above all: How can strategic advantages be derived from these insights? This is exactly what we will explore in this post. If you missed the previous parts of our series, feel free to take a look - there we discuss, among other things, why clear business goals are essential, how to optimally position your online marketing channels , and why Contextual Advertising is often underestimated. Competitive Analysis - What is the competition doing? Competition is well-known for driving business. While this is often a blessing for end consumers, it has already broken many companies as their product suddenly became irrelevant, and thus their customers stayed away. Therefore, it is essential to never lose sight of your own competition and to regularly look out for new, emerging companies. A so-called competitive analysis is recommended for this purpose. First of all, it is necessary to identify your competitors . There are numerous ways to do this. Anyone already using Google Ads can easily access the auction insights within the campaigns and see which companies are actively participating in the auctions and how aggressively they are doing so. The metrics “ Top of page rate ” and “ Absolute top of page rate ” help us here by indicating how often we appear in the auctions either in the first three results, or even at the very top. By looking a bit more closely, we can even determine if we might be overbidding and artificially driving prices up. Other ways to understand the competitor's approach If you're interested in what type of advertising the competition is running and what images and texts are being used, the ad libraries of all major advertising platforms are recommended. There, we can see exactly which ads have been played by other companies, completely effortlessly and for free. For example, the Google Ads Transparency Center and the Meta Ads Library are mentioned here. But additional information such as rough target groups, estimated budgets, and targeting options can also be gleaned there, albeit not in detail. Other platforms like LinkedIn or TikTok also have such libraries that are extremely helpful for competitor analysis. Other options include external tools (e.g., Semrush, Similarweb, Ahrefs), generative AI tools (Google Gemini, ChatGPT), or simply the classic Google search . This allows us to see aside from Google Ads who potentially appears with us in auctions, or which companies also rank organically or show presence in another form for relevant search queries. We can also relatively simply identify and use the relevant content of the competition for our analysis. Once the competitors are identified, we can start the actual competitive analysis and thus gain a better overview of the competitive environment we are operating in. Topics we should look at more closely include, among others: Website - What does the site look like? Is it a one-pager, or does it have a more complex design? Is the navigation simple, or rather more nested? How high is the informational content? What kind of approach is used? How easy is it for a user to convert? Marketing Strategy - What fundamental goals are pursued? Which actions are potential users supposed to take on the website (appointment requests, demos, downloading informational materials, product purchases, etc.)? Online Marketing Activities - Which channels are being played, which advertisement formats are used? Social Media Presence - What topics are covered? What works well, what doesn’t (engagement)? Where are there still gaps for our own positioning? Price and Offer Structure - Are discounts or other promotions frequent? Does the quality justify the prices, or is there an increasing reliance on low-priced products? Customer Reviews and Feedback - What do the customers say about this competitor? What do they like, what do they criticize? Summarize and keep an overview For better visibility, we can also summarize the insights gained in a classic SWOT analysis to visualize the current situation. This helps us to understand the status quo more easily, highlight our own strengths better, and identify potential gaps . Additionally, it can be worthwhile not only to compare the competitors to our own company but also to compare them with each other as part of the competitive analysis. This way, we may recognize commonalities and overlaps on which we should particularly focus. These analyses help us to gain a better understanding of our own USPs . Moreover, we can discover new potentials and play segments or products that have hardly existed until now. Based on this, we optimize our marketing strategy and in some cases can even predict new trends . If we discover significant differences in the price structure compared to our competitors, it becomes easier for us to justify our own prices . Perhaps our products are indeed more expensive than those of the competition, but in return, they are more robust and durable. This can be effectively communicated. We learn from the weaknesses and mistakes of our competitors through customer feedback and can ideally profit from them. By targeting communication that addresses the exact problems and concerns of the target group, we gain a competitive advantage and ensure better customer satisfaction and loyalty from the very beginning . By implementing the measures defined from this, not only do we ideally save a lot of money and tons of nerves, but we also free up time for the really important things, namely providing the best possible experience for the customers and also the employees within the company. Thank you very much for your attention! Hopefully, it was insightful, and you could take something away for yourself! In the fifth and final part of our mini-series, we will delve deeper into the topic of optimizing your own website . Our previous post on the topic of Contextual Advertising follows. Have we forgotten something important, or do you have questions on the subject? Then feel free to write it to us in the comments! If you want to get in direct contact with us, feel free to check out our contact form. We help you better understand your competitive situation and benefit from it, so you can get the most out of your online marketing strategy - simple and non-binding!

In this article, we take a closer look at Contextual Advertising. We will discuss the advantages of this advertising form and highlight some providers and opportunities that are particularly suitable for it. If you missed the previous parts of the series, feel free to check them out. There, we talk about why it is important to define the right corporate goals and the benefits of broadening your online marketing channels . Contextual Advertising With stricter data protection laws and the resultant increasing targeting restrictions , as well as the trend of many marketing platforms to automate and broaden campaign distribution, it becomes even more crucial to reach the right target audience at the right time and to minimize scatter losses as effectively as possible. But what are the options for targeting one's audience more effectively? This is where Contextual Advertising comes into play. In this form of advertising, ads are not displayed based on users' demographic data, preferences, and interests, but the algorithm primarily focuses on the current context of the page - which gives it the name “Contextual” Advertising. This means that websites are categorized based on various factors. These could be, for example: Product categories Images Text passages Specific keywords in the running text. After a successful categorization, ads that match the page content are played. In the example above, we see a NIKE advertisement placed in an article about the major running shoe test of 2024. It can be assumed that people interested in this article are also more likely to be interested in purchasing new running shoes in the near future. Thus, there is a match between the advertised ad and the purchase intention. The fact that the ad often blends seamlessly into the actual content of the website additionally reduces friction and enhances the coherence between advertising and content. Numerous studies have already shown that this positively impacts user perception and can increase purchase readiness. As mentioned earlier, Contextual Advertising helps to create as much relevance as possible for the target group while impacting the user experience minimally, and ideally even improving it. Additionally, it offers a good opportunity to position your brand in a targeted and brand-safe manner, thus avoiding unnecessary scatter losses. Since it completely dispenses with the use of cookies , this form of advertising is significantly more future-proof and robust against the increasing restrictions on third-party cookies. The question of the right channel for Contextual Advertising often cannot be answered universally but depends on many factors. On the one hand, there are the classic providers such as Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising , which enable contextual advertising. Here, targeting by keywords or specific placements is available. From experience, Google's keywords are often interpreted very “broadly,” which can make this type of targeting quite inaccurate. Advertising via placements works better. For example, offering moving services could achieve above-average campaign results on sites dealing with apartment searches, house buying, and similar topics. Other providers have almost exclusively specialized in Contextual Advertising. The most well-known among them are probably Criteo and GumGum , which have developed more advanced algorithms for website categorization, thus ensuring a significantly better match between content and ads . This is particularly worthwhile if the product range is quite broad. But what options are there if we offer a very “niche” service? Reddit offers the possibility, for example, of reaching people who have viewed or interacted with specific subreddits. Since Reddit is generally a platform with relatively higher engagement rates, this can positively affect ad perception and interaction. Although it's not possible to exclusively target specific subreddits here, higher relevance for the target group is still given by the fact that interaction with a subreddit already assumes a higher interest . Companies that sell tech products or gaming accessories could also find a promising channel in Twitch . Originally started as a purely gaming platform, Twitch has significantly expanded its offerings, but for many tech-savvy individuals, it remains a very relevant channel in the entertainment routine. And who hasn’t wanted a setup like their favorite streamer? Often unjustly underestimated, (Digital) Out of Home Advertising, also known as (D)OOH , is still often treated very negligently. What used to be indispensable in the form of billboard advertising in any marketing mix has lost significant popularity since the introduction of digital marketing, but has been on the rise again in recent years. More and more companies are recognizing the advantages of well-placed outdoor advertising, especially since the introduction of digital screens, which opens up a whole new range of possibilities. Suddenly, it is possible to advertise very dynamically at specific locations or at relevant times, reaching exactly the right target group at that moment. McDonald's demonstrated impressively a few years ago that this approach can work. Thank you very much for your attention! Hopefully, it was informative, and you could take something away from it! In the fourth part of our miniseries, we will take a closer look at competitive analysis . Have we forgotten something important, or do you still have questions on the topic? Feel free to write it in the comments! If you want to get in touch with us directly, feel free to visit our contact form . We help you to position your brand even more effectively with Contextual Advertising so that you can get the most out of your online marketing strategy - simply and without obligation!

internetwarriors GmbH is a Google Premier Partner 2025 As a Google Premier Partner 2025, we at internetwarriors GmbH are among the top 3% of all Google partner agencies in Germany. But what exactly does this mean for you, and why is it so important to choose an agency with premier status for your Google Ads campaigns? What does Google Premier Partner 2025 actually mean? The Google Premier Partner status is the highest accolade that Google awards to agencies within its partner program. This status honors agencies that are particularly successful in digital marketing and achieve outstanding results for their clients. As a Google Premier Partner 2025, internetwarriors receives exclusive access to Google tools, training, and support, which in turn allows us to make your campaigns even more successful. Why you benefit from a Google Premier Partner agency A Google Premier Partner agency offers you significant advantages over other agencies: Exclusive access to advanced Google resources and tools Direct contact with Google experts for quick and effective problem solving Early information about the latest Google Ads features and beta functions Deep expertise and continuous training of our staff directly by Google Our Google Ads services – specialized and tailored for you Our core competency as a Google Premier Partner 2025 lies in Google Ads. We develop and optimize search ads, display ads, YouTube ads, and shopping campaigns to ensure your company’s sustainable online success. Here’s what sets us apart as a Google Premier Partner: Search Ads Search ads are among the most efficient methods of directly reaching your target audience. As a Google Premier Partner, we know exactly how to optimally align your ads with your target group. This way, you reach qualified users who are actively searching for your offerings. >> More information about Search Ads Display Advertising With targeted display campaigns, we increase your visibility in the Google Display Network. Our specialists create ads precisely tailored to your target audience to strengthen your branding and unlock new customer potentials. >> More information about Display Campaigns YouTube Ads YouTube is an excellent platform to reach users with video ads. As a Google Premier Partner, we create creative and attention-grabbing video campaigns perfectly aligned with your brand. >> More information about YouTube Ads Google Shopping Especially in the e-commerce sector, Google Shopping campaigns are crucial for success. We support you with setup, optimization, and management of your shopping ads to sustainably increase your sales. >> More information about Google Shopping Our proven Google Ads process Analysis and Strategy:  Every successful campaign begins with a comprehensive analysis of your current measures. We analyze the status quo, define clear goals, and develop a bespoke strategy tailored precisely to your business. Implementation and continuous optimization:  As a Google Premier Partner, we use advanced analytical methods to continuously optimize your campaigns. Through data-driven reporting, we adjust keywords, ads, and landing pages precisely to your target audience. Monitoring and transparent reporting:  We provide you with regular detailed reports, allowing you to track how your campaigns are developing and how your marketing budget is being efficiently used. This way, we always keep an eye on success together. Successes we can achieve together with you Our collaboration as a Google Premier Partner means we deliver measurable results: Higher visibility with your target audience Significantly improved conversion rates Increasing revenues while simultaneously reducing cost per conversion Optimal use and management of your advertising budget Real-world examples – successes of our clients with Google Ads Our clients benefit directly from our Premier Partner status. For instance, through collaborations with companies from various industries, we've achieved successes such as a revenue increase of up to 35% or a reduction in cost per conversion by up to 50%. A look behind the scenes: How we work Strategy development: We start with a thorough analysis of your current Google Ads campaigns and market position. Based on this, we create an individual strategy that optimally supports your goals. Campaign design: As a Google Premier Partner, we develop creative and effective campaigns precisely tailored to your target audience. We benefit from exclusive Google insights and the latest tools. Ongoing support and optimization: Our experts regularly analyze your campaign results and continuously adjust ads and strategies to ensure maximum performance. Transparent results: You receive detailed reports that transparently present all results and provide full transparency over your investments. Why you should talk to us now The Google Premier Partner status 2025 is a quality seal that ensures safety and success for you. Now is the perfect time to take your Google Ads campaigns to the next level with the support of internetwarriors. Together, we develop your individual strategies, boost your performance, and ensure that your business grows sustainably. Take advantage of a Google Premier Partner agency now and schedule a non-binding consultation with our Google Ads experts today. Together, we will set your online marketing on the path to success. For more information and contact options , please visit our website: www.internetwarriors.de.