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As temperatures across the US have skyrocketed this summer, searches for warm weather fashion products have also soared. In the last month, searches for warm weather apparel and footwear correspond with the rising temperatures. When temperatures rise, searches for keywords like ‘short shorts', ‘sandals’ and ‘bathing suits’ do the same.

















So make sure you are taking advantage of the heat wave (whether you're selling apparel or sprinklers) through your ad messaging and keyword bids. Search has always been about reaching engaged consumers with the right message, in the right place, at the right time. Advertisers should take advantage of what's on the minds of consumers -- even when that's something as basic as the weather.

Posted by Heidi Spector, Google Retail Team
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Posted:
If you thought Justin Bieber and Twilight Eclipse were international sensations, take a look at worldwide searches for the World Cup over the last thirty days:


Search trends are similar for US-specific searches, and show how interest in the world’s most popular sport is taking off.

Internationally, search volume was highest in African countries like Botswana, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe. Closer to home, users on the East Coast were the most interested in searching for World Cup related terms, particularly in Vermont, New York, and DC.

Beyond their general interest, searchers were also looking to buy hats, jerseys, flags, and other goods to show their support of their favorite teams:


All businesses should think about how they can integrate the excitement of the World Cup and other major events into their advertising campaigns. In particular, sporting goods and apparel advertisers should keep in mind that users search on pretty general terms when it comes to major sporting events, so this is an instance where you’ll want to have full coverage on broad terms as well as specific item terms, too.


Posted by Erin Piper, the Google Retail Team
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Posted:
Students are not the only target audience this Back-to-School season: Parents are also using this opportunity to shop for other family members and themselves. In fact, 46% of consumers plan to take advantage of the back-to-school season to purchase items for themselves.

And what is driving their purchase decisions? Sales, coupons, and free shipping lead the way as the top influences of Back-to-School purchases.



This Back-to-School season, be sure to target both parents and children, and highlight any promotions through ad text and creative.

Source: Google/OTX Back to School Pulse Check, May 2010.

Posted by Heidi Spector, the Google Retail Team
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Posted:
As we discussed last month, searches are up 15% headed into the 2010 back-to-school season and this year, the multi-channel opportunity is big. One in two US consumers will shop for Back-to-School in 2010 and 50% of those consumers will look both online & in-store.


Compared to in-store only purchasers, that’s a 13 percentage point lead. As consumers increasingly adopt multi-channel shopping behaviors, be sure to integrate your marketing efforts by leveraging your online campaigns to drive in-store purchases and your traditional advertising to drive online engagement.

Source: Google/OTX Back to School Pulse Check, May 2010.

Posted by Heidi Spector, the Google Retail Team

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