Today, 80% of phone users check their mobile devices within 15 minutes of waking up. Add to that the fact that the average person spends almost 6.4 hours a day online. Then, the end result is a lot of screen time. As such, businesses seeking to get people’s attention need to be online. What’s more, those who are able to implement successful monetization strategies from their websites can also generate income from their content.
Think about it like this — every time someone searches for something online, there’s an opportunity to make money. Whether they’re looking for a book, a film, a new pair of shoes, a subscription service, or just the name of something they forgot, each and every searched item is an opportunity to create wealth. And the big search engines know it. Today, Google commands 83.49% of the desktop search market, Bing takes 9.19%, and Yahoo takes 2.72% of the search landscape.
But whether big or small, what each of these platforms knows is that where there’s information, there’s also gold. And that’s where search monetization comes in.
What is search monetization?
In a nutshell, search monetization or search engine monetization is a technique in which publishers and/or websites create content around specific keywords with the intention of making money from the traffic they generate. They do this to attract people by providing solutions to search queries on the search engine.
For example, if a person is looking for the “best plumbing company in Colorado,” website owners and publishers can build content around that keyword or term and publish a detailed article on their site detailing how to find a plumber in the Rockies. It’s that simple.
Essentially, search monetization functions around the use of key terms. When someone types a keyword into a search engine, they will then be presented with links to websites through which content creators can generate income via this traffic.
It sounds straightforward, but there are, in fact, lots of different ways that publishers and website owners can make money using this technique. In this article, we will therefore detail everything you need to know about search monetization, as well as the various ways you can implement it.
One of the first things to get to grips with is the fact that some web pages rank higher than others. If you’ve ever used a search engine, you’ll already be familiar with this. But why is this the case? The following will also explain this phenomenon, helping you familiarize yourself with search engine results pages (SERPs) and how fine-tuning them can boost your content’s visibility and chances of conversion.
Photo by Melanie Deziel on Unsplash
Traffic and potential customers
As of 2022, there are over 5.47 billion active internet users in the world. Today, that figure is probably even greater, and so is the amount of “traffic,” i.e., people online. Of course, not everyone’s online for the same reasons. But one of the most frequent activities on the World Wide Web is simply searching for information.
People use search engines to find answers to their questions, watch videos, and make purchase-related decisions, among myriad other possibilities. In turn, publishers and website owners can convert this traffic into potential customers by placing the right content on their websites.
To put it simply, search monetization is about making money via keywords by providing users with answers they are trying to find when they search for things online.
How can search queries or keywords generate traffic?
Website owners and publishers can use search queries or keywords to build engaging content around that term. Google and other search engines rank web pages based on various elements, which include the following key factors:
- Number of times the keyword has been used
- Number of related keywords used in the content
- Total number of words used in the content
- Bounce back rate of the web page
- Page speed
- Security of the website
- External and internal links
- Domain authority
- URL, domain age, and authority
- Mobile–friendly web pages
- Social signals
- Technical SEO
- Content optimization or on–page SEO
- Business information
In simple terms, then, if they take care of these facets, websites can expect to receive monetizable traffic.
Photo by Benjamin Dada on Unsplash
How can you monetize websites using traffic?
The best way to begin monetizing your website is by providing quality and engaging content that might resonate with someone using a specific keyword. For example, suppose someone searches for the “best software company in Sacramento, California” and stumbles upon your website. In that case, they might find it interesting if it details a step-by-step guide directing them on what actions they need to take to find the top software company in Sacramento.
This, however, is only the first step. Once you’ve made sure your content is aligned with specific keywords, the next thing you need to think about is advertising space. By selling adverts on their web pages, website owners and publishers can monetize their sites. Again, the best way to align your website with your advertising is by making sure that the adverts you display match the reasons why people are visiting your website. In doing so, your visitors will be more likely to click the ad, thereby generating revenue.
Understanding the user intent
User intent or search intent refers to the main reason a user has entered a certain search query in a search engine. Of course, there could be several reasons why someone might use a specific keyword. They could be, for instance, researching information or looking for a particular service or product. As such, discerning user intent isn’t always straightforward, and search engines can, therefore, sometimes struggle to understand why certain key terms are used. Some of the challenges they face include:
Ambiguity: Since people can sometimes use ambiguous terms when using search engines, it can take a lot of work for these platforms to deliver precise results.
Fractured intent: When a person types an open-ended term such as “performance marketing tool” into a search engine’s search box, this could mean a few different things. They might, for instance, be looking for information related to a performance marketing tool. On the other hand, they could be searching for companies that are selling these tools. They might even be researching the benefits of using this software! Unlike ambiguous search terms, those with fractured intent can generate valuable results – it’s just difficult to tell which is the one the users need.
Favored or explicit intent: Favored intent is the results that Google offers on the first page of its search results. Explicit intent means the user has given the exact information they seek, thus removing all confusion.
Types of User Intent
Now that we understand the challenges, here are some of the common user intents:
Local intent: These are usually search queries that include a location’s name or phrases such as “near me.”
Comparative intent: These are search queries that include words such as “cheapest,” “best,” and “top.” When these terms are used, it indicates that the person initiating the search wants to compare different services and products.
Informational intent: Here, users want to learn about products and services. Hence, they use phrases such as “what” and “how” within the query.
Transactional intent: In this category, users are driven by a purchasing intent and often employ terms such as “get,” “buy,” and “find.“
Six ways to monetize your website
Photo by Memento Media on Unsplash
Here are six ways website owners and publishers can monetize their content:
Search feed monetization
You will discover the revenue potential of search feeds when you strategically incorporate targeted advertisements and sponsored content. By optimizing search results with relevant ads and sponsored links, businesses can effectively monetize user queries and interactions, thereby maximizing profitability while enhancing user experience.
Affiliate marketing
You can leverage the power of affiliate marketing to generate income through strategic partnerships and commission-based sales. Through the promotion of products and services via affiliate links, website owners and publishers can earn a percentage of revenue for each successful referral. Consequently, they can leverage their digital presence to drive sales and earn passive income.
Advertising
Website owners and publishers can capitalize on advertising opportunities to monetize digital platforms by selling display ads and native advertising to businesses that want to leverage targeted advertising strategies to generate revenue, increase brand visibility, and drive conversions. Partnering with an ad network can, therefore, be an effective way of reaching the right advertisers.
Sponsored posts
The best way to monetize digital channels is by offering sponsored content opportunities to
advertisers who are seeking to reach your audience. By collaborating with brands to create relevant and engaging sponsored posts, businesses can generate revenue while providing valuable content to their audience. Doing this will help them maintain both authenticity and trust.
Email lists
To maximize revenue potential, you should cultivate and monetize email lists through targeted marketing campaigns. When doing so, you must be sure to receive consent from people who are signing up for your email letters. Once complete, you can then segment subscribers by interests and behavior and deliver personalized content and promotions to your audience. In turn, this will drive engagement, conversions, and, ultimately, revenue growth.
Conclusion
Search feed monetization or search monetization is one of the ways website owners and publishers can monetize their websites. By using the right keywords, content, and strategies, websites can attract the right traffic to their sites. Once people start to visit your website, you can use several different ways to convert the traffic into potential customers, as well as monetize this traffic to earn income from your website.
