New Year, Same Search?

At the start of a new year, people set resolutions to shed themselves of the bad habits from the previous year. This is why we hear a lot of people say, “New year, new me.” In January, it is common to see trending searches for people who are looking to make a change, whether it be to their lifestyle, appearance, and/or habits. Digital marketing professionals and those with a knowledge of SEO and the workings of Google will likely tell you that seasonal keywords tend to generate most of their search volume during certain targeted times of the year.

What are seasonal search trends?

Seasonal search trends help determine which keywords should be considered and implemented to meet your campaign goals. For example, right before the spring, which is also synonymous with the start of the wedding season, both women and men are thinking about how to improve their appearance before their wedding. They may search for ways to help them fit better in their wedding dress/tuxedo, or make their teeth whiter and more appealing for photos. Brides-to-be and their grooms tend to search for specific keywords related to wedding appearance like, “skincare”, “weight loss solutions”, “plastic surgery”, “dental makeover”, “teeth whitening”, etc. Businesses who offer these services and are aware of the seasonal trends and search terms associated with them can take advantage of the opportunity to run targeted campaigns to those potential customers’ specific needs at the most opportune time.

The impact of 2020 on digital marketing

2020 brought some very unique challenges when it came to digital marketing and how practices marketed their services. Many areas were on lockdown, businesses were forced to close temporarily, and residents were encouraged to stay home. These actions forced many businesses to change the way they conducted their day-to-day business, the type of service they offered, and how they could safely interact and treat patients and customers.

The good news, if there is any good news out of 2020, is that these new trends actually brought more growth to digital marketing campaigns and allowed for a wider range of keywords for us to bid on.

New search trends and terms emerged for our practices, including:

• Virtual Consultations
• Telehealth
• Emergency Dentist
• Online Consultations
• Antibody testing

Predicting seasonal keywords to use

Year over year, many seasonal keywords typically tend to trend the same. Some common examples of this are:

• Back to School. When back to school time is approaching, your child may need to have his/her vision checked. You may search for keywords like “vision checkups for children” or “back to school vision checks” in order to find an eye care physician that specializes in eye care for children or families.
• Christmas. In anticipation of Christmas, people are beginning their search to find the perfect Christmas tree. Seasonal trends show that customers tend to more frequently search for keywords year after year related to “where to find Christmas trees”, “buying Christmas trees” or “cost of Christmas trees.” These are keywords typically only searched during November and December and not in the other 10 months of the year.

Google allows us to go back and look at top trending keywords from previous years so we can determine the fitting keywords to bid on for the current year. Predicting when these trends will happen can help us determine the best time to set up Google Ad campaigns. Within the first 30 days of a campaign going live, Google is actively learning how to optimize the keywords chosen for the campaign. It is better to trend early with these keywords so that when the trend or season/holiday/event becomes a reality, the campaign is already ahead of the competition.

It is important to consistently track Google search trends and top keywords on a month-to-month basis. Being up-to-date on search terms or trends that may relate to our practices allows us to bid on the proper keywords at the right time.

How keywords can optimize budgets and campaigns

While keywords are evolving each season, certain keywords may cost less when used out of season. For example, during the winter months weight loss surgery keywords may have a higher cost per click, than in the summer months. People who are looking for those terms usually want to get their summer body ready. While these keywords are still being searched for year round, it may cost more in the months leading up to the summer season.

When selecting keywords related to search trends, it is important to ensure that we have an adequate budget in order to beat out the competition. With the tools we use at DoctorLogic, we can recommend certain budgets for campaigns based upon the previous seasonality of keywords. This helps optimize your budget as well as your campaign.

In tandem with Google, we utilize an “insights” tool that allows us to compare different search trends among various seasons. This helps us compare certain keyword patterns across locations, time frames, and categories. It can tell us when keywords are searched the most depending on the time of year. The search trends may also vary depending on the practice location. Some keywords may trend lower in the winter months for some locations but higher in the summer months, and vice versa.

It is important to note that some keywords do not have a season. We can bid on thousands of keywords that may trend all year round. There are some keywords that may be related to a specific person rather than a season or specific time of year. Some examples include, when you decide to have a baby you usually begin your search for an “OBGYN”, or if you need your yearly check-up you may search for “annual check-up”. As a general rule, it is best to keep in mind that when running Google Ad campaigns, seasonality is different for everyone.

Ensuring seasonal keywords provide an ROI for digital marketing

At DoctorLogic, we take all aspects into consideration when determining the right keywords to use for digital marketing campaigns based on a number of factors. While it is not a bad thing to run Google campaigns all year round, there are times where certain keywords and search trends may yield a bigger result. No matter the time or season, Google is always looking for ways to optimize keywords for when the next season or trend comes around. Starting early and identifying seasonal keywords and search phrases around your practice will ensure you have a plan in place to make the most out of your digital marketing campaign and get an ROI for your marketing dollars.

Spike in Telehealth during COVID.

2019 virtual Consultations were not a thing.

Weight Loss trends higher spikes wedding season and right before summer