The last 3 years have ushered in an era of digital marketing and online shopping. It has become absolutely essential that brands and businesses find new and exciting ways to connect with their customers so that they are more willing to engage with their products. Building top-of-mind awareness and customer engagement largely shifted to an online medium, but that shift is moving back now that in-person shopping is returning in full force.
SEM (search engine marketing) is a staple in any business plan, as it pulls the eyeballs of anyone looking, and reaps the benefits of countless impressions. Now that consumers are returning to stores, brands are needing to be innovative in how they continue to draw those impressions in a physical space.
1: PoP displays combine the success of a text ad with the impressions of a display ad.
The most successful SEM programs utilize a combination of text and display ads to funnel potential customers through the sales thought process until they are ready to convert. A custom display, optimally placed in a store, will steal glances from customers; these are your display ad impressions. People are creatures of habit, and the more they see something, the more likely they are going to engage with it. This means that a clever placement of your brand in a store will yield multiple impressions as the customer walks throughout the store. Thankfully, the customer is able to “click on” this ad by examining the product right there in the store. This tangible experience will drive customer engagement and will eventually yield conversions.
- A PoP Display is more cost effective than even the best SEM campaigns.
A permanent PoP display may seem like a substantial investment up front, but consider the ongoing cost associated with a properly run SEM program. As an example, at a conservative budget of $1000.00/month, an SEM program will run until its daily budget is maximized and then will vanish from the search results. This doesn’t take into account the time of the person managing the campaign. Comparatively, even in the event that all the product is sold from the point of sale display, your brand is still capturing impressions long after the ad has disappeared. Using our example of $1000.00/month, that yields an annual investment of $12,000. A custom permanent point of purchase display will last substantially longer than 1 year and can be consistently refilled. This means greater ROI (return on investment) for your business and overall happier customers.
- Customers can “click-through” to gather more information about your product.
Technology allows custom design and factory direct manufacturers to synchronize tablets or display screens with a point of purchase display. Not only do these displays heighten engagement and impressions, but they also provide a window into your business for an interested consumer. By combining custom graphics with a video display, potential clients receive just as much, if not more, information than they receive by clicking through to your website. In fact, the product they are reading about is right in front of them!
- Targeting a specific location has never been easier.
One of the key advantages of a strong SEM campaign is the ability to target specific geographic locations. As you set up your campaign, allocating a particular amount of bidding power and spend to targeted cities or communities will maximize the spend efficiency. The strategic placement of point of purchase displays is no different. As you build your marketing strategy, you will consider which markets will only receive one or two PoP displays, while choosing to saturate other areas. This strategic allocation of your spend will likewise maximize your return on investment.
- Making it custom and visually stunning puts you on the “first page.”
The dream of every online business is to show up on the first page of a digital search engine. This prime organic placement results in maximum exposure to potential clients. Online, this is achieved through frequent website exposure, SEO, backlinks, and strong SEM. For businesses braving the retail environment, they strive for prime placement at the end of an aisle or at the front of the store. By taking advantage of a PoP display with a custom design, an eye-catching logo, and stunning visuals, you are more likely to work your way up to that prime placement. Just as SEM works to improve a website’s organic rating, so does a spectacular point of sale display secure more impressions, better placement, and ultimately, more sales.
