Fiat Chrysler Automobiles discovered that visitors returning to its website were more likely to convert than first-time users, so it enabled Similar Audiences for Search to serve ads to more qualified customers. The effort increased conversions by 22% and reduced cost per acquisition by 14%.
Goals
Influence new car buyers to consider Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) brands
Increase online conversions from new website visitors
Improve efficiency across all search campaigns
Approach
Enabled Similar Audiences for Search campaigns
Tailored ads and bids to specific audiences
Results
22% more conversions
14% lower cost-per-acquisition (CPA)
11% increase in click-through rate (CTR)
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), a leading global automotive company with over $100B in annual revenue, manufactures vehicles for the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and FIAT brands. Since it began advertising online with Google Ads1 in 1998, FCA has run search, display, and video ads to introduce consumers to its internationally renowned cars, SUVs, and trucks.
After analyzing its website traffic in 2015, the automaker realized that 70% of its users were first-time visitors. FCA also discovered that these first-time visitors were 50% less likely than return visitors to complete lead forms and other high-value website interactions.
The company saw strong results with remarketing lists for search ads (RLSA) and wanted a way to attract new shoppers who behaved like these valuable past visitors. To do this, FCA and its performance marketing agency, Reprise Media, implemented Similar Audiences for Search.
Reaching high-value auto shoppers
Similar Audiences for Search helps you reach new, high-value customers based on the search behaviors of the customers in your existing search remarketing lists. Using this method, advertisers are able to prioritize these highly qualified customers and get a better return on investment by tailoring their ads and bids to them. For example, if people on your remarketing list search for “best compact sedan” before visiting your website, you can bid more for new users who have recently searched for similar terms.
FCA understood that first-time visitors were less likely to convert than repeat visitors, but it was eager to see whether Similar Audiences for Search could reverse this trend. By using the product to reach new shoppers who had already searched for terms such as "Chrysler Pacifica" and "Ram trucks," FCA narrowed in on this segment, increased bids, adjusted landing pages, and customized its ads to connect directly to these qualified customers.
"Similar Audiences for Search has helped us reach auto shoppers more efficiently while improving our ability to connect with them in critical moments throughout their purchase journeys."
The company ran nine Similar Audiences campaigns alongside generally targeted search campaigns. As a control measure, the company didn't make any changes to its original campaign's text ads or bids. To measure success, FCA's marketing team monitored campaign CTRs and tracked high-value website conversions, such as building and pricing vehicle models.
Shifting search performance into high gear
FCA saw the efficacy of Similar Audiences for Search firsthand. After testing, its Similar Audiences campaigns outperformed standard campaigns with a 14% decrease in CPA. Using the cost savings from this successful first test, the automotive company reinvested its recovered budget in Similar Audiences by expanding its original test strategy to additional campaigns.
In less than two months, Similar Audiences for Search delivered an 11% increase in CTR and a 22% increase in conversions across those additional campaigns. The company now relies on Similar Audiences as a marketing best practice, and the automaker plans on implementing it across more than 1,000 of its search campaigns moving forward.
"Keywords provide the strongest signal for intent, but we've also found that layering audience data can result in stronger campaign performance. Similar Audiences for Search has helped us reach auto shoppers more efficiently while improving our ability to connect with them in critical moments throughout their purchase journeys," concluded Amy McNeil, head of digital marketing at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US.
