Measuring up in a downturn

With the right approach and resources, a downturn can actually provide real opportunities for a savvy marketer. We've compiled a list of recommended strategies and Google tools that can help you reveal opportunity and achieve your marketing goals. Even better? Many of these tools are free, so they can also help you do more with less.


Plan with confidence

Don't guess. Use data-driven insights to guide your marketing message and media strategies.
 

Spot useful trends

Use Insights for Search to compare Google search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, and time frames to see what's popular now and what trends may be emerging. free
Discover new opportunities to connect

As consumer search behavior changes, use Search-based Keyword Tool to find new, relevant keywords that you aren't yet advertising on. This tool will look at your website, compare it with search logs, and present relevant keywords that people are actively searching on that align with your products or services. free
Build enhanced media plans

Scale the reach of your marketing message by using Ad Planner to easily identify websites most likely to attract your target audience. Quickly create media plans that will resonate with your audience's current online behavior. free

Engage the right customers

Determine which customers will find your message relevant, then deliver that message through accountable media.
 

Ensure you're easy to find

Boost customer access and brand consideration. Take advantage of Webmaster Central to improve your website's visibility in Google's natural search results. free

Promote your value at the moment of relevance

Market with AdWords to capture customers actively searching for your business or category so you ensure your brand stand outs as competition intensifies.Tailor your message to drive conversions and only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

Highlight your products to comparison shoppers

Connect with value-minded shoppers by including your items in Google Product Search. This powerful comparison shopping engine enables your relevant products to be displayed to users when they search on Product Search and on Google.com. free

Lead them to your door

Help potential customers find you by adding your business listing to our Local Business Center for Google Maps. Direct customers your way with your business hours, photos, coupons, and more. free

Prompt consideration across the web

Reach more customers — and the right ones — by scaling your message across thousands of websites on the Google content network. Control where your ads are placed and easily determine which placements are performing best.
Broadcast your offering

Television consumption remains high, so augment the success of your online efforts via Google's flexible and accountable TV Ads platform. Use free ad creation resources to create a campaign in minutes, and obtain precise performance reports to optimize the impact of every dollar invested.
Join relevant customer conversations

Maintain brand engagement by allowing your brand to participate in the YouTube community through videos, display advertising, customized channels and more. Make use of comments and ratings to help steer your messaging strategy through the downturn.

Measure. Optimize. Repeat.

Use Google's measurement & campaign optimization tools to better understand what's working and how to make adjustments that can lead to improved results.

Glean insights from website visitation patterns

Rely on Google Analytics to understand how current trends may affect the way people find and interact with information on your website, then alter your marketing strategy to maximize the number of high-value visits. free

Put your website's best foot forward

Use Website Optimizer to easily test different website content to see what converts best. free

Lend your conversion goals an automated hand

Enable the Conversion Optimizer feature of AdWords to manage your advertising costs around specific conversion goals. Let it determine your optimal bids automatically rather than monitoring and adjusting them yourself.
Get meaningful campaign data -- that you can quickly act on

Easily create customized reports in AdWords Report Center to measure ongoing performance and garner actionable insights to improve your campaigns.
Manage all your online ads to a performing rhythm

Using DART for Advertisers, you can adjust your campaigns to serve only the best-performing creatives based on criteria and goals you set. Obtain integrated reporting to understand how customers are interacting with your brand across all online channels.