IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/elmark/v30y2020i4d10.1007_s12525-019-00376-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of search engine advertising on user clicks, conversions, and basket choice

Author

Listed:
  • Patrick Winter

    (University at Marburg)

  • Paul Alpar

    (University at Marburg)

Abstract

Many firms place ads in search engines in order to motivate users to visit their website. However, users may react differently to an ad. For example, some users who intended to click on the organic result may now click on the ad, which creates unnecessary costs and diminishes profits. This paper presents the first systematic investigation of all effects on users an ad can cause during their search with a given keyword at a certain point in time. It covers the three sequential decisions users make: whether (and where) to click, whether to convert, and what (or how much) to buy. We develop a model by which each effect can separately be quantified and regressed on the search context, allowing insights into what drives user reactions. As a demonstration for its application, we conduct a large-scale field experiment on brand bidding, the practice of placing ads for brand names.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick Winter & Paul Alpar, 2020. "Effects of search engine advertising on user clicks, conversions, and basket choice," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 30(4), pages 837-862, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:elmark:v:30:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s12525-019-00376-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s12525-019-00376-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12525-019-00376-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12525-019-00376-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kirmani, Amna, 1990. "The Effect of Perceived Advertising Costs on Brand Perceptions," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 17(2), pages 160-171, September.
    2. Abou Nabout, Nadia & Skiera, Bernd, 2012. "Return on Quality Improvements in Search Engine Marketing," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 141-154.
    3. Bernard J. Jansen & Marc Resnick, 2006. "An examination of searcher's perceptions of nonsponsored and sponsored links during ecommerce Web searching," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 57(14), pages 1949-1961, December.
    4. Loomes, Graham & Sugden, Robert, 1982. "Regret Theory: An Alternative Theory of Rational Choice under Uncertainty," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 92(368), pages 805-824, December.
    5. Thomas Blake & Chris Nosko & Steven Tadelis, 2015. "Consumer Heterogeneity and Paid Search Effectiveness: A Large‐Scale Field Experiment," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 83, pages 155-174, January.
    6. Ashish Agarwal & Kartik Hosanagar & Michael D. Smith, 2015. "Do Organic Results Help or Hurt Sponsored Search Performance?," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 26(4), pages 695-713, December.
    7. Michael R. Baye & Babur De los Santos & Matthijs R. Wildenbeest, 2016. "Search Engine Optimization: What Drives Organic Traffic to Retail Sites?," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 6-31, March.
    8. Hausman, Jerry A, 1975. "An Instrumental Variable Approach to Full Information Estimators for Linear and Certain Nonlinear Econometric Models," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 43(4), pages 727-738, July.
    9. Ron Berman & Zsolt Katona, 2013. "The Role of Search Engine Optimization in Search Marketing," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(4), pages 644-651, July.
    10. Breuer, Ralph & Brettel, Malte, 2012. "Short- and Long-term Effects of Online Advertising: Differences between New and Existing Customers," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 155-166.
    11. J. Yannis Bakos, 1997. "Reducing Buyer Search Costs: Implications for Electronic Marketplaces," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(12), pages 1676-1692, December.
    12. Oliver J. Rutz & Michael Trusov, 2011. "Zooming In on Paid Search Ads--A Consumer-Level Model Calibrated on Aggregated Data," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(5), pages 789-800, September.
    13. Anindya Ghose & Sha Yang, 2009. "An Empirical Analysis of Search Engine Advertising: Sponsored Search in Electronic Markets," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(10), pages 1605-1622, October.
    14. Sha Yang & Anindya Ghose, 2010. "Analyzing the Relationship Between Organic and Sponsored Search Advertising: Positive, Negative, or Zero Interdependence?," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(4), pages 602-623, 07-08.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ashish Agarwal & Tridas Mukhopadhyay, 2016. "The Impact of Competing Ads on Click Performance in Sponsored Search," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 538-557.
    2. Chalil, Tengku Munawar & Dahana, Wirawan Dony & Baumann, Chris, 2020. "How do search ads induce and accelerate conversion? The moderating role of transaction experience and organizational type," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 324-336.
    3. Klapdor, Sebastian & Anderl, Eva M. & von Wangenheim, Florian & Schumann, Jan H., 2014. "Finding the Right Words: The Influence of Keyword Characteristics on Performance of Paid Search Campaigns," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 285-301.
    4. Ashish Agarwal & Kartik Hosanagar & Michael D. Smith, 2015. "Do Organic Results Help or Hurt Sponsored Search Performance?," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 26(4), pages 695-713, December.
    5. Peter Landry, 2021. "Keywords, limited consideration, and organic product listings," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 505-566, December.
    6. Nagpal, Mayank & Petersen, J. Andrew, 2021. "Keyword Selection Strategies in Search Engine Optimization: How Relevant is Relevance?," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(4), pages 746-763.
    7. Raluca M. Ursu, 2018. "The Power of Rankings: Quantifying the Effect of Rankings on Online Consumer Search and Purchase Decisions," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 37(4), pages 530-552, August.
    8. Anindya Ghose & Panagiotis G. Ipeirotis & Beibei Li, 2014. "Examining the Impact of Ranking on Consumer Behavior and Search Engine Revenue," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(7), pages 1632-1654, July.
    9. Przemys?aw Jeziorski & Sridhar Moorthy, 2018. "Advertiser Prominence Effects in Search Advertising," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(3), pages 1365-1383, March.
    10. Michael R. Baye & Babur De los Santos & Matthijs R. Wildenbeest, 2016. "Search Engine Optimization: What Drives Organic Traffic to Retail Sites?," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 6-31, March.
    11. Joseph Golden & John Joseph Horton, 2021. "The Effects of Search Advertising on Competitors: An Experiment Before a Merger," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(1), pages 342-362, January.
    12. Sridhar Narayanan & Kirthi Kalyanam, 2015. "Position Effects in Search Advertising and their Moderators: A Regression Discontinuity Approach," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 34(3), pages 388-407, May.
    13. Yang, Yupin & Lu, Qiang (Steven) & Tang, Guanting & Pei, Jian, 2015. "The Impact of Market Competition on Search Advertising," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 46-55.
    14. Hans Haans & Néomie Raassens & Roel Hout, 2013. "Search engine advertisements: The impact of advertising statements on click-through and conversion rates," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 151-163, June.
    15. Haoyan Sun & Ming Fan & Yong Tan, 2020. "An Empirical Analysis of Seller Advertising Strategies in an Online Marketplace," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(1), pages 37-56, March.
    16. Xiaomeng Du & Meng Su & Xiaoquan (Michael) Zhang & Xiaona Zheng, 2017. "Bidding for Multiple Keywords in Sponsored Search Advertising: Keyword Categories and Match Types," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 28(4), pages 711-722, December.
    17. Fei Long & Kinshuk Jerath & Miklos Sarvary, 2022. "Designing an Online Retail Marketplace: Leveraging Information from Sponsored Advertising," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 41(1), pages 115-138, January.
    18. Avi Goldfarb, 2014. "What is Different About Online Advertising?," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 44(2), pages 115-129, March.
    19. Vibhanshu Abhishek & Kartik Hosanagar & Peter S. Fader, 2015. "Aggregation Bias in Sponsored Search Data: The Curse and the Cure," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 34(1), pages 59-77, January.
    20. Burguet, Roberto & Caminal, Ramon & Ellman, Matthew, 2015. "In Google we trust?," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 44-55.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:elmark:v:30:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s12525-019-00376-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.