Understand the query
Separate broad investigation from the specific needs your offer can answer.
Paid search
Be relevant.
At the right moment.
Search begins with intent. Connect the question someone is asking with an offer that answers it and a destination that makes the next step clear.
Discuss your brief
The perspective
A click is a beginning.
Build the next step.
The words in a search reveal context: a problem, a comparison, a specific requirement. That context should inform the message, the landing page and the action you invite someone to take.
A focused search brief connects those decisions. Define the offer, the relevant geography and what a useful enquiry looks like. Then discuss the scope around account activity, creative, landing pages and measurement.
Keep the promise
Make the advert and the destination agree on the offer and its conditions.
Look beyond the click
Connect response with enquiry quality, not simply a count of visits.
Paid placements
Space for an advert.
Paid search concerns advertising placements alongside search results. The advertiser sets an offer and message, selects where to seek relevant interest and allocates media spend. Appearing in a paid placement does not guarantee a useful enquiry or sale.
Organic visibility
A separate question.
Organic results are not purchased advertising placements. Improving a website’s organic visibility is a separate area of work. Paid search, search engine optimisation and landing-page improvements have distinct roles. Define how they fit together in the brief.
01 / Read the query carefully
Similar words.
Different possible needs.
These hypothetical searches illustrate two starting points. A query offers a clue about intent; it cannot tell you everything about the person, their budget or their readiness to buy.
Hypothetical query / Exploring options
“How to choose an office chair”
What it might suggest
The person may be researching features, comparing types or trying to understand a problem. They have not stated a particular model or a purchase requirement.
A useful destination
A clear buying guide or comparison could answer the question. If an advert leads directly to a product, it should still explain the relevant features and make the connection to the search clear.
What remains unknown
Research does not mean “no buying intent”, and a visit is not a sale. Ask whether this kind of interest is relevant to the objective and how a useful next action would be recognised.
Hypothetical query / A more defined requirement
“Adjustable office chair with lumbar support”
What it might suggest
The person has named features they are looking for. That gives the message a more specific requirement to address, but they may still be comparing products or gathering information.
A useful destination
A relevant product or category page could show which chairs match, explain the adjustment and support features, and provide clear availability and next steps.
What remains unknown
More specific words do not guarantee a purchase or better results. Price, location, stock, suitability and the quality of the destination may all affect the next action.
02 / After the click
Keep the answer connected.
An advert and its destination should agree. A promising message loses its usefulness if the page cannot explain the offer or deliver the next step.
Query → need
What is the person trying to find? Separate a broad research question from a requirement your offer can actually address. Flag searches that could mean something unrelated.
Message → expectation
Which part of the offer answers that need? Keep descriptions accurate and include important qualifications. Do not promise a price, feature or availability that the destination cannot support.
Destination → evidence
Can a visitor find the relevant information immediately? Check the page on a phone, confirm the offer is current and make any conditions easy to understand.
Action → outcome
What can the visitor do next: request a quote, make an enquiry or buy? Define the action, then ask how it would be measured and how its quality could be assessed beyond a click.
03 / Prepare the conversation
Turn relevant intent
into a focused brief.
Share your offer, your market and the action you want people to take. The conversation can then focus on the channel, the destination and the scope of the work.
Discuss paid searchYour starting information
Include the product or service, audience, relevant geography, destination URL and current advertising activity. Mention any known budget range and timing; distinguish proposed media spend from fees for work.
Questions worth resolving
- Would the scope cover advice, account set-up, ongoing activity or a defined task?
- Who would own the account, approve spend and arrange appropriate access?
- Who would supply the advert’s claims and make any destination changes?
- What would count as a useful outcome, and who would check measurement and report its limits?
Summarise existing accounts without sending passwords or customer records. Access arrangements can be discussed separately.
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