Introduction (report extract)

Paid search was the first successful digital advertising model. It represented a deep integration into the user experience, a non-interruptive approach to advertising, a dynamic and completely measurable solution for advertisers and a new economic model. Let us add to this that it was based on machine learning, it was the original “biddable” media, it was the key to Google’s success and it was at the origin of a new industry of digital marketers who had no prior experience from offline media or marketing.

Pure disruption.

For many years, the strength of this disruption created a strong domination of “search” over the entire digital economy. We live, however, in a turbulent world of great creativity, of continuous innovation and of rapid dissemination, and while paid search was maturing, other disruptions changed the playing field.

In recent years, paid search has risen to the challenge of renewing itself. It remains one of the driving forces of digital advertising, and it is adopting innovations from competing approaches, broadening its view of the user journey and playing with artificial intelligence.

This report draws a picture of where the industry stands today. It explores the challenges the industry faces; it considers digital marketing strategies and tactics that were born with all the novelties that came about. It looks, too, at the search engine functionalities that are being picked up by players in the market.

Heads of Digital, digital marketing strategists, agency founders, industry observers – this report is for you.

Enjoy.