Compete to Provide Competitive Search Analytics

Analytics firm Compete is now offering an additional research service for search advertisers as a means of gauging the effectiveness of their own campaigns, and of their competitors’ campaigns.

Search Analytics Select service stems from the similar panel and database information gathered for Compete.com, and measures query, referral, and pre- and post-click data across Google, Yahoo, MSN and Live, AOL, and Ask, according to Gregg Poulin, general manager of Compete.com. The service cuts the user data into approximately 100 shopping and lifestyle segments, including online bankers, fantasy sports enthusiasts, online socialites, pet lovers, and others.

“It takes the behavioral information that we collect and merges it together with what our clients are doing online and sees what the impact is on those segments,” said Poulin.

Compete is targeting its new service to large companies and agencies as means to determine a search campaign’s success, and whether keywords should be altered to reach a particular advertising segment. The Search Analytics Select service will provide clients with monthly workbooks of total number of search referrals, competitor search referrals, and other engagement measurements. Since Compete collects pre- and post-behavior data, the service will also provide information on search referrals and share, verses a competitor’s paid and non-paid ads in a particular segment, he said.

“This gives you insight into what your competitors are doing and how effective they are,” said Poulin. “You know where your weaknesses are, but you might not be able to see where your competitors’ strengths are.”