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The year 1996 saw the birth of search-based advertising, a gamble that would ultimately change the industry forever by allowing advertisers to bid on keywords. Since then, search advertising has grown out of its infancy into the dominating force it is today.
In 2000, when early pioneers swapped out the cost-per-impression (CPM) model for a cost-per-click (CPC) auction-based model, a new gold standard for search advertising emerged. This model allowed advertisers to bid on keywords and offered better targeting while providing greater relevance for users.
In the decades since, however, search advertising has stagnated and the user relevance delivered by CPC has all but waned. Advertisers now lack the control and transparency they once had over their search ad campaigns. As monopolistic practices effectively snuffed out innovation and search engine results became more cumbersome and less relevant, users started flocking to new technologies and platforms that provided better experiences, results, and value. This gave rise to an ecosystem known as the Open Web.
Moving Beyond the SERP: Search on the Open Web
Unlike walled gardens, the Open Web is a digital advertising ecosystem where advertisers can purchase ad inventory programmatically to reach users across a wide range of websites and apps. This includes everything from privacy browsers to shopping and buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) apps and even influential editorial and review sites.
Search on the Open Web allows users to find relevant results where they’re searching, without being forced or funneled to a legacy search engine results page. Many brands and advertisers are accustomed to solely focusing their search ad budgets on one channel, mostly due to one industry player's monopolistic practices. But consumers are still using alternative search channels, and advertisers looking to diversify their media budgets should incorporate the Open Web and get in front of the nearly 60 percent of consumers who start their search outside of the search engine results page (SERP).
adMarketplace is enabling brands to tap into unique media opportunities for search advertising on the Open Web. These opportunities are designed around consumer intent to incite engagement from the earliest stages of discovery. This approach provides additional volume and value for advertisers seeking greater transparency, efficiency, and control over their ad dollars as legacy search models increase in rate and add unnecessary friction to the consumer search experience.
Capturing Consumer Intent Before the SERP
Consumers today are searching for products in a more fragmented way and adopting new behaviors that govern where they purchase and discover on the Open Web.
Open Web channels are capturing larger shares of consumers by providing relevant search journeys. For instance, privacy-centric browsers often cater to consumers who are more concerned about data privacy and regulatory changes. This allows advertisers to reach users that might otherwise be difficult to find thanks to the prevalence of ad-blocking and cookie restrictions. Legacy search ads and campaigns typically fail to reach these tech-savvy and increasingly mobile users who are primed for upper-funnel targeting.
Meanwhile, buy now pay later (BNPL) apps provide brands with lower-funnel opportunities to increase conversions from downstream consumers. These services accounted for nearly $350 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV) globally in 2023, delivering measurable conversion events and revenue by empowering advertisers to optimize their campaigns for greater relevance.
Shaping Consumer Intent: The Power of Diversified Search Media
By expanding beyond the legacy SERP and investing in unique media opportunities on the Open Web, brands can capture and shape consumer intent before their competition to increase their share of voice and boost conversions.
On privacy browsers, “open intent” represents an early stage in the consumer journey—when a user opens a browser without a specific product or brand in mind. This is a powerful moment for brands to be present and capture user interest before they even enter a search query. BNPL apps and review sites also serve as key touchpoints for product discovery. Advertisers can serve relevant product ads to users who have already executed a search query and expressed product or category intent, maximizing the potential for conversion.
With dedicated media placements across these and other Open Web channels, brands can gain access to intent-driven media not available through the legacy SERP or affiliate networks. This positions them to potentially capture next-gen consumers with more relevant search ads and shape their search intent before they ever hit the SERP.
Innovation In Search Happens on the Open Web
The future of search advertising lies in the ability to adapt to an increasingly fragmented consumer journey. As emerging technologies and shifting consumer behaviors push the boundaries of where and how people search for products, brands must embrace search on the Open Web to reach modern consumers, increase media performance, bend the curve of diminishing returns, and measure their results transparently.
In 2024, search advertising is no longer defined by a single platform. A welcome wave of innovation and market competition is inevitable. Brands that can effectively engage consumers outside the legacy SERP will unlock performance at scale, positioning them to grow and thrive in this new search landscape.
To learn more about search on the Open Web and diversifying your media budget and search spend beyond the SERP, visit adMarketplace.
