Online marketing

Keywords play a central role in SEO and are the key to improving your website’s search engine rankings. But what exactly are keywords and how do you use them effectively?

Website optimisation is a central component of SEO and helps to improve the visibility and ranking of your website in search results. But what exactly does this mean and how do you implement it effectively?

Off-page optimisation refers to all measures outside your own website that help to improve the ranking of your website in search engine results. In contrast to on-page optimisation, which focuses on optimising the content and structure of your website, off-page optimisation is about strengthening the reputation and authority of your website across the entire internet.

While many people limit the construction of a homepage to the design and structure of their own website, it is important to understand that off-page optimisation plays an equally important role.

Indexing is an essential step in the process of search engine optimisation (SEO). It refers to whether and how search engines such as Google record and save your website in their search results. Successful indexing is the first step in ensuring that your website can be found by potential users.

Site mapping is an important step in helping search engines like Google understand the structure of your website and crawl its content efficiently. It refers to the creation and provision of an XML sitemap that contains a list of all the pages on your website as well as important information about these pages.

Backlinks are a fundamentally important element of search engine optimisation (SEO) and play a decisive role in the ranking of a website in the search results.

Marcel talks about his experiences in the field of SEO and gives important tips.

Marcel gives an introduction to the topic of SEA.

Ad extensions are additional information or action options that can be added to an advert in the search results. They offer companies the opportunity to present relevant details and encourage users to take further action, making the advert more eye-catching and appealing.

Budgeting in SEA refers to the determination of the financial framework that you make available for your advertising campaigns on search engine platforms such as Google Ads or Bing Ads.

The display rates in SEA indicate how often your adverts are actually displayed on the search results pages in relation to the impressions or search queries.

A landing page is a specially designed website that users are taken to when they click on an advert in the search results or on other advertising platforms. It is used to inform and persuade visitors in a targeted manner and lead them to take a specific action, be it buying a product, filling out a form or signing up for a newsletter.

Personas are fictitious representations of your ideal customers based on extensive research and data analyses. They help you to better understand your target groups, identify their needs, interests and behaviour and develop more targeted marketing strategies.

Geographic marketing in SEA refers to the targeting of advertising campaigns to specific geographic areas or regions. This strategy allows companies to customise their ads to local customers based on their location, environment or other geographical parameters.

Display marketing in SEA refers to the placement of graphic adverts in the form of banners, images or videos on websites in the Google Display Network or other advertising networks.

Remarketing, also known as retargeting, is a strategy in SEA in which targeted adverts are delivered to users who have previously interacted with your website or products.

A conversion in marketing refers to the action that a user performs on your website that is of value to your company. This can include a variety of actions, such as completing a purchase, filling out a contact form, signing up for a newsletter or downloading an app.

Conversion rate is an important metric that indicates how effective your marketing efforts are by measuring the ratio between the number of conversions and the total number of website visitors.

Tracking in SEO and SEA refers to the collection and analysis of data about the behaviour of users who arrive at your website via search engines. This data helps you to understand the performance of your marketing campaigns, identify weak points and optimise your strategies.

Interpreting data in SEO and SEA allows you to gain deeper insights into the performance of your marketing campaigns, make informed decisions and continuously improve your strategies.

Evaluating traffic sources allows you to understand how users are reaching your website, which sources are most effective and where you should increase your marketing efforts. This helps you to optimise your strategies and maximise the efficiency of your campaigns.

Segmenting customer groups is a powerful strategy for tailoring your marketing measures precisely to the needs and interests of different user groups. Targeting allows you to increase the relevance of your content and adverts and improve conversion rates.

Google Looker Studio, formerly known as Google Data Studio, is a powerful business intelligence and data visualisation tool. It offers a variety of functions that help users to analyse, visualise and present data. Marcel also tells you how else you can monitor your data.

BEST OF: Growth Hacking: 3 powerful tips to really get started // Hendrik Lennarz

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OR2.30 – Growth Hacking – OnlineRadar Podcast

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#60 – Personal Branding with LinkedIn – Interview with Tomas Herzberger

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#121 Corporate Influencer at K+S – LinkedIn Lounge

Articles and Books on Marketing:

Title:	Homepage:	Description:
Why Marketing is eating the World by Elizabeth Yin	https://elizabethyin.com/2020/06/30/why-marketing-is-eating-the-world/	Technical knowledge is no longer a bottleneck. Despite better alternatives, a few large companies dominate especially in tech markets. This is largely due to marketing. That’s why even technically innovative companies need a well-thought-out marketing strategy.
Three marketing terms you should know explained in simple terms by Elizabeth Yin	https://elizabethyin.com/2020/06/15/three-marketing-terms-you-should-know-explained-in-simple-terms/	This article explains what the term marketing means and focuses on three specific marketing terms and their meaning.
#SaaS: Performance versus Brand Marketing at Early Stage by medium.com	https://medium.com/point-nine-news/saas-performance-versus-brand-marketing-at-early-stage-2628654c273b	The article outlines how marketing tactics such as content, social media, and events can be approached from two angles: performance and branding. Performance marketing focuses on tracking keywords, traffic growth, and conversion funnels, while branding is about brand awareness and perception.
Jessica Livingston: Why Startups Need to Focus on Sales, Not Marketing	https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-232B-2715	Jessica Livingston argues that in the early stages of a startup, marketing knowledge can be counterproductive. Instead of broad marketing activities, startups should focus on a narrow and intense outreach – similar to sales. Successful startups often begin with a small but highly engaged user base because they lack the resources to address a wide audience early on.
Dude, you need a marketing plan! by Alex Iskold	https://www.startuphacks.vc/blog/2015/10/12/dude-you-need-a-marketing-plan	This article emphasizes the importance of a solid marketing plan for startup success and criticizes the traditional “launch and pray” method. While a successful launch may bring media attention and user feedback, the product can still fail if it doesn’t reach key influencers or gain sufficient market penetration.
How startups die from their addiction to paid marketing by Andrew Chew	https://andrewchen.com/paid-marketing-addiction/	This post warns of the danger of startups becoming addicted to paid marketing and getting stuck in a local maximum. Often, marketing spend increases while cost per acquisition becomes unclear. This may bring short-term success but can lead to stagnation or failure in the long run.
Unusual Field Guide – Going to Market	https://www.unusual.vc/topics/going-to-market#sales	Essential toolkit for a successful go-to-market strategy.
10 Marketing lessons for every early-stage founder by Medium.com	https://medium.com/cherryventures/10-marketing-lessons-for-every-early-stage-founder-7c9ab1a642e6	The article shares insights from two former founders turned investors. They previously helped scale Spotify and Zalando from zero to millions of users across global markets. Now they aim to help new founders achieve their growth goals through smart marketing strategies.
B2B SaaS Marketing Guide – 2021 by Kracov.co	https://www.kracov.co/writing/b2b-saas-marketing-guide	This guide is for founders and B2B marketers looking to build a B2B marketing program. The author shares personal experience and recommends online resources. The article covers various topics.
Growth Hacking by Tomas Herzberger & Sandro Jenny	https://www.rheinwerk-verlag.de/growth-hacking-mehr-wachstum-mehr-kunden-mehr-erfolg/	In their current book, Tomas Herzberger and Sandro Jenny explore the concept of growth hacking – a mindset common in startups aiming to grow fast. Under the motto “What is a business without customers?”, they present proven methods to acquire new customers and offer hands-on implementation tips for businesses of any size.
Inbound! by Britta Schlömer	https://www.rheinwerk-verlag.de/inbound-das-handbuch-fuer-modernes-marketing/	This book provides a systematic overview of all aspects of inbound marketing, including goals, methods, tools, and workflows. It is considered essential for anyone working in marketing.
Meine Marke by Hermann H. Wala	https://www.dombuchhandlungmuenchen.de/meine-marke-9783868817454	This updated classic by Hermann H. Wala explores the success strategies of companies like Red Bull, Coca Cola, and Apple. His concept of “WE-brands” has helped many companies establish their products. Wala emphasizes that today, it’s not the big companies pushing out the small ones, but those who credibly communicate their values.
Hubspot Blog	Hubspot: Inbound vs. Outbound	The Hubspot blog offers guides, explanations, and support on a wide range of marketing topics.
Growclass	Growclass: 10 Growth Marketing Channels + Examples	Article from Growclass, an online marketing platform for entrepreneurs.
Abmatic.ai	https://abmatic.ai/blog/most-effective-growth-marketing-channels-for-startups	Blog post on the most effective marketing channels.

SEO – Search Enginge Optimization:

How do I find the right keywords for SEO?

Many participants ask themselves, “Which keywords should we use?” It’s best to combine keywords with high search volume and keywords with clear purchase intent (so-called long-tail keywords). It’s important to use the language of your users—not just your technical terms. Search engines or AI models can be useful when searching for suitable keywords.

 

How do I optimize my website for SEO without having to rebuild everything?

People often worry that a complete redesign is necessary. In fact, the basics are enough: clear page structure, good loading times, mobile optimization, descriptive URLs, and clean meta tags. Small adjustments can already make a big difference. Also consider the issue of accessibility.

 

Why do I need a sitemap and indexing?

Sitemaps and indexing ensure that Google and other search engines can find and understand your content. Without proper indexing, good content may not appear in the rankings.

 

How important are backlinks really?

Backlinks are still a strong ranking factor. But quality beats quantity: one link from a relevant specialist site is more valuable than ten from irrelevant sources. The goal is to build organic links from trustworthy sites. These can be interviews, reports, or articles in trade journals.

 

SEA – Search Enginge Advertising

 

When is search engine advertising (SEA) worthwhile?

Many founders ask, “Should we place ads right away?” SEA is particularly useful if you need visibility quickly or are testing a new product. With small budgets, you can experiment and learn before investing heavily.

 

What do I need to look out for with ad extensions?

Extensions such as location, sitelinks, or callouts make ads more eye-catching and increase the click-through rate. It is important to only use extensions that are relevant to your target audience—too much information can be confusing.

 

How important are landing pages for SEA campaigns?

Very important. No matter how good an ad is, if the landing page is not convincing, the user will bounce. Every ad should lead to a thematically appropriate, clearly structured, and mobile-optimized page that contains a clear call to action.

 

How can I use geographic targeting effectively?

Geographic marketing is useful if your target group is concentrated in a specific region. Instead of placing ads throughout the country, you can invest your budget in regions where most of your customers are located.

 

What is the advantage of display and remarketing?

Display campaigns increase reach and brand awareness, while remarketing specifically targets users who have already visited your site. This allows you to combine reach with efficiency.

Reporting and Analysis:

Which metrics in reporting are really relevant?

Many people feel overwhelmed by the flood of data. The key metrics are those that match your goals – such as conversion rate, cost per click (CPC), customeracquisition cost (CAC), or dwell time. It’s better to have fewer, but more meaningful metrics.

 

How do I interpret data correctly?

A high click-through rate is not automatically a success if it does not result in sales. Always pay attention to the connection between traffic and conversion. Ask yourself: “Are we reaching the right people – and are they acting the way we want them to?”

 

How does data segmentation benefit me?

Segmentation helps to highlight differences – e.g., by device type, region, or target group. This allows you to tailor campaigns specifically, rather than pursuing a one-size-fits-all strategy.

 

What can I use Google Looker Studio for?

Looker Studio displays your data from various sources (Google Ads, Analytics, social media) in a clear dashboard. This makes it easier to monitor success and saves time when reporting.

 

What does growth hacking actually mean?

Many people imagine it to be a “miracle cure.” But growth hacking is not about trickery; it’s about quickly testing and combining marketing ideas to generate growth on a small budget. Creativity, experimentation, and rapid learning are key.

 

How can I apply growth hacking in my startup?

Start small: Test simple experiments such as a landing page with different headlines, social media campaigns with different hooks, or referral programs. The key is to make the results measurable and quickly scale successful experiments.

 

What distinguishes growth hacking from traditional marketing?

Traditional marketing is often planned for the long term and is budget-intensive. Growth hacking, on the other hand, relies on short, data-driven experiments that directly show whether a measure is working. This allows you to learn a lot with little effort.

 

Core Concepts SEO & SEA:

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Short definition: Measures to improve a website’s visibility in organic search results, e.g., through technical optimization, content adjustments, and link building.
Benefit: Increases reach without advertising costs.
Example: Optimizing texts for keywords.

 

SEA (Search Engine Advertising)
Short definition: Paid ads in search engines booked for relevant search terms.
Benefit: Provides instant visibility.
Example: Ad for “cloud storage research.”

 

Indexing
Short definition: Inclusion of web pages in the search engine index after crawling.
Benefit: Prerequisite for being found at all.
Example: A new blog page gets indexed.

 

Web Optimization
Short definition: Technical and content adjustments to improve user-friendliness and rankings.
Benefit: Increases reach and user satisfaction.
Example: Optimizing loading times.

 

Keywords
Short definition: Search terms users enter and companies use for content and ads.
Benefit: Foundation for SEO and SEA.
Example: “Startup funding.”

 

Sitemapping
Short definition: A structured overview of a website that provides orientation for search engines and users.
Benefit: Improves navigation and indexing.
Example: XML sitemap for Google.

 

Backlinks
Short definition: Links from external sites to your own website, interpreted by search engines as recommendations.
Benefit: Strengthens ranking and visibility.
Example: Expert article links to startup website.

 

Ad Extensions
Short definition: Additional information in search ads, such as location or links.
Benefit: Increases click-through rate and visibility.
Example: Phone number in Google Ads.

 

Budgeting & Delivery Rates
Short definition: Managing how much budget is used for advertising and how often ads are shown.
Benefit: Makes campaigns more efficient.
Example: Daily budget of €50 for Google Ads.

 

Personas & Target Groups
Short definition: Personas = fictional customer profiles, target groups = broader customer segments.
Benefit: Enables targeted marketing.
Example: Persona “Dr. Schmidt, 42, lab director.”

 

Geographic Marketing (Geo-Targeting)
Short definition: Targeting ads to specific locations or regions.
Benefit: Saves budget and increases relevance.
Example: Ads shown only in Rhineland-Palatinate.

 

Display Marketing & Remarketing
Short definition: Banner ads on websites; remarketing re-targets previous visitors.
Benefit: Increases visibility and recognition.
Example: Banner ad for product after site visit.

 

Conversion & Conversion Rate
Short definition: Conversion = desired action (purchase, signup); conversion rate = share of users who do it.
Benefit: Key success metric.
Example: 5% of visitors sign up.

 

Tracking (SEO/SEA)
Short definition: Recording user behavior and campaign performance with tools like Google Analytics.
Benefit: Basis for optimization.
Example: Analyzing clicks and time on site.

 

Segmentation
Short definition: Dividing the target group into smaller groups with similar traits.
Benefit: Makes marketing measures more precise.
Example: Segment “students” for education offers.

 

Growth Hacking
Short definition: Unconventional, creative measures to achieve rapid growth with low budget.
Benefit: Especially useful for startups.
Example: Viral campaign.

 

Advanced Terms

CTR (Click-Through Rate)
Short definition: Percentage of users who click on an ad after seeing it.
Benefit: Evaluates ad effectiveness.
Example: 1,000 impressions, 50 clicks → 5% CTR.

 

CPC (Cost per Click)
Short definition: Cost per click on an ad, depending on competition and relevance.
Benefit: Controls campaign profitability.
Example: €1.50 per Google Ads click.

 

CPM (Cost per Mille)
Short definition: Cost per 1,000 ad impressions.
Benefit: Benchmark for reach campaigns.
Example: €8 per 1,000 impressions.

 

CPA (Cost per Acquisition)
Short definition: Cost of acquiring a new customer or lead.
Benefit: Measures campaign efficiency.
Example: €50 per new customer.

 

ROAS (Return on Advertising Spend)
Short definition: Ratio of revenue to advertising costs.
Benefit: Shows campaign profitability.
Example: €5 revenue per €1 spent.

 

Landing Page
Short definition: Page users land on after clicking an ad, optimized for one specific action.
Benefit: Increases conversions.
Example: Newsletter signup page.

 

Call-to-Action (CTA)
Short definition: Prompt for users to take a specific action.
Benefit: Increases conversion rate.
Example: Button “Register now.”

 

Retargeting
Short definition: Re-engagement of users who visited the site but didn’t purchase.
Benefit: Increases purchase likelihood.
Example: Ad for product after cart abandonment.

 

A/B Testing
Short definition: Comparing two versions of ads or websites to identify the better one.
Benefit: Data-driven optimization.
Example: Testing two landing page versions.

 

Content Marketing
Short definition: Creating and distributing relevant content that engages target audiences.
Benefit: Builds trust and visibility.
Example: Blog article on startup funding.

 

Influencer Marketing
Short definition: Collaboration with individuals who have strong reach on social media.
Benefit: Increases brand awareness.
Example: Product presentation by an industry influencer.

 

Affiliate Marketing
Short definition: Partners receive commission for referred sales or leads.
Benefit: Scalable sales channel.
Example: Affiliate link in a blog.

 

KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
Short definition: Measurable metric to evaluate marketing activities.
Benefit: Guides performance tracking.
Example: CTR, conversion rate, CAC.

 

Bounce Rate
Short definition: Percentage of visitors who leave a page immediately.
Benefit: Indicates relevance or usability issues.
Example: 60% bounce rate on homepage.

 

Organic Traffic
Short definition: Visitors coming through unpaid search results.
Benefit: Sustainable, cost-effective channel.
Example: Access via Google search.

 

Paid Traffic
Short definition: Visitors generated through paid ads.
Benefit: Instant visibility, budget dependent.
Example: Visitors via Google Ads.