Merkle’s Q2 2020 Digital Marketing Report Demonstrates COVID Impacts on Platforms

Merkle, a leading technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency, released its Q2 2020 Digital Marketing Report (DMR), a quarterly research report that analyzes and highlights key metrics and trends within paid and organic search, as well as paid social and display ad spend. The report provides insights into year-over-year (YoY) growth for Amazon, Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest, and illustrates the impacts emerging as the industry continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic(Merkle ).

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“April and May were tough months for the industry, but findings show signs of growth amidst the chaos in areas such as paid search, social ad spend, and ad impressions, as we look to rebound from these turbulent times.”

Google
The findings indicate that US paid search clicks saw 38% YoY growth in Q2 2020, compared to 7.2% in Q1. Google US paid search ad spend increased by 8.6% YoY, and clicks increased by 39%. Google monthly US paid search spend growth was also up 6% in June 2020, and Google overall paid search ad spend grew 11% YoY in the retail and consumer goods vertical.

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Google US organic search visits saw 33% YoY growth in Q2, compared to -13% in Q1. Mobile also saw a 35% increase in Q2, compared to -16% in Q1. Additionally, organic search visits grew 43% YoY in the retail and consumer goods vertical but were down -50% in travel. Essential goods grew 70% YoY in organic search visits, versus non-essential goods, which grew 41%, and apparel, which decreased by 1.5%.

Amazon
The report indicates that for the first time since Q2 2019, spending growth for Amazon ads decelerated from the prior quarter. According to the findings, spending on Sponsored Products ads rose 22% YoY in Q2 2020, down from 67% growth in Q1. Additionally, click and sales growth for Amazon’s ads remained robust, but, as with other channels, ad pricing was significantly weaker.

Social
Analyzing paid social, Facebook ad impressions experienced 25% YoY growth in Q2 2020. Instagram ad impressions saw 46% YoY growth, and ad spend was up 30%. For brands on both Instagram and Facebook, Instagram’s share of total Facebook ad impressions was 35%.

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