SEER

Camelbak! That’s the correct answer. Well, it’s the brand I was seeking, and at first I didn’t know the proper name. I knew there was a “camel” in it, so I tried “camel pack.” Here’s what came back:

This was a first search, and you can guess a user may then recognize “Camelbak” as a brand based on these results. But where is Camelbak.com?! If they’re not on page one, the user has already been educated and they have the opportunity to click any of these paid links to purchase.

What has Camelbak lost in this transaction? Because Camelbak does not sell directly through their site, a sale would have to occur through such an online store anyway. Even though their goods were sold, there was a missed opportunity. So I wonder…

• Was there an opportunity to upsell a customer on Camelbak’s own site? After all, their site probably has the most extensive product list anywhere.
• Which stores sell goods at the most profitable rate for Camelbak? If a visitor came through Camelbak.com, there’s a chance for Camelbak to send that customer to a more profitable reseller.
• What about their brand?! Of course customers will recognize the product and logo when arriving at any of these stores listed in PPC, but are these stores portraying Camelbak to their best efforts? The only way to guarantee the message is to protect one’s own brand by making sure searchers are getting the chance to hit your own site first.

Yes, we have a habit of picking on big brands at Seer, but it’s a shame to see that ebags.com might know a little more about Camelbak’s customers than they do. If you’re with a company that commands a product brand in the way Camelbak does, don’t let it slip away! Protect it through buying PPC real estate that is going to help portray the company positively and funnel the visitors as best dictated by your bottom line.