Service · Paid search
Search campaigns judged against the benchmark, in print
Most DTC search accounts drift: queries unreviewed, brand mixed with non-brand, targets set by feel. We run Google and Microsoft search on a weekly routine, judge conversion rate against the 2026 LocaliQ vertical medians, and print the result monthly, next to the carbon column.
What does the weekly routine look like?
- Search-query review every week; negatives grouped by theme (DIY, second-hand, jobs, competitor support) and added to shared lists
- Brand and non-brand separated from day one, so reports show what winning a stranger costs, never a blend
- One ad-copy test at a time per campaign, logged, with the losing variant archived
- Pacing checks twice a week with alerts at ±20% of the monthly plan
- Consent Mode v2 verified on every site release; mandatory for EEA and UK advertisers since March 2024
Which benchmarks do we hold ourselves to?
| Vertical (2026 LocaliQ) | Median CVR | Median CPC |
|---|---|---|
| Apparel, fashion & jewelry | 4.50% | $4.44 |
| Shopping, collectibles & gifts | 4.01% | $4.14 |
| Restaurants & food | 8.05% | $2.05 |
| Cross-industry blend | 8.18% | $5.42 |
The figures come from the 2026 LocaliQ search advertising benchmarks, 13,474 US campaigns measured April 2025 to March 2026. Your monthly report shows your CVR in that table's context, and the footwear write-up shows what closing the gap took for one client: 2.2% to 4.3% in seven weeks.
How is the carbon column calculated?
Per the Global Media Sustainability Framework, the Ad Net Zero standard updated in June 2025. Search is a light channel compared to video, but light is a measurement, never an assumption: a programmatic impression emits roughly 1 to 5 grams of CO2e depending on format and device. The method behind the column is documented in our carbon-footprint guide, and applied identically to our own agency estimate.
What does it cost?
From £1,200 a month or 10% of ad spend, whichever is greater. The £850 Launch Sprint covers new accounts: keywords, negatives, feed, tracking, live in five working days. UK market context sits at 10–20% of spend, so 10% is the sharp end, held there by keeping one practitioner on the account instead of a hierarchy.
Questions we actually get
Google and Microsoft search under one fee: keyword and negative architecture, weekly search-query reviews, ad copy testing one variable at a time, budget pacing with alerts, Consent Mode v2 measurement, and the monthly report with your CVR against the vertical benchmark plus the GMSF carbon estimate.
From the 2026 LocaliQ benchmark for your vertical and your own funnel data. Apparel converts at a 4.50% median, shopping and gifts at 4.01%, the cross-industry blend at 8.18%. We set the target from where you sit against that band, then report progress toward it monthly.
Rarely, and never with claims we could not defend. The reporting format exists because our clients face scrutiny: a brand selling recycled trainers gets asked about its ad footprint. If your brand would rather not print the carbon column, another agency will fit better.
Because its average search CPC of $1.54 runs roughly 40% below Google's $2.69, and UK desktop shoppers are well represented there. We typically route 15 to 20% of search budget to Microsoft once Google covers proven queries, and drop it the month it stops earning that share.
Get a launch date
Bring your spend and your store. The working session ends with a date and a price, both in writing.
Book a working session