Whether you’re searching for a serene beachfront condo for a quick weekend getaway or a rambling villa for a monthlong stay in the heart of Tuscany, chances are you can find the perfect accommodation with FlipKey.
Founded in 2007 as a house-swapping and vacation rental listing website, the Boston-based company was snapped up by TripAdvisor just a year later. Today, FlipKey helps travelers in 190 countries find vacation rentals, including villas, apartments, condos, cottages, houses, lodges, cabins, chalets and more.
Since the beginning, FlipKey has relied on search engine marketing (SEM) platforms like Microsoft Advertising to reach searchers in the United States who are looking online for their next adventure abroad. According to Kevin Tang, VR SEM manager for TripAdvisor, the marketing team had a lofty goal for its latest campaign: Win market share from competitors, including a category leader in its market space. “We really wanted to expand our reach as well as increase leads and conversions,” says Tang, “while staying within our target efficiency, of course.”
FlipKey also wanted to reduce the amount of time it took to convert a customer. Travelers, especially those with families, spend more time researching their vacation plans, leading to a longer customer decision journey. Plus, FlipKey was interested in finding an easier and less time-consuming way to manage its massive number of keywords. As a result, the company was open to suggestions from its Microsoft Advertising account team.