Key Stats
+28% growth in engaged sessions across Europe
24.5M medium- and high-value engaged sessions delivered
+132% YoY increase in conversions
+290% YoY increase in conversion value per cost
589 keywords automatically managed through SEO/SEA automation
Rolled out across 30+ international markets
The Challenge
Search was one of NIVEA’s most influential customer touchpoints, but traditional performance metrics were becoming less meaningful. Without direct ecommerce sales, and with increasing privacy restrictions limiting measurement, proving the commercial impact of search was increasingly difficult.
The business needed to align SEO and SEA activity across more than 30 markets, maintain local relevance, and move beyond measuring success through traffic alone. The challenge was clear: how do you prove and scale search as a driver of meaningful business growth, not just visibility?
The Approach
We redefined how search success was measured by creating a bespoke Qualitative Measurement Framework (QMF). Rather than focusing on clicks and sessions, the framework measured behaviours that signalled genuine purchase consideration, grouping engagement into value-based tiers that could be used consistently across markets and channels.
QMF was integrated directly into Google Ads, enabling value-based bidding strategies that prioritised high-quality engagement over volume. We then united SEO and SEA into a single performance ecosystem, using automation to ensure paid and organic activity worked together rather than competing for the same traffic.
Organic crossover scripts automatically paused paid keywords where NIVEA already ranked first organically, while weather-based automation dynamically adjusted activity based on local conditions and consumer need. Integrated dashboards provided a unified view of performance, allowing teams across Europe to optimise against one shared definition of value.
The work went on to win the Marketing Society Award for Performance Marketing, recognising its innovative approach to measurement and its ability to turn engagement into meaningful business growth.
