As we searched Google today for debit card info, we noticed E*Trade on top of the paid search results with an AdWords listing entitled Platinum Visa Debit Card (it was the first "banner" on the top of the search results).
Interestingly, clicking on the link takes you not to a single-product pitch for a debit card, but to the broker’s E*Trade Complete product which combines brokerage, banking, and lending into a single offering (click on inset for landing page screenshot).
Note: The graphic image appearing in the middle of E*Trade’s landing page features a check, debit card, and security token overlaid on a screenshot of its online banking area.
Analysis
Showcasing its Complete product on debit card searches shows good mastery of search engine marketing by E*Trade. The online giant figures the type of person searching on debit cards will be intrigued by the total control promised by the package account. The out-of-scale security token also adds a reassuring touch to the image (see inset).
— JB