Search engine marketing
(SEM) is a method of marketing on internet which includes promotion of websites
gaining traffic from or visibility on search engines in search engine result
pages in the form of paid placement. SEM includes search engine optimization,
pay-per click advertising, and other techniques for making your site and
content more visible to internet users.
How Search Engine
Marketing works?
Search engine marketing
(SEM) works by placing ads on search engines such as Google and Bing. These ads
are designed to appear at the top or bottom of search engine results pages
(SERPs) when a user types in a relevant keyword or phrase. Search engine
marketing helps in promotion of product, service or brand, website by making it
more visible to possible clients/customers using search engines. As most online
sales start with a web search – therefore visibility of product, service or
brand, website of marketer helps in attracting the prospective sale.
SEO/Search Engine
Optimization: This is done by developing web pages by
relevant content, this is to help it gradually rank well in the ‘natural’
search listings for a particular keyword; successful SEO will increase your
site’s ranking in the natural search results listings.
PPC/Pay-per-click: It
is a strategic marketing model in which the marketers bid to exhibit their ads
on searches for a particular keyword or phrases and pay only when some clicks
through from the search page to the marketer's website. This can be regarded as
an outstanding and very cost-effective marketing model that can bring a
guaranteed listing at the top of the search engines – but required quite a bit
of research and testing to get right.
The effectiveness of search
engine marketing success depends on the back-office team which collects data of
customers from websites and therefore the office team should make sure that
when they get all this traffic it can be converted into the required
sales/newsletter sign ups/brochure requests, etc. Here's a step-by-step process
of how SEM works:
Keyword research:
The first step in SEM is to identify the relevant keywords and phrases that
potential customers are using to search for products or services related to the
business.
Ad creation:
Once the keywords are identified, the next step is to create ads that will be
displayed on search engine results pages. These ads should include the relevant
keywords and a clear call-to-action (CTA) that encourages users to click on the
ad.
Bid on keywords:
Advertisers bid on the keywords or phrases that they want their ads to appear
for. Advertisers will then pay a fee each time their ad is clicked
(pay-per-click) or each time their ad is shown (cost-per-impression)
Ad targeting:
Advertisers can target their ads to specific demographics, locations, and even
the time of day. This helps ensure that the ads are reaching the right
audience.
Ad delivery:
Once the ads are created and targeting is set, the ads will be delivered to the
relevant search engine results pages when users type in the targeted keywords.
Tracking and
optimization: Advertisers track the performance of
their ads by monitoring metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion
rate, and cost per conversion. Based on the performance, advertisers can
optimize their ads to improve their results.
The goal of SEM is to
increase website traffic, leads and sales by reaching potential customers who
are actively searching for products or services related to the business.
How can SEM help new
businesses to grow?
Search engine marketing
(SEM) can be an effective tool for new businesses looking to grow, as it can
help them reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness.
Here are a few ways in
which SEM can help new businesses to grow:
Increased visibility:
SEM allows new businesses to place ads on search engine results pages (SERPs)
when users type in relevant keywords. This can help increase the visibility of
the business and drive more traffic to their website.
Targeted advertising:
SEM allows new businesses to target their ads to specific demographics,
locations, and even the time of day. This helps ensure that the ads are
reaching the right audience, which can increase the chances of conversion.
Measurable results:
SEM provides new businesses with measurable results, such as click-through rate
(CTR) and conversion rate. This allows businesses to track their progress and
make data-driven decisions to optimize their ads and campaigns.
Cost-effective:
SEM can be more cost-effective than traditional forms of advertising, as
businesses only pay when someone clicks on their ad. Additionally, new
businesses can set a budget and bid on keywords within their budget, allowing
them to control their advertising costs.
Quick results:
SEM campaigns can be launched quickly and can start generating leads and sales
for a business within a short period of time.
By using SEM, new
businesses can increase their visibility, reach their target audience, and
generate measurable results, which can help them grow and establish a strong
online presence.
