Search Engine Marketing
Search engine marketing (SEM) is a form of digital marketing that involves the promotion of websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs) via either paid or unpaid means. Paid SEM refers to the buying of ads on search engines, while unpaid SEM involves optimizing a website or blog to increase its visibility organically. In essence, Search engine marketing is the practice of marketing a business using paid to ensure their website appears in the top of a list of search engine results.
Search engine marketing helps website owners reach the right audience with relevant and targeted online ads. Ads created and managed through search engine marketing platforms, such as Google Ads and Bing Ads, allow website owners to target users based on their interests and demographics. By utilizing SEM, businesses can significantly enhance their return on investment (ROI), and all the key benefits associated with a successful online marketing campaign, such as increased leads, sales and website traffic.
According to research conducted by SEMPOS, the overall cost-per-click (CPC) of search engine marketing display ads in Q2 of 2019 was $0.42. This is a 4% decrease in CPC from the previous year. Data also suggests that the average click-through rate (CTR) increased by 10% in 2019 to a total of 1.14%, with mobile ads continuing to dominate the search engine landscape with an average CTR of 1.67%.
A successful SEM campaign should include a combination of different tactics that are tailored to your business objectives. This includes engaging with influencers, optimizing content for both SEO and Search engine marketing and user experience, leveraging social media campaigns, performing competitor analysis, and staying up-to-date with the latest search engine marketing trends and tools.
The most popular tactics utilized for SEM are:
1. Paid Search Ads – Search engine platforms such as Google and Bing allow businesses to purchase ads to show up in the SERPs. This is often referred to as ‘pay-per-click’ (PPC) advertising.
2. Content Optimization – Content optimization is the process of creating and optimizing content that is keyword rich, engaging, and relevant to the searcher’s query in order to improve organic visibility.
3. Display Ads – Display ads are visual advertisements that are displayed in the search engine’s sponsored listings. They are a great way to drive brand awareness and boost website traffic.
4. Remarketing – Remarketing is a tactic that allows businesses to target users who have already visited their website. It is done by placing ads for the website on different platforms and is a great way to drive high quality leads back to the website.
5. Social Advertising – Social advertising, such as Facebook and Twitter ads, is a great way to reach a wider audience through organic and paid methods.
6. Video Ads – Video ads are an increasingly popular type of SEM as users are increasingly viewing more and more content through video platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo.
7. Influencer Marketing – Influencer marketing is a great way to promote a brand or product through a trusted source. It works by leveraging the influence of influential people in the market to spread awareness and attract potential customers.
In conclusion, search engine marketing is a powerful tool for businesses to promote their brands and products. It offers a wide range of benefits, such as increased ROI, website traffic, brand awareness and search engine visibility. SEM can be used in combination with multiple tactics such as social advertising, video ads, display ads and influencer marketing, as well as through content optimization. With the right strategies and tactics, businesses can boost their visibility, traffic and conversions in no time.