SEM is a very effective way for small businesses to reach new customers, increase revenues, and
trim acquisition costs,
SEM stands for search engine marketing. This may seem very broad. But the term has come to mean
a very specific type of marketing on search engines. That’s paid search.
How does it work?
SEM compliments SEO and content marketing, getting your brand at the top of Google, Bing and all
the other search engine players worldwide. To reach potential customers at the perfect time and place. The most known is Google Ad Words.
Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising is the most common form of paid SEM. PPC ads are the ones you see at the top of your Google search with the word “ad” written next to the link. Search engines sell
keywords to the highest bidder. One of the great things about this is you only pay for the ad when
someone clicks on it.
Other forms of paid SEM include banner ads, remarketing as well as ads on social media sites such as
Facebook or YouTube.
Benefits to your business:
– Instant Brand Awareness in Search Engines
According to google search, ads.com SEM increases Brand awareness by 80%. SEO and unpaid social
media take time SEM positions you at the top or bottom of page one. A business that has no current
visibility or brand recognition can instantly get some attention.
– Generate revenues quickly
With the right ad copy and strategies in place, you can see sales coming on the same day. It doesn’t
need the time SEO does. It’s easy to get started with something like AdWords.
– Grows your business
It’s incredibly scalable. It’s easy to start small and then spend more as your business grows. Paid ads
are linked to conversion-focused landing pages or sales pages that move web traffic and grow Sales.
– Reaching the right people at the right time
One of the biggest benefits of search ads is the ability to bring in the right traffic. You can’t always
control who sees your organic search results. With SEM, you can create a custom audience that will
be far more likely to see and engage with your ads than the average searcher
– Competitor Advantage
Through amazing SEO, does your competitor already have a coveted top spot in the organic search
results? You can appear above them with paid ads. Steal a click that would have been theirs.
– It’s accessible, even to small accounts
It doesn’t take much to advertise on search engines. There’s also no minimum amount you must
spend to run ads. As little as $5 will get you started if you’re on a budget.
An example:
Marks and Spencer have an effective SEM strategy since its " Winter Boots" page ranks first with a paid ad. Interestingly all 3 paid ads had not made it to the first page organically with SEO.
Top Tips for your Business:
1-Set a Budget – if not you will always overspend. Account for things like writing copy, landing pages,
research, analytics, and CPC.
2- Learn about your customers – why do they use search engines? Customize your ads to get your brand in front of them.
3- Do your keyword research – do not just include as many as possible. If they are not relevant, they
will lower your quality score and end up costing you more.
Want to get the most out of your business marketing budget? Work with a company that can help you by building and managing a smart SEM campaign. Contact us today.
