The goal of search engine marketing (SEM), a type of internet marketing, is to increase a website’s visibility by promoting it through paid advertising on search engine results pages (SERPs).
We previously discussed search engine optimisation (SEO) and how you should use certain tactics to organically (unpaid) promote your website. Now, through SEM you can fast track the process and climb right to the top of the SERPs.
Why advertise on a search engine?
Users generally trust organic search results more, and this results in a click rate that outnumbers paid results nearly 12 to 1. Using SEM will help to increase clicks and conversions in a very short period of time.
In order for search engines to recognise your authority or reputation, your long-term strategy should concentrate on enhancing your website’s SEO, boosting your content, and improving its overall usability. But in the short term, to compete in the SERPs, SEM will improve your visibility and create awareness.
The benefits of utilising SEM:
- Reach customers who are searching for your product or service and thus more likely to buy from your company.
- Quickly appear in the search results pages.
- You can see which of your ads are driving sales and which aren’t doing so well. An ad can drive traffic to a particular webpage on your website where you can collect data to determine which content is performing well and which can be improved.
- Using SEM gives you control over which webpages are targeted, thus improving conversion rates. With SEO you can’t specify which pages rank higher in the search listings.
How does SEM work?
1. Selecting the search engine you want to advertise on is the first step. Although there are several search engines, for the sake of this article, we’ll be concentrating on Google and its advertising business Google Ads. Google dominates the market with a market share of about 85%, followed by its rivals Microsoft Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, and Yandex RU.
2. Conduct keyword research and select the appropriate keywords related to your product, service, or promotion before you launch your campaign. Because they are what prospective customers type into search engines when they do their searches, keywords are crucial.
3. Once that has been decided, you need to specify who your target audience is. You can set your searcher’s location, age, gender, the device they use, or a certain time of day to show your ads.
4. Create the advert that you want to display in the search results. There are several types of Google ads:
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- Text ads or Search Network campaigns: adverts include headlines, body copy, a call-to-action, and a link to your website. These appear in the search results – above, to the right of, or below organic listings.
- Image ads or Display Network campaigns: adverts usually include an image. These ads can appear on websites or apps on the Google Display Network.
- Video Ads or Video campaigns: usually 6 or 15 second videos, these ads show right before or during YouTube content.
- App ads: this campaign is generally to promote your app and drive “app installs,” “app engagement,” and “app pre-registration.” Your advert appears in the search results on mobile devices, Google Play, YouTube, AdMob, Discover, and on the Google Display Network.
- Discovery ads: multi-image carousel ads that appear in the newsfeed on the YouTube homepage and “What to watch next”, in Gmail inboxes, and Discover.
- Shopping ads: a product listing on Google. Your advert appears at the top of a product-based Google search and includes pictures and prices. It can also appear on websites and apps on the Google Display Network, and Gmail inboxes.
- Local search ads: displays when someone searches for a business, product, or a service locally. Appears on Google maps, websites, and YouTube. This allows you to advertise only in a certain area and receive leads directly from potential customers.
- Performance Max Campaigns: a goal-based campaign in which Google accesses your assets and tailors your ad to achieve your goal. Your advertisement can include text, images, multi-images, video, and a product listing. It will be visible in search results, websites, YouTube, newsfeeds on the YouTube homepage, and “What to watch next,” as well as the shopping tab in search results, Gmail inboxes, and Discover.
5. When your ad is finished, you must decide on a budget. You will enter an Ad Auction and bid on the keywords you have chosen. You will decide how much you are willing to pay for each ad click. Types of advertising pay models:
- Cost-per-click or Pay-per-click advertising: You only pay when someone takes action or clicks on your ad. You’re not charged for your ad to show up in the search results. This is one of the most popular forms of SEM as the search engine, such as Google, is motivated to show the right ads to users — the ones that will get clicked on in order for the search engines to get paid.
- Cost per Impression (CPI) or Pay-per-impression (PPI): You pay for each impression – every time someone sees your ad.
- Cost per mille (CPM): You pay for 1,000 impressions of your ad.
Your ad may not appear every time your keywords are searched. Your maximum bid and the quality score of your ad will both be considered. Google will determine whether your advertisement provides the best experience for users. After all, they may only be compensated if your advertisement is clicked on.
Chat to the team at Chromesoft if you would like to find out more about Search Engine Marketing and how you can use it to promote your product or website.
