SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is a term used to describe all marketing activities associated with increasing the visibility of your brand on popular search engines such as Google and Bing.
SEM incorporates the paid elements of search marketing, from paid search marketing to updating your google business listing to tactical SEO optimisations. SEM usually refers to the paid search elements, where as SEO is linked with the organic rankings in search engines. With SEO you don’t pay for clicks, with SEM you can use adwords or bing ads to improve your position in the marketplace.
Both should be considered as fundamental parts of your digital marketing strategy. However, how you divide your time between SEM and SEO tactics is dependent upon a number of factors.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUILDING YOUR SEM CAMPAIGNS
- The keywords you choose for your campaigns
- The budget you have to execute your campaigns
- Your account structure and set-up can affect your quality score
- Your website, landing pages and calls to action will have an impact on your overall success with SEM
When learning about SEM you will want to learn some of the following terms:
- CPC – Cost per click
- CPM – Cost per million impressions
- CTR – Click through rate
- Impressions – How many time your ad is visible to your search audience
How much does SEM cost?
There is no easy answer to this question. SEM can be expensive if you don’t have the relevant knowledge to set up your campaigns effectively. There are Google Ads industry benchmarks that will give you an idea of the average cost per click but this can change based on your quality score, your revenue streams and your digital marketing objectives.
Why should I use SEM?
There are many benefits to search engine marketing, here are a few to start with:
- Helps to increase brand awareness
- Can give you a competitive advantage
- You can reach your preferred target audience
- You can dictate when your ads appear
- It can generate revenues with the right account structure, time and tactics
To discuss your SEM campaigns, set up your SEM accounts or get some free SEM advice talk to us today.
