Term: Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Definition: Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a form of online marketing that involves the promotion of websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs), primarily through paid advertising.
Alternative Names: Paid search advertising, Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, Paid search marketing
Expanded explanation: Search engine marketing, or SEM, is an important component of digital marketing strategy, focusing on gaining traffic and visibility from search engines through both paid and unpaid efforts. While it includes SEO (search engine optimisation), SEM primarily refers to paid traffic from search engines. The most common form is Google Ads, followed by Bing Ads and Yahoo Search Ads. Advertisers bid on keywords that users of services such as Google and Bing might enter when looking for certain products or services.
Benefits or importance: SEM can increase brand awareness, improve site visibility, reach out to targeted audiences and deliver quick results. It also allows for detailed tracking and reporting of campaign performance.
Common misconceptions or pitfalls: Some common misconceptions include thinking that SEM only includes PPC campaigns or that SEM isn’t necessary if you have good organic SEO. SEM and SEO should work together for the best results. It’s also easy to overspend on ineffective campaigns if they’re not managed correctly.
Use cases: SEM can be used for various purposes, including launching new products, promoting special deals, reaching new markets and increasing traffic during slow business periods.
Real-world examples: Real-world examples of SEM include:
– An e-commerce website running Google Ads for specific product keywords during the holiday season.
– A local business using location-based PPC ads to draw customers from their geographical area.
Best practices or tips:
- Choose your keywords carefully: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to find the right keywords for your business.
- Create compelling, clear ad copy: Your ads should directly address the users’ search intent.
- Monitor and adjust your campaigns: Regularly review your campaign performance and make necessary adjustments to improve your return on investment.
- Integrate with other digital marketing strategies: SEM should be one part of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, integrated with SEO, content marketing and social media marketing.
Limitations or considerations: While powerful, SEM does come with its limitations. Costs can add up quickly, especially in highly competitive industries. It requires constant monitoring and management to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. Also, unlike SEO, the results from SEM are not permanent. In other words, when you stop paying, your visibility diminishes.
Comparisons: Compared to other forms of digital marketing, SEM has the advantage of almost immediate results, while strategies like SEO can take months to show significant results. That said, social media marketing can offer a higher level of engagement and audience interaction.
Historical context or development: SEM has evolved over the years with the growth of search engines. The term was first used in 2001 to encompass both SEO and paid search activities. Over time, as the industry has evolved, SEM has come to refer almost exclusively to paid search marketing.
Resources for further learning:
- Google Ads Help Centre
- Microsoft Advertising Help
- Forbes – The Ultimate Guide To Search Engine Marketing (SEM) In 2023
Related services:
- Digital Marketing Strategy Service – We include SEM as a key component in content marketing and social media marketing.
- PPC Services – Our experts can significantly improve your business’s online presence and visibility with well-executed PPC marketing.
Related terms: Pay Per Click (PPC), Cost Per Click (CPC), Google Ads, Bing Ads, Keyword Bidding, Landing Page, Ad Auction, Quality Score, Click Through Rate (CTR), Impression
