No matter the industry you operate in, an understanding of the importance of search engines is essential for business success. An increasingly large majority of all customers now use search engines for most of their product and service purchases, often as a means of researching what they want and finding a seller that offers exactly what they are looking for.
This essential part of the shopping process is the most important stage when it comes to engaging your target audience. Arguably the most powerful way to engage your potential customers on search engines is via search engine marketing or SEM. But what is search engine marketing, and how can you use it to grow your business and profits? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the basics and benefits of SEM.
1. What is Search Engine Marketing?
First, let’s break down what is SEM and what it entails. Search engine marketing is, essentially, a form of pay-per-click (PPC) ads for your business. It typically involves using a search engine service such as Google Ads to position your website at the top of certain Google search results pages.
It is a paid form of search engine advertising that requires you to spend money for each click and impression, with the goal of connecting to a large audience that is looking for what you sell. SEM also includes practices such as remarketing, in which you can use cookies to ensure your ads appear to users that have already visited your site or purchased a product or service that you offer.
2. How is SEM Different from SEO?
Before getting into the search engine marketing advantages that you need to know, it is important to differentiate it from another online marketing practice known as search engine optimization (SEO). SEO does not involve the use of paid ads or dedicated advertising campaigns.
Rather, it describes practices that are designed to make your webpage appear organically at the top of certain search engine results. It involves using things such as keywords, mobile optimization, and metadata to boost your website’s score on the Google algorithm and can be done with little to no budget. To learn more about how SEM differs from SEO, you can click here for more info.
3. What Are the Main Benefits of SEM?
Finally, let’s break down some of the SEM benefits that could help you grow your small business today:
- Boost your brand awareness among the audience you are trying to target
- Generate sales and revenues quickly
- It is very scalable, allowing for a budget of $10 a day or $10,000 a day
- It reaches people in your local area at the right time
- Google SEM provides you with real-time analytics to show you how you can improve your advertising and targeting
These are just a few of the ways in which SEM campaigns can help grow your business and brand awareness quickly.
Leverage the Power of Google Today
To learn more about search engine marketing or about how you can leverage the power of the world’s biggest tech platforms to level-up your business, we have got you covered. Make sure to consult our expertly-curated guides for insider advice and expertise on making Google work for you.