There are many different kinds of digital marketing, and all are designed to drive traffic to your website. One of the lesser known forms of digital marketing, however, is Search Engine Marketing, or SEM. We’re going to discuss the finer points of SEM and how you can use it to build important traffic to your website, thereby boosting your business!
Search Engine Marketing: What is It?
Many people confuse SEM with SEO, but the reality is, they are two very different forms of digital marketing.
Search engine optimization (SEO), is what improves your website content in Google’s rankings. It’s what makes the difference between a website that appears on the first page of Google, and what makes a website appear on a lower page of results. This is important because it’s estimated that 95 percent of people who perform Google searches don’t go past the first page of results.
Search engine marketing (SEM), is what makes your website visible to a broader audience. SEM, unlike SEO, isn’t as dependent on the Google algorithm for results, which implies that for the right price, results can definitely happen.
SEM: Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices
So, how do you make SEM work for you? Here are some tips, tricks and best practices about SEM that we trust you’ll find useful for your own site:
1. Outline your objectives and goals
Even the best paid search engine marketing won’t generate results unless you outline an objective. Do you want more customers? Consider tailoring your SEM marketing to include incentives and sales. Allow users to click and go directly to your online store. Do you want more leads? Then create landing pages with a strong call-to-action with a lead generation form.
2. Remember the ABT acronym: ALWAYS BE TESTING
Don’t just create a campaign and then leave it to twist in the wind. Periodically run tests on it to see if it’s effective (or not), and see if there are ways it can be even more effective. Your company’s chief marketing officer will want to see that there’s a good return on investment when it comes to SEM. As such, it’s in your best interest to make sure you’re getting all the money you possibly can from the investment in SEM.
3. Have a dedicated staff that strictly handles SEM and other forms of digital marketing
In the beginning, you may be handle the majority of this on your own, especially if you’re a small start-up company. But if you want to see lasting results, you’ll want to enlist the aid of a professional to handle your digital marketing for you. Professional digital marketers are up to date with all the Google algorithm updates. They know about the best practices that you may not be familiar with, so they’ll be able to get you the best results.
4. Finally, but certainly no less importantly, don’t be exclusive
SEM shouldn’t be your only form of digital marketing. When you combine SEM with other forms of digital marketing, you’ll get the best results. Additional forms of digital marketing include content marketing and social media.
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