Today we’re going to talk about Search Engine Marketing, a strategy that has come to make peace with some marketers.
I’m sure you’ve heard about the dispute between organic traffic and paid traffic as to who is better, right? But that’s a thing of the past.
How about combining the best results from both to build a strategy that delivers real results? Interesting, isn’t it? Then read on to find out how!
What is SEM?
Search Engine Marketing (SEM), or search marketing, is a digital marketing strategy. Its main objective is to promote websites with the intention of increasing their visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs).
It combines organic traffic (SEO) and paid traffic (paid media) strategies to achieve even more significant results. This helps to improve the site’s position in the SERPs and increase the brand’s relevance and authority.
In addition, SEM campaigns involve more in-depth analysis of audience segmentation.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
If you’re just starting out in this world of marketing and are still confused by all the acronyms, I’ll explain what SEO is too!
Search Engine Optimization is part of a content strategy for blogs. Its main objective is to attract people to the content organically, answering recurring questions simply and with as much information as possible within the context.
A good SEO strategy also involves aspects such as:
- Charging speed;
- Interesting content;
- Use of keywords;
- Site structure;
- Scannability;
- Responsiveness;
- Many others.
SEO strategies are very important for a digital marketing strategy because of the large number of hits that search engines receive on a daily basis. It is estimated that more than 8 billion searches are made every day.
Research shows that around 90% of these people click on just one link on the first page of Google, for example.
Paid Traffic
As the name implies, paid traffic, also known as “paid media”, is traffic acquired by paying Google to appear in a more favorable position.
That’s why pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns are another important pillar of SEM strategy. In this way, you can configure an ad to appear in relevant searches that make sense to the user.
This exponentially increases visibility and the likelihood of conversion.
But how do you know if the payment is fair and delivers results?
The most common way of measuring and charging is by the number of clicks. However, there are now more advanced techniques for strategists who want to optimize their campaigns for conversions (sales) or impressions (ad views), for example.
Read also: Search Generative Experience (SGE): what is it? What is it for?
Why is SEM important?
SEM strategies are essential for companies that want to be in the top positions of search results. This is because around a third of clicks go to the first link that appears. What’s more, most users rarely search for anything beyond the first page of results.
Understand some of the advantages of SEM campaigns:
- Increased brand visibility;
- Increase in the number of visitors to the site;
- Greater chance of converting visitors into customers;
- Targeting to reach and segment specific audiences.
In short, Search Engine Marketing combines digital marketing techniques to increase their effectiveness and boost the digital results of companies and brands.
There is another advantage that both SEO and paid traffic bring: monitoring and analyzing metrics. Understanding the number of click-through rates (CTR) and conversions is very important for refining and adjusting future strategies.
How Search Engine Marketing contributes to lead generation
You already know that SEM uses paid tactics to rank highly in the SERPs and increase search visibility to help drive traffic to a specific site or pages.
Now let’s understand the impact this has on generating qualified leads.
Let’s take an example: when someone clicks on a sponsored link, they are usually looking for a specific product or service, meaning that their intention is already to convert. When they find exactly what they are looking for easily, this greatly increases the chances of conversion.
Depending on the type of audience you want to reach, you can capture leads through landing pages with irresistible offers such as:
- discounts;
- free trial periods;
- e-books and other free rich materials.
How to develop an effective SEM strategy
There are some very important steps to building an effective SEM strategy for you to apply in your day-to-day life. Check them out!
Establish a clear conversion flow
After a user finds your ad at the top of a SERP and clicks on it, what action do you want them to take on your site?
Think about it and build flows that make sense for each type of user. For example, if someone has just bought a pair of sneakers, it makes sense to also offer socks that can be worn together, right?
Also define the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) of your campaign. Having a clear vision of what you want customers to do when they access your site or product will help you understand whether you are getting good results or not.
See what others are doing
It’s always worth having a look! Before bidding, do some quick research . It’s important to assess the paid search landscape in your category.
See which ads rank highly for keywords in your category. Doing so can generate insights and help you build a much more interesting strategy.
Select a PPC search engine
Different search engines offer different values.
Some have higher search volumes, but PPC fees can be expensive. So choose a search engine that meets your needs.
To do this, you can use tools such as Google Analytics, Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends to monitor and analyze the performance of your campaigns, for example.
Search for relevant keywords
Selecting the right keywords for the brand or product in a PPC campaign is the key to success.
Based on your objectives, you can select keywords that have various levels of search volume. Learn more about keyword strategy.
Identify the keywords relevant to your business that have a good search volume and low competition.
Set a budget: SEM can be expensive
Research and set advertising budgets before you start spending.
Sometimes companies consult PPC advertising agencies to help guide them on SEM budget strategies .
Test and innovate creatively
SEM is not always an instant success. That’s why it’s important to understand and test your strategy.
You can do this with new keywords or by changing your budget if you’re not seeing the results you want, for example.
Here are a few things you can do:
- Carry out A/B tests: test your ads and landing pages to find the best combinations that generate the best results;
- Create attractive ads: develop ads that capture the user’s attention and include a clear call-to-action;
- Optimized landing pages: make sure your landing pages are relevant, fast and optimized for conversion;
- Monitoring and adjustment: track the performance of your campaigns and adjust your strategies as necessary to improve results.
Conclusion
Search Engine Marketing is an essential strategy in the digital marketing arsenal , combining organic traffic (SEO) and paid traffic (PPC) strategies to maximize a company’s online visibility and relevance.
The integration of these two approaches allows companies to achieve their objectives more efficiently, taking advantage of the strengths of both.
The use of SEM is crucial for any company wishing to compete in today’s highly saturated search spaces. By applying the right keyword research techniques, ad optimization and continuous monitoring, it is possible to attract a qualified audience, improve the conversion rate and, consequently, increase revenue.
With a well-planned approach, SEM can significantly transform a company’s digital presence, giving it a significant competitive advantage in the market. See you in the next article! 😉
