Unleashing the Power of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC): Bonelli Systems’s Comprehensive Guide
Whether you’ve heard of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) or Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and want to delve deeper, or you’re just starting out and eager to understand how SEM can propel your business forward, you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you through the crucial components of SEM.
Understanding SEM and PPC
Search Engine Marketing (SEM), is a form of online marketing that places your business at the top of search engine results. It’s a type of online advertising where you pay to be among the top results on search engines like Google or Bing for a specific search query.
SEM is primarily used by businesses for sales-focused campaigns, targeting individuals who are actively looking to make a purchase online. These searches can range from local services to online products or services. All these searches trigger SEM ads, also known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads, because you pay a set amount each time a user clicks on your ad.
The Mechanics of SEM
Getting your ads to appear alongside relevant search engine results involves more than just outbidding your competitors. The system is actually based on auctions. Everyone who wants their ad to show up for a certain search query (keyword) places a bid, and then the ad positions are determined.
Search engines like Google automate this process. They determine if an ad is relevant and valid based on the search query and other factors.
The Role of Keywords
During the campaign setup process, advertisers must decide which words they want to trigger their ads and how much they are willing to pay per click for those specific words. We call these terms “keywords“.
For instance, if your business revolves around water sports and equipment, and a user wants to buy a snorkel, they might type the keyword phrase “snorkel kits” into Google to find sellers:
As soon as the user submits their query, the algorithm in charge of the auction decides which ads should be shown for this keyword query and in what order they should appear.
The business strategy is “pay per click,” thus it’s better to use keywords that are relevant to your business. Google Ads, which manages SEM ads on Google, includes a set of tools to help us figure out which keywords are most relevant or would bring in the most sales without breaking our marketing budget.
Is SEM Simple?
Not exactly. The algorithm that decides where your ad shows up in the auction isn’t just based on everyone’s “bids.” It also takes into account the quality of the advertisers’ landing pages (if they are mobile-friendly, if the content is good, if the site is secure, etc.) and whether or not the ad copy is related to the keyword for which the advertiser is bidding. This means that your ad’s position will fluctuate depending on these factors and what other advertisers do, and your SEM campaigns will need to be managed daily.
Add to that the fact that search engines are always changing their rules, and you will need to keep up with these changes on the platform so that your campaigns don’t suffer.
Even though the basic ideas of SEM are pretty easy to understand, it can be challenging to manage an account with PPC campaigns that are both relevant and profitable. Many advertisers don’t have the time and resources to invest in effective SEM management, so they miss out on the opportunity to grow their business and sell more online. At Bonelli Systems, we are experts in search engine marketing and can help you take your SEM program to the next level.
For more information about our services, feel free to explore our Digital Marketing and Search Engine Marketing offerings. We also provide a comprehensive Search Engine Optimization service to help your business reach its full potential.
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