14/06/2024
What is SEM?
Search Engine Marketing uses paid tactics to gain visibility on the search engines. It is also known as PPC (pay-per-click).
As opposed to using tactics that help a website rank organically, SEM uses PPC advertising platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads to use the available ad formats to reach your target audience.
As a tactic, it involves everything from setting up and optimizing paid ads to managing the account to increase conversions and returns.
SEMs will usually begin a campaign with comprehensive keyword research and competitor insights (which you can do with tools like the PPC advertising toolkit) to create targeted campaigns that place their products and services in front of a target audience.
These campaigns include the likes of:
Search Ads (text ads)
Shopping Ads
Display Ads
Gmail Ads
YouTube Ads
These are all different formats available within Google Ads — all of which can help you reach your target audience.
When users search for specific terms that the advertiser is running ads against, they will see a custom ad, usually at the top of the SERPs. Or, in some cases, shopping ads. Every time the ad is clicked, the business pays for this.