{"id":4123,"date":"2021-04-14T15:33:47","date_gmt":"2021-04-14T15:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/proranktracker.com\/blog\/?p=4123"},"modified":"2024-11-04T18:19:24","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T18:19:24","slug":"sem-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/proranktracker.com\/blog\/sem-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"SEM Strategy: How to Leverage Search to Market Your Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

When a consumer wants to research before purchasing, their first stop is most likely search engines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Their search might include their specific pain points, a range of available product options, or familiar brands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been focusing on your organic SEO, you may not have made it to the top of SERPs yet, which could mean missed opportunities for new leads and sales in the meantime.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s where an SEM strategy comes in.<\/b><\/p>\n

With a small investment, SEM can pull your brand straight to the top of SERPs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SEM requires a well-constructed strategy, planning, and ongoing tracking and optimization like any other digital marketing tactic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read our definitive guide to build and make the most of your SEM strategy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. What is SEM?<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Difference Between SEM and SEO<\/a><\/p>\n

3. SEM Strategy Benefits<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Steps to Create an SEM Strategy<\/a><\/p>\n

4.1. Understand Your Product or Service<\/a><\/p>\n

4.2. Choose Your Target Audience<\/a><\/p>\n

4.3. Set Your SEM Budget<\/a><\/p>\n

4.4. Conduct Thorough Keyword Research<\/a><\/p>\n

4.5. Study Your Competition<\/a><\/p>\n

4.6. Set Up a Google Ads Account<\/a><\/p>\n

4.7. Craft Your Ads Carefully\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

4.8. Launch Your Campaigns<\/a><\/p>\n

4.9. Measure Results<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Build a Foundation for Strategic SEM Success<\/a><\/p>\n

What is SEM?<\/b><\/h2>\n

You\u2019ve seen those text ads at the top of the results page on your last <\/span>Google search<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Those ads are there because of a carefully planned SEM strategy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Search Engine Marketing (<\/span>SEM<\/span><\/i>) is a paid advertising strategy that places branded content at the top of search engine results pages (<\/span>SERPs<\/span><\/i>), increasing its brand\u2019s visibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SEM involves creating ads within a search engine\u2019s advertising platform, setting a budget, and targeting specific users and keywords.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SEM works on an auction system \u2014 brands that place the highest bid on particular keywords and search inquiries will win the top spot of SERPs for those queries and be displayed more frequently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A well-mapped SEM strategy can maximize your ROI by incorporating other digital advertising tactics, like affinity-targeted display campaigns and search retargeting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Difference Between SEM and SEO?<\/b><\/h2>\n

While both SEM and Search Engine Optimization (<\/span>SEO<\/span><\/i>) are geared toward appealing to search engines, there\u2019s a fundamental difference \u2014 SEM is a paid tactic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast, <\/span>SEO<\/span><\/a> improves your performance in organic results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SEM consists of creating paid ads that appear in search results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The goal is to choose the right keywords and audience to encourage clicks and conversions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While you need an effective landing page for your ads, the bulk of your SEM strategy exists outside of your website and within search engine platforms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, SEO exists entirely within your website.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This tactic focuses on optimizing your website to perform well organically.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That involves editing your on-page content, publishing new content, and carefully massaging your website to maximize <\/span>keyword performance<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SEO costs less than SEM \u2014 you don\u2019t need a large advertising budget for SEO.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SEO is a long-term strategy that requires ongoing maintenance and can take months to see results, while SEM can quickly get you to the top of SERPs with minimal effort.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also choose to run a quick campaign as a \u201c<\/span>One and Done<\/span><\/i>\u201d tactic with SEM \u2014\u00a0 if you select the right keywords, you can get an influx of qualified leads relatively quickly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, for SEM to be effective, it has to run alongside SEO.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you spend money to drive users to your website, that site must be user-friendly and offer high-value content that encourages users to browse, engage, and convert \u2014 that\u2019s where SEO shines in ways that SEM doesn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The key to both SEM and SEO? A solid list of keywords.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Benefits of SEM Strategy<\/b><\/h2>\n

With a well-built SEM strategy, you\u2019ll see a few key benefits:<\/span><\/p>\n