5 Things You Need to Know about Search Engine Marketing

Have you heard the term “SEM” flying around lately in website discussions or marketing meetings? SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing or plainly put: drawing traffic from search engines to your website.

1) Are SEM and SEO the Same?

You may think the two acronyms sounds enough alike to be synonyms but there is an important distinction between the two. (In order to look great in front of your boss or colleagues, be sure to point out that Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization are different.) SEM includes the use of Pay-Per-Click or Cost-Per-Click advertising such as AdSense, Google ads, and sponsored content. SEO utilizes strategically placed content and keywords to bring your website to the top of the search engine lists organically.

2) Is SEM the Right Choice for Me?

Search Engine Marketing is a powerful tool to help drive target audiences to your website. Through the use of PPC (pay-per-click) or CPC (cost-per-click) advertising, you are getting your company name directly in front of those who are looking for your product or services.

3) Is SEM Affordable?

Search Engine Marketing is an investment in the art of being found online. Like a brick-and-mortar shop that pays a higher rent in the main shopping district, SEM is all about location, location, location. Actual costs vary and depend on geographic targeting, keyword competition, available traffic and impression share.

4) How Will I Know if SEM is Working?

One of the best things about Search Engine Marketing is the fact that you can truly measure your impact on the target audience. Bing Ads or Google AdWords have built-in capabilities to measure various types of data regarding each click through. When using SEM tactics you can see the benefit of each dollar invested.

5) Is it Difficult to Start Using SEM?

Many websites that offer SEM opportunities include tutorials on how to effectively launch a SEM campaign. If it seems like too much of a hassle, contact a Digital Marketing Agency to handle the hard work for you.

At Talent Evolution, our focus is on evolving your business and brand through innovative, web-based solutions such as SEM. Contact us to discuss ways SEM can be of benefit to you.