Search engine marketing (SEM) is a digital marketing strategy used to increase the visibility of a website in search engine results pages (SERPs). It is one of the most effective ways to grow your business in an increasingly competitive marketplace. While the industry term once referred to both organic search activities such as search engine optimization (SEO) and paid, it now refers almost exclusively to paid search advertising.

Search engine marketing is also alternately referred to as paid search or pay per click (PPC).

 

Why Is SEM Important?

With an increasing number of consumers researching and shopping for products online, search engine marketing has become a crucial online marketing strategy for increasing a company’s reach.

In fact, most new visitors to a website find it by performing a query on a search engine.

In search engine marketing, advertisers only pay for impressions that result in visitors, making it an efficient way for a company to spend its marketing dollars

 

Benefits of SEM

Small business owners understandably often feel a bit of apprehension when getting into new areas of marketing— especially since their marketing budgets tend to be limited, most focus their efforts on SEO, website development, print media, social media marketing or emailing with the hope of gaining more traffic, awareness and business. In today’s competitive market, most small businesses need to seek out new clients and convert existing clients into loyal ones.

Any small business should seriously consider is SEM (search engine marketing) or in other words, sponsored ads in Google or Bing. Let’s briefly review 5 ways in which SEM can be a boon to your business:

 

 1.      It’s affordable and fast

2.      Connect directly with your target audience and potential clients

3.      Develop brand awareness for your company

4.      Market Analysis: Is your product or service relevant?

5.      Reconnect with your clients

With an understanding of what SEM or Search Engine Advertising offers your small business, you will want to include it in your digital marketing strategy.