Your company’s website and other digital assets do more than just represent your brand in the digital space. They can be leveraged as tools to drive organic traffic and generate leads for your business. This approach to digital marketing allows you to drive conversions and sales, taking advantage of free traffic generated by the assets you already have.
This is the beauty of search engine optimization (SEO). You simply create the assets, rank your site, make your brand more visible and convert visitors into paying customers. What’s more, you don’t have to pay for traffic since search engines contribute to the process organically.
But what if SEO isn’t enough? Sure, you’re getting leads, but it’s not generating enough sales for your enterprise to remain profitable. What if site traffic, leads and sales are down? What do you do then?
This is where search engine marketing (SEM) comes into play.
It’s one of the most effective online advertising strategies to help you reach new customers and allow your business to thrive. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll look at:
• What Is SEM and How Can It Help My Business?
• The Problem of Volatility and Paid Search Results
• Understanding Search Engine Marketing
• The Two Sides of SEM
• Organic Search Results vs. Paid Results
• The Benefits of SEM for Businesses
• How SEM Works
• Using SEM for Your Business
• How Do Ad Auctions Work?
• Using Ad Extensions Right
• Tips on Designing Landing Pages
• Importance of Relevancy and User Experience
• How To Set Up an Effective SEM Campaign
• A/B Testing Landing Pages
• Choose a Seasoned SEM Agency
What Is SEM and How Can It Help My Business?
SEM is an approach to digital marketing designed to boost brand visibility online, increase leads and improve conversion.
Where SEO focuses on organic traffic, SEM takes the best out of that marketing approach and leverages the power of paid ads and landing page optimization to generate more results for your enterprise.
It combines organic options and online advertising strategies, creating more opportunities for your business to reach a wider audience quickly and efficiently.
The Problem of Volatility and Paid Search Results
Search engine marketing agencies and search engine optimization (SEO) specialists often grapple with various updates from different search engines.
Sometimes, an update from Google’s algorithms can cause a major shakeup in the rankings, causing certain digital assets to fall behind and contribute less to the company’s lead generation efforts.
SERP Volatility
(Image Source)
“This is why I love SEO. You are constantly researching and learning things. It’s a continuous struggle to up your game, which makes it really interesting,” said Tristan Harris, Thrive’s Director of Digital Public Relations.
Harris and his fellow search experts observed that even though your site’s pages rank high in the search engine ranking pages (SERPs), your lead generation may still suffer.
He also noted that with further testing, you can determine whether you’re generating site traffic from low-hanging fruit, i.e., those that don’t end up converting into actual customers, or if your traffic sources generate high-quality leads with a better qualifying ratio.
Another issue that the team has cited is the fact that paid advertising appears higher in the SERPs. Other search elements also keep pushing the organic search results further down the page, away from the eyes of users.
So, what do you do if all your SEO fundamentals are generating traffic but you’re not getting the amount of leads you’re aiming for?
Harris said that one of the key approaches to boost lead generation when Google and other search engines are demonstrating volatility, due to updates and other changes, is SEM. Combining the power of proven SEO practices with the extensive results you get from paid ad strategies can make a significant impact, added Harris.
It is important to note that search engines are systems that index and retrieve information from the web and are based on user queries. Volatility in search engine results pages (SERPs) arises due to algorithm updates, changes in user behavior and competitors’ actions.
Rankings fluctuate as search engines refine algorithms to improve relevance, and sites may be affected by SEO practices, content updates and backlinks. Constant adaptation to these changes is crucial for maintaining high rankings.
By combining paid and organic search strategies, you can reap the following benefits:
• Generate more leads
• Attract more sales-qualified traffic
• Improve website visibility
• Increase revenue
Understanding Search Engine Marketing
SEM is a powerful tool for businesses, boosting online visibility and driving targeted traffic to websites.
By leveraging paid ads, landing page optimization and strategic keyword placement, SEM can enhance brand awareness, attract potential customers and, ultimately, increase sales and revenue. This makes it an essential component of digital marketing strategies.
Search engines are part of consumers’ daily lives, acting as the primary gateway to information, products and services.
By effectively utilizing SEM and platforms like AdWords (now just called Ads), businesses can position themselves prominently in search results. It also helps capture the attention of potential customers precisely when they are actively seeking solutions, maximizing engagement and conversion opportunities.
Studies show that customers spend an average of 79 days learning about products and services they’re interested in before making a purchasing decision.
Around 81% of consumers perform online searches to research these products and services.
Using SEM is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to reach that audience, especially those with a higher buying intent. You can position your ads high in the search results precisely when they’re looking for products, services and other offerings that align with their search intent.
In that sense, SEM is a pay-per-click strategy that allows you to target potential customers at various stages of the purchasing cycle and design different digital assets to funnel the traffic accordingly.
The Two Sides of SEM
As mentioned earlier, SEM leverages two different digital marketing strategies: organic and paid approaches. The organic side, which incorporates search engine optimization (SEO), is focused on boosting search engine visibility. This approach does not incorporate paid content but still uses targeted keywords.
One thing to know about this approach is that organic methods in SEM usually take a lot of time before they can deliver good results. Some ad campaigns can last a few weeks, while some can take months.
It also requires continuous effort since you will need to refresh your content in order to incorporate updated information about your niche and your offerings. Constant upkeep will help you boost your ranking in search engine results page rankings.
The paid approach includes leveraging paid search ads, often referred to as pay-per-click (PPC) ads. As mentioned earlier, these advertisements appear at the top or bottom of organic search results.
Image: SERPs for “digital marketing agency” – Example Where Sponsored/Paid Results Get Shown Above Organic Results
Advertisers practice effective budget management, bid on specific keywords and when users search for those terms, the ads are displayed. The advertiser pays a fee each time someone clicks on their ad. These ads are marked as sponsored or ad to distinguish them from organic results.
Organic Search Results vs. Paid Results
Organic search results are listings on search engines achieved through SEO, reflecting relevance and authority without direct payment. They offer long-term credibility but require time and effort to achieve.
On the other hand, paid results appear above or beside organic results and are secured through bidding on keywords. They provide immediate visibility and traffic but incur ongoing costs and require effective budget management. Both strategies are essential for balanced digital marketing strategies.
| Organic Search Results | Paid Search Results | |
| Definition | Listings on SERPs that appear because of their relevance to the search terms, without payment. | Listings on SERPs that appear because advertisers pay for placement based on targeted keywords. |
| Ranking Factors | Determined by search engine algorithms considering factors like relevance, quality of content, backlinks, user experience and more. | Determined by bid amount, ad quality and relevance (Quality Score in Google Ads). |
| Cost | Free, but achieving high rankings requires significant investment in SEO strategies. | Paid, with costs accruing per click (PPC) or per impression (CPM). |
| Longevity | Results can be long-term provided the page remains relevant and optimized. | Results are temporary and last only as long as the ad campaign is funded. |
| Trust | Generally perceived as more credible and trustworthy by users. | Sometimes viewed with skepticism by users as they know these are paid placements. |
By leveraging both organic and paid search strategies, businesses can maximize their visibility and capture a larger share of search engine traffic. A good example where you can apply these approaches is when you optimize Shopify stores, Amazon pages and other eCommerce platforms. You leverage strategic keywords to optimize product listings, improving their ranks when customers search for products in your niche. This is only one of the many benefits of SEM.
The Benefits of SEM for Businesses
SEM benefits businesses by driving targeted traffic and delivering immediate results. It supports brand awareness, offers measurable ROI and allows precise targeting through keywords and demographics.
SEM ad campaigns can be easily adjusted for optimal performance, helping businesses stay competitive. Additionally, it complements other marketing strategies, providing valuable insights into consumer behavior and market trends.
1. Increased Visibility
SEM places your ads at the top of search engine results pages, ensuring your business is seen by users actively searching for related products or services. This enhanced visibility can lead to greater brand recognition and awareness.
2. Targeted Advertising
With SEM, you can target your ads to specific audiences based on keywords, location, demographics, time of day and more. This precise targeting ensures your ads reach the most relevant potential customers, improving the chances of conversion.
3. Measurable Results
SEM provides detailed analytics and reporting tools that allow you to track the performance of your ads in real-time. Metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), conversion rate and return on investment (ROI) can be closely monitored and analyzed.
4. Cost-Effectiveness
SEM can be cost-effective because you only pay when someone clicks on your ad (PPC model). This ensures better advertising budget management, which allows you to engage users who are genuinely interested in your offerings. Additionally, you can set daily or monthly budgets to control spending.
5. Flexibility and Control
SEM campaigns can be quickly adjusted based on performance data. You can modify ad copy, adjust bids, pause or restart ad campaigns and optimize keywords as needed. This flexibility allows for continuous improvement and adaptation to market changes.
6. Enhanced Brand Awareness
Even if users don’t click on your ads, repeated exposure to your brand name and messaging can build brand familiarity and trust over time. This top-of-mind awareness can lead to increased direct traffic and conversions in the long run.
7. Speed and Efficiency
SEM campaigns can be launched and start driving traffic quickly, unlike SEO, which can take months to show results. This immediacy makes SEM an excellent choice for promoting time-sensitive offers or launching new products.
8. Competitive Advantage
By appearing at the top of search results, SEM can help your business stand out from competitors. Effective SEM strategies can capture a larger share of the market by intercepting potential customers who might otherwise go to your competitors.
By leveraging the benefits of SEM, businesses can significantly enhance their online presence, attract more qualified leads and drive higher sales and revenue.
Here’s How Thrive Helped Clients Boost Sales With SEM
| SEISMIC AUDIO | READY SEAL | SNEAKER BOUTIQUE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Advertising Cost of Sale (ACoS) | +26% Sales Volume | +41% Organic traffic | +33% Referral traffic | +820% Total Traffic | +324% Inbound Leads |
| Thrive’s collaboration with Seismic Audio significantly boosted the company’s online presence and sales. By optimizing over 2,000 Amazon product listings and launching targeted ad campaigns, Thrive increased the client’s sales volume by 26%, unit sales by 23% and pageviews by 21%, while reducing the Advertising Cost of Sale (ACoS) by 28%. In addition, the focused SEO strategy enhanced organic traffic and rankings, contributing to higher conversion rates and lead generation. These results underscore the powerful impact of search engine marketing and strategic optimizations on Seismic Audio’s business growth. | Thrive transformed Ready Seal’s outdated eCommerce website into a highly functional, engaging platform, leading to substantial growth in online performance. The revamped site boosted site visitors by 29%, organic traffic by 41% and referral traffic by 33%. Online leads increased by 27%. Key improvements included an optimized design for all devices, compelling SEO-driven content and a seamless shopping experience. These efforts not only enhanced Ready Seal’s visibility but also significantly increased conversions and customer engagement. | Thrive delivered exceptional results for a sneaker and apparel store in Florida by implementing a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. Focusing on SEO, PPC and paid social media advertising, Thrive achieved significant growth for the client. The campaign led to an 820% increase in total traffic and a 324% increase in inbound leads. Additionally, Thrive’s efforts resulted in a $137K purchase conversion value and a $642K adds-to-cart value, demonstrating the effectiveness of their targeted strategies in driving sales and customer engagement. | |||
How SEM Works
SEM strategy boosts a website’s ranking in the SERPs primarily through paid advertising. It encompasses various activities that aim to improve ads’ ranking in search engine results, typically through platforms like AdWords, Google Ads or Bing Ads.
Here’s a detailed rundown of how SEM works and the process involved in this strategy:
1. Campaign Setup: Advertisers create campaigns within a search engine’s advertising platform. These campaigns are divided into ad groups, each targeting a set of keywords relevant to the product or service being advertised.
2. Keyword Selection: You research and choose keywords that potential customers will likely use to query a search engine for products and services they’re interested in. These search terms will be used by search engines to display relevant ads that match the intent of the user.
3. Ad Creation: Advertisers create compelling ads, including headlines, descriptions and call-to-action (CTA) elements. These ads are designed to attract clicks and drive traffic to the advertiser’s website.
4. Ad Auction: When a user enters a search query, the search engine processes the query and runs an auction among advertisers bidding on the relevant keywords. The auction determines which ads are shown and their position on the SERP.
5. Ad Display and Clicks: The winning ads are displayed on the SERP. When users click on these ads, they are directed to the advertiser’s website and the advertiser is charged for the click. This cost can also be applied to eCommerce platforms like Amazon and social media ads.
6. Performance Monitoring and Optimization: Advertisers continuously monitor the performance of their campaigns and optimize them by adjusting bids, refining keywords and improving ad copy to maximize return on investment (ROI).
There are four key concepts that you need to understand in SEM:
• Keyword research
• Ad auctions and bidding
• Bidding strategies
• Quality score
When combined, these guiding principles will help you create an effective SEM strategy.
Keyword research is crucial in SEM because the search terms entered by search engine users trigger the display of ads on the SERPs. It involves identifying the most relevant and high-performing words or phrases potential customers use in search engines, which is crucial for effective ad targeting.
Ad auctions and bidding refer to processes where advertisers compete for ad placements based on their bids and relevance to the search query. On the other hand, bidding strategies, such as manual or automated bidding (explained below), optimize how much advertisers are willing to pay for clicks to maximize ROI.
Finally, Quality Score, a metric assessing the relevance and quality of ads, keywords and landing pages, influences ad rankings and cost-per-click. This is one of the metrics that Google uses to select which ads to display. High-quality scores lead to better ad positions and lower costs, making it a key factor in successful SEM campaigns.
Here is a quick summary of these concepts:
| Keyword research is the process of identifying and analyzing search terms that users enter into search engines. | 1. Identifying Seed Keywords: These are broad terms related to your business that serve as a starting point. 2. Using Keyword Tools: Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush or Ahrefs help find related keywords, search volumes and competition levels. 3. Analyzing Competitors: Reviewing competitors’ keywords to identify opportunities and gaps. 4. Categorizing Keywords: Grouping keywords into themes or categories for more targeted campaigns. 5. Selecting Long-tail Keywords: These are longer, more specific phrases with lower search volumes but typically higher conversion rates. |
The goal behind keyword research is to find a mix of high-volume and highly relevant keywords that can effectively drive traffic and conversions.
| Ad auctions are the process by which search engines determine the placement of ads. | 1. Bid Amount: Advertisers set a maximum bid for how much they are willing to pay per click on their ad. 2. Auction Entry: When a user enters a search query, all relevant ads enter the auction. 3. Ad Rank Calculation: Ad Rank is determined by a combination of the bid amount, Quality Score and expected impact of ad extensions and other ad formats. 4. Winner Selection: The ads with the highest Ad Rank scores are shown in the SERP, ordered by their rank. |
| There are a couple of bidding strategies that will help you measure the performance of your ads and determine your success in generating more leads and sales. | • Manual Bidding: Advertisers set the maximum cost-per-click (CPC) bids for their keywords. • Automated Bidding: The platform adjusts bids in real-time to achieve specific goals like maximizing clicks, conversions or impression share. |
| Quality Score is a metric used by search engines to measure the relevance and quality of ads, keywords and landing pages. It impacts the Ad Rank and cost-per-click (CPC), which affects where your ads appear in the search results. | 1. Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR): The likelihood that the ad will be clicked when shown. 2. Ad Relevance: How closely the ad matches the intent of the user’s search query. 3. Landing Page Experience: Reviewing competitors’ keywords to identify opportunities and gaps. A higher Quality Score can lower CPC and improve ad position, as search engines reward more relevant and user-friendly ads. |
Using SEM for Your Business
SEM incorporates several key components for this combined digital marketing strategy to work effectively. Some factors you should mind include keyword research, ad creation, bid management and performance and conversion tracking.
Paying attention to these elements ensures targeted advertising, cost control and effective campaign optimization. In addition, your team should also focus on landing page optimization and A/B testing to enhance user experience and conversion rates.
Strategic Keyword Research
Keywords are vital to SEM as they directly influence the visibility and success of ad campaigns. Keywords represent the terms potential customers use when searching for products or services online.
By identifying and targeting the right keywords and search intent, businesses can ensure their ads appear in relevant search results, thereby reaching a targeted audience more likely to convert.
Keyword research helps in understanding market demand, uncovering trends and identifying gaps that competitors might have missed. It allows businesses to optimize their ad spend by focusing on keywords with the best balance of search volume, competition and relevance.
Long-tail keywords, though having lower search volumes, often attract more qualified traffic and lead to higher conversion rates due to their specificity.
Effective keyword research not only enhances the relevance and Quality Score of ads, leading to better ad positions and lower costs, but also informs content strategy and broader marketing efforts, ensuring alignment with user intent and search behavior.
There are several key considerations to weigh as you use various keyword research tools.
Ronnel Viloria, Thrive’s Demand Generation Lead SEO Strategist, offers some pivotal insights into these:
Keyword Difficulty vs. Competition
As you search for relevant keywords for your ads, you need to strike a balance between keyword difficulty and competition.
Keyword difficulty measures how difficult it can be to rank for a keyword. It factors into certain elements such as domain authority, content quality and backlink profiles of the top-ranking pages.
On the other hand, keyword competition refers to the number of advertisers bidding on a keyword in PPC campaigns, reflecting its demand and advertising cost.
“At Thrive, balancing keyword difficulty with competition means assessing the potential traffic and relevance of keywords against our site’s authority and resources. We choose difficult and competitive keywords when our site has high domain authority and strong content to compete effectively. Otherwise, we target less competitive keywords to steadily build authority and drive organic traffic,” said Viloria.
Ahrefs Keyword Generator Tool (Image Source: Ahrefs)
Matching Search Intent
Also known as user intent, search intent is the reason a user enters a search term online. It shows what users are looking for in their query, which can be informational, transactional, navigational or commercial.
Viloria explains how this plays into the company’s keyword research strategy:
“At Thrive, our keyword research strategy focuses on identifying high-relevance, low-competition keywords that align with our target audience’s search intent. We use a combination of tools and techniques to analyze search volume, competition and user intent, ensuring we choose keywords that maximize organic traffic and conversions for our pages.”
Competitor Keyword Research
Sometimes, you don’t have to look far to find keywords that will work for your niche. One of the sources you can turn to is your competitors and the keywords they use to drive traffic to their site.
Competitor keyword research is a strategy that identifies which keywords competitors are targeting and ranking for, providing insights into strategies that have been shown to work. This approach helps refine your own keyword strategy, discover new opportunities and improve your search engine rankings, ultimately driving more targeted traffic and gaining a competitive edge over the competition.
“Competitor keyword research is a crucial component of Thrive’s strategy, allowing us to identify gaps and opportunities to outrank competitors. It is a standard practice we use extensively to ensure we stay ahead in the competitive landscape. By continuously monitoring and analyzing competitor tactics, we can adapt and refine our approach for sustained success,” Viloria explains.
Top Keyword Research Tools
Viloria also mentioned some of the essential tools for keyword research:
• Semrush: This is a powerful tool that you can use to get more comprehensive keyword data. You can also use it for effective competitor analysis and keyword difficulty scores.
• Ahrefs: Known for its extensive keyword database and metrics like keyword difficulty and click-through rates.
• Moz Keyword Explorer: Helps discover and prioritize the best keywords to target with detailed analysis.
• Google Keyword Planner: This tool offers insights into search volume and keyword bid estimates.
Keyword research specialists look for different types of relevant keywords to make marketing campaigns more effective:
• Long-Tail Keywords: These search phrases tend to be longer and more specific (e.g., “best running shoes for flat feet”). Compared to other types of keywords, they often have lower search volume. However, when you use them in your content, you can get more conversions as they target users closer to the buying stage.
• Short-Tail Keywords: These are broader, general terms (e.g., “running shoes”). They have higher search volumes but are more competitive and less specific, often leading to lower conversion rates.
Using the latest tools and selecting the best matching keywords, you can determine the terms to include in your ads that will trigger an appearance in the search results and improve your ad ranking and position. Leverage these keywords in your ad management efforts.
Meta Ads Manager Screen (Source: Meta)
Ad Management
The keywords that you derive from your research must be used strategically within the ads you will launch. Combining correct ad development with conversion tracking strategies helps you gauge how well your campaigns are performing as part of proper ad management.
Ads are a crucial component of SEM as they provide:
• Immediate visibility on the SERPs
• Targeted traffic to your websites, landing pages and other digital assets
Unlike organic search efforts, which take time to build, ads can quickly generate leads and conversions.
As explained earlier, ads enable precise targeting through keywords, demographics and user behavior, ensuring you reach the most relevant audience. In addition, they offer measurable ROI, allowing businesses to track performance and adjust strategies for optimal results.
Use various ad formats, such as text, display and video to effectively capture user attention, enhance brand awareness and achieve specific marketing goals.
Here are some features of various ads you need to be aware of that will appear in ad management tools:
• Ad Extensions: Additional information shown with ads, like site links, phone numbers and addresses.
• Ad Rank: A value that determines the position of an ad on a search engine results page, influenced by bid amount, ad quality and relevance.
• Bid: The maximum amount an advertiser is willing to pay for a click on their ad.
• CPC: This metric refers to the cost an advertiser pays each time a user clicks on their ad.
• Display Ads: Visual ads, including images and banners, are shown on websites within the Display Network.
• Impressions: This refers to how many times your ad is displayed to users.
• Landing Page: Users are directed to the web page after clicking an ad designed to convert visitors.
• Negative Keywords: Keywords that prevent an ad from being shown for certain search queries, improving relevance and cost-efficiency.
• PPC: An advertising model where advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad.
• Remarketing: A strategy that targets users who have already visited a website with ads to re-engage them.
• Search Network: A group of search-related websites and apps where ads can appear, including Google Search and partner sites.
• Targeting: The process of defining the audience for an ad based on factors like demographics, location and behavior.
• Text Ads: Ads that appear on SERPs with a headline, URL and description.
• Video Ads: Ads that run on video platforms like YouTube, engaging users with dynamic content.
As you develop ads and measure their performance, you will need to understand how ad auctions work.
How Do Ad Auctions Work?
Ad auctions determine the placement of ads on search engine results pages (SERPs). When a user performs a search, an auction is triggered among advertisers bidding on keywords.
To decide on ad rankings, Google considers factors like bid amount, ad quality and relevance (Quality Score). Higher Quality Scores can lead to better ad positions at lower costs.
Some ads require more time and creative resources to build such as images and video, while others are simple yet effective, like text ads.
Here are the different types of ads you can bid on, their features and how they are positioned on the SERPs:
• Text Ads: Appear on SERPs with a headline, URL and description. They are simple and effective for search queries.
• Display Ads: Visual ads (images, banners) shown on websites within Google’s Display Network. Ideal for brand awareness.
• Shopping Ads: Showcase product images, prices and store information. They are used by eCommerce businesses to drive product sales.
• Video Ads: These ads run on YouTube and other video platforms, engaging users with dynamic content. They are effective for storytelling and brand engagement.
The best ads use effective copywriting principles to educate and convert their audience into paying customers. Your ad copy doesn’t need to be lengthy, but it should follow your audience’s psychology, leading them through the different stages of the buying cycle.
In the next section, we’ll go over the best practices for ad copywriting to make your ad auction more effective.
Google Ads Dashboard (Image Source: Google)
Tips for Ad Copywriting
Ad copywriting is crucial for crafting persuasive and compelling text for advertisements that aim to attract and engage the target audience. It also improves your ad position when you make your bids. The process encompasses writing headlines, descriptions and calls to action that effectively communicates a product or service’s value proposition and motivates users to take desired actions, such as clicking on the ad.
Here are a few tips when writing copy for your ads:
• Clear and Concise: Ensure the ad copy is straightforward and to the point.
• Compelling Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage users to take action with phrases like “Buy Now,” “Learn More” or “Sign Up.”
• Highlight Benefits: Focus on your product or service’s unique selling points (USPs) and benefits.
• Use Keywords: Include relevant keywords in the ad copy to improve relevance and Quality Score.
• Emphasize Urgency: Use terms like “Limited Time Offer” to create a sense of urgency.
Apart from using relevant keywords and quality ad content, ad extensions help you ensure your ad bids, a key part of the search engine marketing strategy.
Using Ad Extensions Right
Ad extensions provide additional information and a higher quality score. Here are the different types of ad extensions to consider:
• Sitelink Extensions: Direct users to specific pages on your website.
• Call Extensions: Allow users to call your business directly from the ad.
• Location Extensions: Show your business address and map.
• Callout Extensions: Highlight special offers or features.
• Structured Snippet Extensions: Highlight specific aspects of products or services.
Following these best practices helps ensure a successful bid in an ad auction. In addition to these approaches, another way to make SEM work for your brand is to design effective landing pages.
Tips on Designing Landing Pages
In SEM, landing pages are standalone web pages specifically designed to receive visitors who click on ads or search engine results. These pages are optimized to match the ad’s messaging, provide relevant information and encourage visitors to take specific actions, such as purchasing, signing up or downloading content.
Effective landing pages should at least have the following elements:
• Relevant: It should align with the ad’s message and keywords.
• Focused: The page should have a clear and single objective, like lead generation or sales.
• Visually Appealing: Use clean design when creating your landing page, including compelling images and readable fonts.
• Fast Loading: You must ensure quick load times to reduce bounce rates.
• Mobile-Friendly: All landing pages must be optimized for mobile devices, as users perform more Google searches on their mobile devices (Smart Insights, 2024).
Landing pages need to stay relevant to the search intent of the user in order to boost customer experience. In addition, the elements mentioned above help improve the position of your ads during an auction.
Importance of Relevancy and User Experience
Apart from improving user experience, relevancy also impacts your quality score.
Relevancy ensures visitors find what they expect, improving satisfaction and conversion rates. A positive user experience (UX) involves intuitive navigation, minimal distractions and easy access to information, which can lead to higher engagement, lower bounce rates and increased sales.
How To Set Up an Effective SEM Campaign
Putting all the above-mentioned concepts together allows you to develop SEM campaigns that convert. Setting up an SEM campaign involves several steps:
1. Define your campaign goals and target audience.
2. Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant keywords.
3. Create compelling ad copies with these keywords and highlight your unique selling points.
4. Set your budget and bidding strategy, choosing between cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM).
5. Organize keywords and ads into well-structured ad groups within campaigns.
6. Designate appropriate landing pages that match the ad content and provide a seamless user experience.
7. Configure conversion tracking and optimization to monitor performance using tools like Google Analytics and AdWords.
8. Finally, launch the campaign and continuously monitor and optimize it based on performance metrics to ensure it meets your objectives and provides a good return on investment.
Monitoring campaign performance is crucial, and it involves A/B testing so you can make adjustments as needed.
Google Analytics Dashboard (Image Source: Google)
A/B Testing Landing Pages
After campaign setup, it is crucial to perform A/B testing to determine the performance of your ads and keyword research. A/B testing involves creating two versions of a landing page to see which performs better.
Certain key elements need to be compared and tested to determine which ones work best for your target market. These elements include headlines, images, CTAs and overall landing page optimization and design. A/B testing helps optimize for higher conversions by identifying what elements and messaging resonate best with your audience.
Businesses can effectively leverage SEM to drive targeted traffic by focusing on these components. Using properly designed ads and keyword research, you increase visibility, educate your audience, provide value and boost conversions.
Choose a Seasoned SEM Agency
SEM involves the use of various paid and organic search strategies and the necessary tools to launch ad campaigns. Some businesses may not be fully equipped or experienced in deploying effective SEM strategies, which is where a seasoned digital marketing agency can help.
Choosing a seasoned SEM agency, such as Thrive Internet Marketing, allows you to leverage their expertise and extensive industry experience. Thrive’s experts bring extensive expertise in keyword research, ad creation and bidding strategies, ensuring your campaigns are highly targeted and cost-effective.
We have a proven track record of understanding market trends and algorithm changes, allowing for agile campaign adjustments that keep your ads competitive and profitable. Our specialists use a comprehensive approach that includes continuous monitoring and optimization, enhancing ad performance and ROI.
Thrive uses data-driven strategies to provide insightful analytics, helping you understand customer behavior and refine marketing campaigns, maximizing your ad budget. With their dedicated team handling the complexities of SEM, you can focus on your core business activities, confident that your online advertising is in capable hands.
Partnering with Thrive Internet Marketing positions your business for sustained growth and success in digital marketing. Contact us today to learn how we can help you grow your enterprise with proven SEM strategies.
SEM FAQs
WHAT IS SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING (SEM)?
Search engine marketing (SEM) is a digital marketing strategy used to increase a website’s visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). It involves both paid search ads, like Google Ads and organic search engine optimization (SEO) to drive targeted traffic to your site.
HOW IS SEM DIFFERENT FROM SEO?
SEO focuses on optimizing your website to improve its organic rankings on search engines, while SEM includes both SEO and paid search strategies like pay-per-click (PPC) ads. SEM is broader, encompassing all tactics that help your site appear in search results.
WHY IS SEM IMPORTANT FOR MY BUSINESS?
SEM is crucial because it helps you reach potential customers who are actively searching for products or services like yours. With SEM, you can increase brand visibility, attract targeted traffic and achieve higher conversion rates, leading to better ROI.
HOW MUCH DOES SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING COST?
The cost of SEM can vary widely depending on factors like your industry, competition and ad budget. PPC campaigns charge per click, and costs can range from a few cents to several dollars per click. It’s important to set a budget and optimize your campaigns for the best return on investment.
HOW CAN I MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF MY SEM CAMPAIGNS?
You can measure SEM success through key performance indicators (KPIs) such as click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), conversion rate and return on ad spend (ROAS). Tracking these metrics helps you assess the effectiveness of your campaigns and make necessary adjustments to improve performance.
