It would be simplistic to suggest that search engine marketing is merely a minor player on the stage set by search engine optimization. In fact, it is the engine that drives the machine. Known in the industry as SEM for short, this process calls for the business to allocate funds that pay for a carefully crafted strategy.
Pitfalls of SEM
The majority of SEM campaigns fail because there is either a lack of focus or funds. Since this process includes paid search ads, cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) ads as well as pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, it is possible to set a goal that is simply too ambitious. Another pitfall associated with the process is the neglect of second tier platforms. The latter applies specifically to PPC ads. Although relying on Google AdWords is an excellent start, quite a few consumers are looking to other platforms for their information.
Should You Go It Alone? (Hint: the answer is “no.”)
Working with a marketing services professional sounds like it is a costly undertaking. That said, consider the wisdom of being penny wise and pound foolish. While you may be able to save a few dollars and perhaps even get started yourself on an admirable SEM campaign via Google AdWords, you are soon going to be treading water.
SEM traffic is considered the most important source of Internet traffic because it is targeted. It is widely accepted that people use the search engines to find a solution to a problem, an answer to their question or to learn how to do something. So when searches click on a web site from the search results or click on an ad, they are more likely to convert. The relevancy of the displayed web sites and ads makes SEM traffic more valuable than any of the other sources. Facebook and twitter are trying to optimize their advertising platforms to utilize targeted traffic but still traffic coming directly from search engines has a better ROI.
After all, each platform has its own set of rules that come with a learning curve. When you go it alone, you can spend quite a bit of time there. Secondly, remember that SEM is only one part of your promotional campaign. Aside from this discipline, you also need to actively work on your social media marketing and reputation management, search engine optimization of your website and content creation for social media and website usage. If this does not seem like a daunting process, add the need to measure results and adjust the campaigns as needed.
These tips will only help you get started. Search engine marketing is a constant process that requires trial-and-error and self-education. People stay on websites because of great content or great products, but if they can’t find them, it’s essentially useless.
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