When you are about to make a purchase, what is the first thing you do? If you are like the average consumer, you more than likely do some research online. A study found that 81 percent of shoppers research their products online before purchasing. 

It should be one of your company’s goals to show up in these results. One way to do this is through search engine marketing. Reports state that three-fourths of people say paid search ads make it easier to find the information they are searching for on a search engine. 

To help you better understand search engine marketing, our SEO marketing agency experts have answered the question what is SEM and why is search engine marketing important? 

What is search engine marketing (SEM)? 

Search engine marketing (SEM) is the process of creating paid advertising campaigns that appear in the search engine result pages. These paid advertisements are visible at the top of the search engine page results. 

So when an Internet user searches for a certain keyword or term, an ad will be displayed at the top of the search engine page results. 

Advertisers pay for their website to show up when a certain keyword or term is searched in a search engine. Companies can buy these advertisements with the help of an SEO marketing agency on major search engines like Google or Bing. 

Search engine marketing (SEM) vs. search engine optimization (SEO)

A common mistake that most people make is believing that SEM and SEO are the same thing. Although both involve the use of using search engines, the purpose of each one is distinctly different. 

Search engine marketing (SEM) requires you to pay and is considered a short-term strategy, while search engine optimization (SEO) does not cost you money but is considered a long-term strategy. 

SEM is considered pay-per-click advertising, so for every click, the ad receives the advertiser has to pay a fee. On the other hand, SEO does not require you to pay for the organic traffic or clicks your site receives. 

Which one is better? One is not better than the other, but when you use both effectively you can increase brand awareness and generate more qualified leads. 

Why is search engine marketing important?

Now that you know what search engine marketing is, it is time to learn why your business should be using search engine marketing in its digital marketing strategy. 

Raises brand awareness

Whether you are a startup or long established business, it does not hurt to raise your brand awareness. The more a person sees your brand, the more likely it is to remember it. Indoor Media reports that it takes the average consumer seven or eight times to see an ad before it really sinks in. One effective way to do this is by using search engine marketing. 

Get measurable results

Reviewing and looking for ways to improve your digital marketing campaigns is an effective way to grow your business. Search engine marketing (SEM) makes it fairly easy for companies to track and measure the results of their campaigns. This process helps you better optimize your keyword choices and learn what your audience is looking for.

Reach the right audience

If you are looking for an effective way to reach your audience, then you need to start using search engine marketing. This kind of digital marketing strategy directly targets people who are searching keywords that are closely related to your product or services. So choosing the relevant keywords is key for any SEM campaign. 

Let an SEO marketing agency handle your next SEM campaign. 

The experts at Omaha Media Group will not only help you with your SEO but also with your SEM campaigns. We understand which industries are competitive and how to navigate a way to lessen PPC costs while also generating leads and sales. Contact us to get started.