Search engine marketing explained simply

Search engine marketing (SEM) is an acronym for marketing measures to attract new customers online. By optimizing your website for search engines, you can increase your visibility in search queries and reach a larger audience. Search engine marketing is a very efficient way to market products or services online. The aim of all measures is to direct more Google searchers to your website.

If you enter something into the Google search bar, you will receive two types of results: organic (unpaid) results and paid results (ads). The position of the website in the organic results is determined by Google's algorithms. The position of a website in the paid results is determined by how much the website operator pays per click (CPC). Search engine marketing is based on two pillars: search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine advertising (SEA).

SEA stands for all paid search engine results that are listed above or below the organic results on Google. With Google Ads, the ad is then displayed for relevant search queries and billing is per user click. The advantage of SEA lies on the one hand in the precise targeting and on the other hand in the quick implementation.

SEO, on the other hand, serves to improve the website ranking in the organic, i.e. unpaid, search results. To achieve this, it is necessary to provide target group-relevant content so that the website is listed on the first page of Google for relevant search queries. The aim of all SEO measures is to permanently attract free visitors to the website.

What are the advantages of search engine marketing?

Search engine marketing has many advantages for companies. The main benefit is the increased visibility of the website in search engines, which can lead to more visitors and customers. SEM is also a very effective way to increase brand awareness. And last but not least, SEM measures generate high-quality leads (contacts).

With Google Ads, for example, it is possible to place targeted advertising in a specific region. In addition, the target group for SEA can be defined very precisely based on various factors such as interests or demographic characteristics. This means that information can be conveyed to your target group with pinpoint accuracy.

Search engine optimization measures usually take effect after several months. However, the great advantage of SEO is that it is a sustainable form of marketing. Once a website is well positioned, it usually generates a lot of traffic over the long term. And free of charge. In addition, potential customers who arrive at the website via an organic search are usually looking for a specific product or service. This leads to high-quality leads.

What are the disadvantages of search engine marketing?

Search engine marketing also has a few disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage is that it can be quite time-consuming to set up and maintain an effective SEM campaign. In addition, the success of a campaign can never be guaranteed.

Another disadvantage is that competition in certain industries is so fierce that even with an effective SEM strategy, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. And last but not least, you need to create relevant content and technically adapt your website to be relevant for Google.

Despite these disadvantages, search engine marketing is a very effective method of online marketing that should not be missing from any good marketing mix.

Search engine marketing in practice

Example: SEA for IT companies

Imagine you have developed your own software and now want to market it. You have set up a website for this purpose and optimized it for the relevant search terms. But your website is not yet visible on the first page of Google. With SEA, you can increase visibility by placing ads for your software on Google. When potential customers enter relevant search terms, they will see your ad and click on it. They will then be taken directly to your landing page, where they can order a 14-day demo version of your software, for example.

Example: SEO for window manufacturers

Now imagine you are a local window manufacturer and want to attract visitors to your exhibition. To do this, you want to improve the visibility of your website without using SEA. This is possible with SEO. You can do this, for example, by providing relevant content on your website, adding subpages with delivery areas, optimizing the texts and providing a function for booking an appointment at the showroom. Your website will then gradually rise in the Google rankings. As a result, your website will become more visible and you will receive more visitors.

Conclusion:

Both SEA and SEO are effective methods of search engine marketing. Which method is right for you depends on your individual situation. If you want to increase your visibility quickly and guaranteed, SEA is the right choice. However, if you want to rely on a sustainable form of marketing, SEO is the better choice.

No matter which method you choose, one thing is certain: with search engine marketing you can effectively increase the visibility of your website and reach new potential customers.