If digital marketing is a battlefield, then Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is an outright war. The top 3 positions on Google get 68.7% of website traffic, meaning more potential customers for businesses at the top. 

It’s a converted position, and you’ll have to assassinate many incumbents to get there. Fortunately, there is a skilled technique to get to page 1 of Google, and it’s through mastering the art of SEM. 

But what is Search Engine Marketing? And how does it help your business? 

If you’re tired of your website lurking in the digital shadows, SEM is a valuable weapon that can help increase your online presence. 

Let’s take a look at SEM and its pivotal role in boosting business growth. 

What is Search Engine Marketing? 

Search Engine Marketing (SEM), or Search Marketing, is a technique applied by using paid advertisements online to appear on search engine results pages (SERPs). Businesses utilise online advertising to increase their visibility and get more people to click on their advertisements and onto their websites.

All online search engines, like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, get income through businesses that advertise on their platform. In this blog, we’ll focus specifically on Google, which accounts for 90% of the search market share. 

SEM is often used interchangeably with pay-per-click advertising, where businesses pay a fee every time someone clicks on their online advertisement. As a business, you can advertise on Google in many ways through Google Ads. Here are some of the common types of Google ads. 

Search engine marketing (SEM) uses online advertisements to get onto the top page of Google, but it should not be confused with search engine optimisation (SEO). 

What is the difference between SEM and SEO?   

Search engine marketing refers to the act of paying for a top spot on Google’s search engine. Advertisers bid to be at the top spot on Google during a selected time with their chosen keywords and audience.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) meanwhile, is the process of getting onto Google’s top spot organically without paying for an advertisement. To do this, you must develop relevant content using the appropriate keywords. 

Read our blog article on SEO content creation to learn how you can create content that tops Google’s first page.

The importance of Search Engine Marketing 

Search engine marketing (SEM) is critical to increasing your business visibility, and it's a popular marketing method adopted by many companies in Australia - big and small. It’s highly beneficial for businesses who want to surpass their competitors on a SERP. 

Let’s explore some of the top reasons why SEM is important. 

Appear on the top of a SERP 

By advertising on Google Ads, you’re guaranteed a top spot on Google at a selected time. As long as you have a good landing page, place the right bid amount for it, and target the right keywords, your website can appear in the top spot instantly. 

Increases visibility

In a highly competitive environment, think of SEM as a weapon to help you undercut your competitors and advance forward in consumer search. By appearing at the top of a SERP, your business gets more exposure and visibility - potentially increasing your website traffic and click-through rate. 

Quicker than SEO 

SEO and organically ranking your website can be time-consuming, as it is a methodological approach that involves keyword research and content creation. In comparison, SEM allows you to rank fast and skip the lengthy process. 

More leads and potential customers 

With a strong boost in website traffic, SEM can bring potential business leads to your website. A typical B2B SEM strategy involves marketing a landing page with a customer sign-up form, which can expand your database. In contrast, B2C eCommerce sites will lead users to their products.

Test and measure 

SEM efforts can continuously be refined if they are not performing. Google Ads (and other search engine advertiser accounts) allow advertisers to view their website performance, such as click-throughs, website visits, and impressions. This will enable you to review your website copy, images and content to tweak it for better results. 

Search Engine Marketing in Australia: How much are advertisers spending? 
Australians in general spend almost 6 hours online each day. Whether it’s watching a streaming service, using social media, or playing video games - we are more online than ever before.

Source: We Are Social

Search engines are the primary source of information for consumers when researching brands. Hence, for companies, targeting consumers on search engines offers a tactical advantage unlike any other.

Source: We Are Social

However, rivalry for online advertising is tough. According to IAB Australia, online advertising for Q3 2023 had reached $3.732 billion, recording a 7.8% increase compared to the previous year. Search advertising leads the statistics, with companies spending $1.63 billion on search advertising in Australia in Q3 2023.   

So how does one beat their opponents in SEM? Here are some search engine marketing best practices. 

Best practices in Search Engine Marketing 

Building an SEM campaign is like organising a tactical operation. You’ll need to arrange multiple components to work cohesively together to win. Here’s what you need to consider in SEM. 

Choose keywords wisely

What are your customers searching for? Do you answer their search queries on your website with relevant keywords and content? Balancing keywords is an art; keywords that are too broad or too popular will increase your bid price in Google Ads and might be more competitive to rank. 

Consider doing keyword research and understand what your customers search for before creating your website. Visit our keyword research article for more insight on how to look for the best keywords. 

Optimise landing page 

Landing pages are the URLs you want your customers to go to, once they click on your Google search result in the SERP. These pages must be optimised for the best customer experience, such as appealing visuals, consistent information, and an ‘end goal’ (i.e. signup form, contact button, download form or buy).

Write a catchy headline on Google that will entice a searcher to click on your site. What value will they get out of your website? This could be a free product, a discount, or an informational content piece.  

Don’t expect to be at #1 every time

Realistically with Google Ads, you can never have your website shown on a Google SERP 100% of the time. Neither will it always be in the first position of the page.  

It's not in Google's interest for you to get all the clicks and every lead or sales. Advertisement revenue makes up more than 97% of Google’s revenue (around USD$80 Billion per quarter), and the business thrives on the competition for advertising positions - which drives up the bid prices. 

By offering different advertisers clicks and hopefully some business, Google keeps their advertising model alive. So manage your expectations and consistently advertise to see results. Expect to be visible around 30% of the time.

Combine SEM with SEO

As Digital Assassins, we believe digital marketing is a holistic approach that shouldn’t rely on just one way to win. Both search engine marketing and search engine optimisation should go together to give you your best chance of beating your adversaries. 

For example, if your customer has clicked on an organic (non-paid) blog post on Google that leads to your website but doesn’t sign up or call your business in the end, this is where SEM comes in. You can organise a tailored campaign to retarget the customer through an advertisement the next time they are online. 

Another big advantage of having your SEO sorted out is the Google Ads Quality Score.  Google will charge you less if the target page is related to the keyword you are bidding for. At the end of the day, they want to satisfy the users' desire to find what they are looking for quickly. If users don’t react to your page very well (exit immediately, don’t buy, don’t complete your form or download your eBook) Google can tell and will start to show your ad less often.

Test your campaigns 

Consistently analyse how your advertising campaign is performing. If you’re getting plenty of eyeballs (impressions) on your advertisement but nobody is entering your site, it may need a catchier headline. 

Alternatively, if your website is getting clicks but doesn’t transform into leads, then it could be an issue with the content. Tweak and test your campaigns as often as necessary to achieve your goals. 

Key takeaway 

Search engine marketing (SEM) may seem like a battle arena with many adversaries, but with the right content, keyword, and bid strategy, you can significantly improve your website traffic. SEM should only be part of your marketing plan, and it must be combined with SEO and a website with excellent user experience. 

Digital Assassin provides affordable digital marketing packages for Australian businesses to manage their digital marketing strategy with ongoing tactical content and search engine marketing (SEM) best practices. To learn more, speak to an assassin today.