Search Engine Marketing

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a term that describes marketing a Web site using various techniques to make it more visible on search engines. Search Engine Marketing techniques include SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), PPC advertising (Pay-Per-Click advertising), paid inclusion, social media optimisation… SEM is very important for businesses selling their products or services online.
SEO involves using various strategies in the design and creation of a Web site to enhance its organic listing. PPC ads are sponsored listings were the advertiser pays the search engine each time the ad is clicked on.
Search engine marketing ensures that you are delivering an almost immediate solution to online users that may not have previously known your website existed. The great thing about SEM is that its impact is directly measurable. You will be able to control the amount you spend on PPC campaigns as well as being able to monitor the benefits you receive from the SEO and PPC techniques.

The top three search engines, including Google, MSN, and Yahoo offer a PPC program with Google being the biggest in terms of ad dollars changing hands. All three engines use a bidding model to determine which ads show for which keywords and in which position. There are other variables that can affect the position of the ad include a measure of relevancy along with the click-through rate. And of course the rules are constantly changing.

Paid programs have some similar characteristics to SEO namely the targeting of keywords based on their search volume and chance to convert a visitor in to a consumer. The biggest difference is that search engine advertising produces immediate results. All you have to do is build an ad, place your bids, and fund your account to see clicks within hours or minutes. SEO on the other can take months before an impact becomes measurable.

Moreover, it is to engage in both paid and natural search programs. In this way you can target users regardless of where they are into purchasing cycle.