Getting Started with SEM (And How to Do It Right)

October 28, 2022
Getting Started with SEM (And How to Do It Right)

Search engine marketing (SEM) refers to the digital marketing strategy used to increase the ranking visibility of a business's website in search engine results pages (SERPs) via paid advertising. With this strategy, specialists provide specific keywords that users normally use when searching for a specific product or service. Doing so allows the targeted ads of businesses to appear together and at the top of organic search results.

A Brief History of SEM

The introduction and eventual prevalence of search engines paved the way for the start of search engine marketing, or what we know as SEM today. It was OpenText Corporation that first launched the pay-per-click ads that were considered the earliest version of SEM. At that time, SEM was still not a legitimate term until Danny Sullivan, an entrepreneur and technologist, invented the term "search engine marketing" in a Search Engine Land 2001 article, cementing the term's place as part of the modern language and of society.

Why Businesses opt for SEM

Businesses worldwide are harnessing the advantages that SEM can offer. This is because of the existence of a competitive and cut-throat business landscape, especially in promoting services and products in the digital realm. For many, teaming up with top SEM agencies in the Philippines has been the go-to practice for other businesses in order to increase brand visibility and galvanize more consumers. Aside from these, there are enormous benefits that SEM has, and these are:

  • Instant Results

    One of the primary benefits of SEM is that it allows businesses to see immediate and tangible results. Compared to businesses that run their online advertising campaigns through SEO, businesses that use SEM services in the Philippines are able to track their campaign from the very onset. This enables businesses to have access to whether they are achieving their desired outcome. Tracking the immediate results helps businesses make necessary changes if needed, such as reoptimizing ads that don’t generate enough clicks.

  • Top Rankings

    Businesses that utilize SEM are guaranteed that their websites will be positioned at the top of the results of popular search engines. This is favourable to businesses as internet users tend to click on websites that are on top-ranking lists. That is why partnering with stellar SEM consulting services will develop your website to be found on these top search results and top Google ads in the Philippines that can generate more clicks from both your target audience and other internet users, which can result in higher sales and genuine brand recognition.

  • More Leads

    As a commercial pursuit, businesses are driven to generate more leads or individuals who are interested in purchasing products and services. In today’s internet-saturated society, SEM is one of the most effective in achieving such a goal. By targeting exact keywords, search marketing agencies in the Philippines design businesses' ads to appear in relevant and related search results. The specificity of keywords gives a clearer picture that consumers are looking for what the business has to offer.

  • Budget-friendly

    Some of the regular FAQs about SEM are whether it’s expensive and out of the budget. This notion is rooted in the false idea that it needs a large amount of money to team up with some of the top SEM companies in the Philippines. But the thing about SEM is that businesses are given the power to control their budget. SEM will run businesses' ads according to their budget.

Creating a Successful SEM Campaign

Utilizing an SEM campaign for your business ads must be coupled with strategic planning and well-crafted plans and implementation. SEM or PPC (Pay-Per-Click) thrives by adhering to some of these vital areas:

  • Identifying the right target audience

    It is corroborated by credible research that shows audiences are more likely to avail products and consumers when the ads that they are exposed to are tailored to their personal preferences. That is why knowing your target audience through their geographic location, gadgets they use, language, time they are active on the internet, and other key factors is important. Furthermore, AdWords in the Philippines are used by SEM specialists to reach their intended target audience.

  • Using the Right Keywords

    SEM experts are adept at finding and listing keywords that can be used by businesses in their ads that are promoted on the internet. They make sure that these keywords are the most frequently used and frequented keywords by internet users in order to generate organic leads and traffic to a website.

  • Organising Your Account Structure

    Once a business ad is run via an SEM, it is of necessary importance to know and be familiar with the account structure that well-known search engines use. This account structure serves as a metric in gauging the relevancy of one’s SEM campaign. From the onset, the account structure must be set-up properly to have a harmonious management.

  • Knowing what is Keyword Grouping

    An effective digital campaign that uses SEM includes and leverages the 5 key elements, which are campaigns, ad groups, keywords, text, and landing pages. These are complex terms and elements, which is why teaming up with an SEM agency can be of great help.

  • Crafting Ad Copy

    The relationship between SEM and SEO, especially the terms themselves, is usually mixed up or interchanged. But one distinct difference between the two is that SEM is paid advertising while SEO is unpaid. Another is that ad copy in SEM must be aesthetically driven and persuasive. Furthermore, ads on SEM ads must reflect the target audience.

SEM Experts to Partner With

Today, businesses are leveraging all available options in order to boost their business and achieve growth. As the world-wide-web or the internet has penetrated our society and the daily fabrics of our lives, businesses have also found and explored the pros and cons of the internet as a platform to reach millions of people.

Since SEM has become an effective way to reach these audiences, companies have also offered SEM services. AMPH Advertising Agency is one of the leading digital companies that offers SEM in helping various businesses experience unprecedented growth. Our services also include Search Engine Optimization, and social media marketing for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and more. Call us at 8553 6002 to learn more about their digital services.