How often do you check your search engine ranking? If it’s more than twice a month, you’re already doing well; if it’s more than five times, you might want to tone it down a bit. But no matter how often you check your search engine ranking, the best way to stay on top of your competition and improve your search engine marketing strategy is to read up on the latest trends in search engine marketing (SEM). The following guide is full of useful tips to help you master SEM and become a true search engine marketing guru.
What is SEM?
Search engine marketing (SEM) is a form of internet marketing that involves the promotion of websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). SEM includes both paid search results (using tools like Google AdWords or Bing Ads, formerly known as Microsoft adCenter) and organic search results (SEO). SEM uses paid advertising with AdWords or SEO to get your website ranked higher in search engines. The better your ranking, then more traffic you will get.
What to consider when setting up your marketing strategy
Every business is different and requires a customized marketing plan. However, there are some common themes that can help you figure out where your company needs to focus. Think about who you want to attract as customers and how much of your marketing budget should be dedicated toward attracting those people. Do you want a particular group of customers? (For example, if you own a children’s clothing store, you may only be interested in attracting families with young children.) Once you know who it is that matters most to your business, consider what they would look for when looking for your services or products. This can guide you in determining which keywords or phrases they might search on a search engine like Google or Bing when they’re looking for someone like you.
Influencer Marketing
If you want your content to be shared on social media sites, it’s likely that you’ll need some help getting there. Influencer marketing is a great way to get your brand in front of a new audience, and many influencers have already created relationships with their audiences via social media. They can recommend your product or service as something their followers would benefit from. This makes influencer marketing great for any brand that is just starting out, because it can save you tons of money and get your name out there in an instant.
Understanding CPM vs CPC
CPM, or cost per thousand impressions, is a measurement of how much you’ll pay for every 1,000 views of your ad. You can pay anywhere from $2 up to hundreds of dollars per CPM based on who’s viewing your ad and what platform you choose. CPC, or cost per click, refers to how much you’ll be charged each time someone clicks on your ad. Depending on what product or service you’re selling and where it falls in terms of relevance (i.e., right below a search query that correlates with your business), you could pay as little as 5 cents per click or over $50 per click.
How Does Google AdWords Work?
Google AdWords is a highly effective way to get your company’s products in front of people searching for products and services like yours. But how does it work? Well, let’s break it down piece by piece: When someone types a search query into Google, AdWords determines what they might be looking for and displays matching ads alongside their search results. Those ads are relevant because they’re targeted with keywords related to that specific user’s search query. For example, if you own an auto repair shop in Atlanta , you can set up an ad group centered around that city or surrounding areas. Then, when people type Atlanta auto repair shop into Google, your ad will appear next to their search results.
Facebook Ads
If you have a product that appeals to your audience, Facebook ads are one of the best ways to reach them. You can create a highly targeted ad and get it in front of more people who might actually be interested in your product or service. Furthermore, Facebook is generally considered safer for advertisers than Google AdWords because there is less competition for keywords (on Facebook, you’re targeting users based on age, job title and location). For example, if I wanted a widget designed just for me — I could target all designers within my city — or use more general terms like designers or creative professionals. Targeting requires both knowledge of your customer base and some testing.
Instagram Ads
We’re talking about Instagram Ads. These are great for new companies trying to reach new audiences and build a user base quickly. Instagram Ads work just like Facebook ads—in fact, they’re actually powered by Facebook—so if you know how to run an ad on Facebook, you already know how to do it on Instagram. You can target users based on their location, gender, age group, and more.
Twitter Ads
In addition to Facebook, Google and Bing Ads, Twitter also allows you to place ads on their network. While there are a variety of ad formats that you can use with Twitter advertising, such as promoted tweets and mobile app promotion, they allow you to take advantage of pay-per-click ads. For example, if someone searches for computers, it may make sense for your business offer up an ad that links directly to your site's computers page in hopes of capturing their business. You can learn more about Twitter advertising here .
YouTube Ads
Video-based advertising is a great option for businesses large and small. It’s one of Google’s most effective ad types, with conversion rates that can be up to five times higher than those of text ads. Best of all, you only pay when someone watches your video ad in its entirety—not when people click on it or view only part of it. By creating a video targeting your ideal customers, you have an opportunity to explain exactly what your business does and why they should choose you over competitors.
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