Search engine marketing (SEM) is a term usually used in contrast to search engine optimization (SEO) due to its use of paid advertising over organic results. Since organic SEO efforts basically amount to free advertising, many businesses and webmasters may question the necessity of paid advertising and SEO.
This is an important question to ask, and organic search should always be central to your digital marketing efforts. The key to success in both areas is learning how paid advertising and SEO can work together.
That’s why we’ve created this quick guide to the role of paid advertising in your SEM strategy and how it can fit with SEO and other digital marketing efforts.
When is paid advertising beneficial to your search strategy?
Paid search advertising through platforms like Google Ads work on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis, meaning that advertisers bid for a set rate that they will be charged each time a user clicks on a search listing. When the advertiser wins the bid, its search listing will appear at the top of the search results page.
Paid advertising in search can be an effective way to generate a high volume of traffic in a short period of time. This makes it a great option to use in situations like the following:
- Time-sensitive events — Organic SEO efforts can take a long time to bear fruit. If you’re holding a conference or a big sale in a couple of weeks, paid advertising can get you the quick visibility you need.
- New sites or products — Similarly, if you’re launching a new website or starting a new division of your business, paid search advertising can help you gain a foothold while you slowly build up organic traffic.
- Problem areas — If you’ve identified areas where your SEO is struggling or a competitor is outperforming you, paid advertising can be highly effective in helping you fill the gap.
True success in PPC and SEM requires extensive research and analysis. While you can throw money into paid advertising and generate lots of traffic, without doing your homework, you run the risk of cannibalizing your SEO efforts or drawing lots of low-converting leads.
Burg & Co. can help you develop your SEM and paid advertising strategy
Our team has deep experience in managing and balancing both paid advertising and organic search through fully integrated digital campaigns. Our mission is to help you use these and other channels to meet your sales and lead generation goals and see ROI for your paid and organic investment.
Contact us today to schedule a free marketing consultation.
