How to properly target a SEM campaign for your company
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2024 9:25 am
Lincoln once said it: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I’ll spend the first hour sharpening the axe.” As with all types of work, taking the time to prepare the action before jumping in often makes it quicker and easier to complete. The same goes for if you want to increase your website’s ranking through Search Engine Marketing (SEM) . Typically, you’ll need a pre-reviewed SEM plan that takes everything into account to create a successful Ads campaign .
Table of Contents
So, let's take the time to prepare everything before we start cutting down the tree, so that everything goes as we expect. Take note of everything you need to know when it comes to directing your SEM campaign where you want it.
SEM and its importance in today's marketing
SEO can be a blast when you get it right and get vk phone number data the results you want, but let’s face it, it takes time before the results show up , and not everyone is willing to wait. That’s where SEM comes in.
Paid advertising basically involves paying for a top position on the Google results page using a specific keyword.
The results at the top of the page are what we call paid ads or PPC (Pay Per Click) ads. Companies pay to have the highest position possible, and if the bid is high enough, those ads will be shown at the top. But remember, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad (PPC).
Now, just because your bid for your ad is high enough doesn't mean you're going to get the number one spot. Or maybe you do get the number one spot, but not enough people are clicking on your ads because you're targeting the wrong market. That's why targeting your SEM campaign correctly is key to making paid advertising work for your business.
Steps to guide an effective SEM campaign
1. Define your goals
What do you want people to do once they click on your ad? Before we get into the technicalities of paid advertising, it’s crucial to determine why you want to spend money on SEM . In other words, choose your goals . Do you want users to download your latest app? Buy your product? Or perhaps subscribe to your podcast?
Whatever your goal, make sure it is clear so that the entire strategy is aligned and your search engine marketing efforts yield the best results.
Choose a bidding strategy that is consistent with your advertising objectives to avoid wasting time and money
2. Evaluate the competition
Before you get started, you need to take a look at what the current paid advertising landscape looks like for your niche. How does your competition do it? Do your competitors employ aggressive PPC campaigns? What conversion metrics do they focus on?
Once you have an idea of what you're up against, you can plan an SEM strategy that will make it easier for you to achieve your goals.
3. Research keywords
Keyword selection is the crucial part of running a SEM campaign, so it is imperative that you conduct effective keyword research.
Depending on your goals, you may choose to focus on fewer medium-quality, high-volume keywords or spread your coverage across a large number of low-volume, highly targeted keywords . Whatever the case, a good mix of keywords (both long- and short-tail) will require A/B testing and optimization over time.
4. Set a budget
Unlike SEO, which has no cost per click, SEM has a somewhat steep (and often costly) learning curve to identify your optimal initial budget . It's a tricky phase for many businesses, and one that could result in losing money without even coming close to your goal if done wrong.
Table of Contents
So, let's take the time to prepare everything before we start cutting down the tree, so that everything goes as we expect. Take note of everything you need to know when it comes to directing your SEM campaign where you want it.
SEM and its importance in today's marketing
SEO can be a blast when you get it right and get vk phone number data the results you want, but let’s face it, it takes time before the results show up , and not everyone is willing to wait. That’s where SEM comes in.
Paid advertising basically involves paying for a top position on the Google results page using a specific keyword.
The results at the top of the page are what we call paid ads or PPC (Pay Per Click) ads. Companies pay to have the highest position possible, and if the bid is high enough, those ads will be shown at the top. But remember, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad (PPC).
Now, just because your bid for your ad is high enough doesn't mean you're going to get the number one spot. Or maybe you do get the number one spot, but not enough people are clicking on your ads because you're targeting the wrong market. That's why targeting your SEM campaign correctly is key to making paid advertising work for your business.
Steps to guide an effective SEM campaign
1. Define your goals
What do you want people to do once they click on your ad? Before we get into the technicalities of paid advertising, it’s crucial to determine why you want to spend money on SEM . In other words, choose your goals . Do you want users to download your latest app? Buy your product? Or perhaps subscribe to your podcast?
Whatever your goal, make sure it is clear so that the entire strategy is aligned and your search engine marketing efforts yield the best results.
Choose a bidding strategy that is consistent with your advertising objectives to avoid wasting time and money
2. Evaluate the competition
Before you get started, you need to take a look at what the current paid advertising landscape looks like for your niche. How does your competition do it? Do your competitors employ aggressive PPC campaigns? What conversion metrics do they focus on?
Once you have an idea of what you're up against, you can plan an SEM strategy that will make it easier for you to achieve your goals.
3. Research keywords
Keyword selection is the crucial part of running a SEM campaign, so it is imperative that you conduct effective keyword research.
Depending on your goals, you may choose to focus on fewer medium-quality, high-volume keywords or spread your coverage across a large number of low-volume, highly targeted keywords . Whatever the case, a good mix of keywords (both long- and short-tail) will require A/B testing and optimization over time.
4. Set a budget
Unlike SEO, which has no cost per click, SEM has a somewhat steep (and often costly) learning curve to identify your optimal initial budget . It's a tricky phase for many businesses, and one that could result in losing money without even coming close to your goal if done wrong.