Search Engine Marketing: Is it Worth It?

Why Investing in Search Engine Marketing is the Way to Go

SEM offers several benefits to B2B and B2C businesses alike, from lower cost per lead and higher ROI, to powerful campaign tracking and re-marketing capabilities. As customers continue to flock to the internet for product information, companies look to Paid Search Engine Marketing (SEM) to capture potential customers at the earliest stages of the sales cycle. On average, customers making large purchases will begin their online research 70 days before deciding on a product or solution. Therefore, it is critical that your business is there, alongside that prospect, from the beginning to the end of the buyer’s journey.

Here are a few reasons why businesses should spend money on paid search advertising.

Drive Traffic and Get your Content Noticed

SEM is a great tool for driving traffic to your website and landing pages, and making marketing assets, such as whitepapers, blogs, webinars and case studies more visible. It is a well-known fact that most internet users will not scroll beyond the first page of search results.   So, if you’re business landscape is crowded with competitors, it is likely that your organic results will be hidden somewhere between pages 2 and 12. SEM ads are prominently displayed above organic search results, making it easier for prospective customers to find your website and visit your landing page.  Just as important, is the strategic placement of marketing assets, as prospects express interest in gaining more information about your products and services.  Make sure your content is up-to-date, relevant and engaging, as you advance potential customers through the sales funnel.

Monitor and Measure Campaigns and Make Changes at any Time

Unlike other marketing vehicles, SEM offers complete transparency into how your campaign is performing at any given time. Powerful reporting tools measure click through rates and key word performance. This gives marketing professionals the ability to make informed decisions about content offerings and placement, ad copy, and key word choice.  For example, click through rates provide insight into how effective your advertisement copy is, or how much traffic your website and landing pages are getting.  You’ll also be able to assess which content is getting the most clicks; enabling you to adjust your messaging, or switch around marketing assets as needed.  A/B testing is a great option for determining which content is getting the most responses; giving marketers the opportunity to make adjustments as needed, and more control over their campaigns.

Qualified Leads, Building a Subscriber Base, and Re-marketing

Whether you’re selling cupcakes or large-scale enterprise solutions, SEM is a great tool for building audiences and generating qualified leads. Think of it this way.  Prospective buyers click on your advertisement because they are interested in learning more about your products and services.  Your ad is the initial touch point in the lead vetting process and buyer’s journey.  Serious prospects will view or download subsequent content; subscribe to email lists; or request a demo or more information (in the case of B2B). Even if a lead does not result in a conversion, marketers have the opportunity to build a targeted audience and subscriber base; and re-market to prospective buyers with different online content; whether it’s a white paper; webinar; email; or brochure.

If done correctly, SEM can be a cost-effective, valuable addition to your marketing strategy. Marketers bid on key words and only pay for the number of clicks on ads and landing pages. This makes it easier to manage budgets, as marketers can pull ads at any time.  And, comprehensive reporting tools provide important insight into how keywords and landing pages are performing.  Compared to other marketing programs, SEM has the ability to produce greater ROI; more qualified leads, and more traffic to your website and landing pages.