“Word-of-mouth marketing has always been important. Today, it is even more important because of the internet.”


- Joe Pulizzi & Newt Barrett


Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

We plan and execute effective Search Engine Marketing strategies to meet your business goals.

SEM services by Idecution - SEM agency in Mumbai

Have you ever searched for your business/services/products in any search engine (Google, Bing, etc.)? Does your competitor’s business appear in the search results while yours does not? If this is the case, it is time for you to talk to an SEM (Search Engine Marketing) agency.

What is Search Engine Marketing (SEM)?

Simply put, it is the use of advertisements or paid options in Google (or other search engines) to get your business’ products and services in front of potential customers whenever they are searching for it.

Efficient Search Engine Marketing not only helps to promote the website but also provides a business with the opportunity of immediate contact with the customer and conversion of customer intent to business leads/purchases.

Effective search engine marketing can help you to increase your revenues because:
  • Ads are typically displayed to people who are already searching for the type of products/services that you have to offer.
  • You can display your ads based on multiple criteria like specific websites, the geographical location of users, interests of users, time of the day etc.
How is Search Engine Marketing (SEM) different from Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?

Both SEO and SEM are important tools for the digital marketing strategy of any business. The difference lies in the approach and the time needed for results to show. What’s common between the two is that your target audience comes across your business while searching for your services/products online.

Compared to SEO, SEM can show results in a shorter span of time. Also, once SEO is stopped, it might take some time for the change in rankings to reflect in Google, while in case of SEM, it will immediately stop appearing in search results. Based on the industry, business objective, campaign duration and budget, either SEO or SEM or a mix of both is recommended by digital marketing experts.

FAQs

1. Is Search Engine Marketing (SEM) required for my business?

Every business can leverage the benefits of Search Engine Marketing. There are a lot of factors which determine whether you should opt for Search Engine Marketing or not. We will be able to recommend the best SEM strategy for you once we understand your business and desired objectives. Please reach out to us via call, email or our business enquiry form so that we can discuss this further and set you up for SEM marketing success.

2. What are the different methods used in Search Engine Marketing?

Depending on the latest trends in marketing and audience behaviour, SEM methods keep evolving. However, they can broadly be classified into search and display ads. As the name suggests, search ads are shown when the target audience is searching for specific keywords. Display ads, on the other hand, are shown to the audience while they are browsing certain websites or apps. Display ads are quite similar to social media ads, but the main difference is that display ads are shown based on keywords and basic demographics, whereas social media ads are shown primarily based on demographics. The ad formats can include text, static posts, or videos.

3. Can I do Google and Bing Ads on my own?

The process of setting up ads starts with keyword research and competition analysis. In other words, trying to understand what the target audience is looking for when they type a particular phrase or term (keyword). After this, the type of ads, bidding strategy and other factors contribute towards the success or failure of the campaign.

If you have the expertise to set up, maintain and analyse these campaigns then a DIY (Do it Yourself) approach is fine, otherwise, you will end up losing money. Constantly changing algorithms and ad/bidding formats also mean that you need to upgrade your knowledge regularly. Hence, it is best left to experts (Search Engine Marketing companies) for effective management of such ad accounts. The fees that you would pay will be small compared to the money that you are investing in running the Ads and the returns that you would get.

4. Can you set-up the ads for the first month and then we can just let the ads run continuously?

Setting up ads, analysing the performance and making changes based on customers’ feedback is a continuous process. And hence, we do not recommend or support setting up and “forgetting” the campaign approach.

5. What are your strategies to make your PPC campaign more effective?

To make our Search Engine Marketing campaigns (including PPC) more effective, we focus on targeted keyword selection and compelling ad copy tailored to your audience's needs. We implement A/B testing by experimenting with different headlines, call-to-action phrases, and landing page designs to identify what resonates best with the target audience. Our approach goes beyond just determining where your ads should be shown; we also consider where they shouldn't appear, using negative keywords to refine targeting and improve campaign efficiency. We continuously monitor performance metrics to refine our strategy, ensuring every click counts and maximises ROI. Through ongoing optimisation, we drive more targeted traffic to your website and generate higher-quality leads.

6. How will your team judge the results?

At Idecution, we believe in taking a holistic approach to digital marketing activities. This includes taking regular feedback from the clients about the leads generated through our campaigns. Based on this feedback, the campaigns are modified as required.

7. What is the difference between paid social and paid search digital marketing?

Paid social and paid search (correctly referred to as Search Engine Marketing) are two powerful digital marketing strategies, each offering unique strengths. Paid search targets users actively searching for specific products or services on platforms like Google or YouTube, making it ideal for capturing high-intent customers. On the other hand, paid social reaches users on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram, leveraging demographic data and user behaviour to create demand and drive awareness. While paid search meets customers at the point of need, paid social media marketing helps build brand visibility and awareness. Both strategies can be used to generate quality leads for a business.

8. How can social media management services complement PPC marketing strategies for maximum impact?

Depending on your industry and product or service, a combination of social media marketing and search engine marketing can be beneficial for your business. For instance, social media can be used to target specific demographics and interests, build brand awareness, drive organic traffic to your website, and generate leads. Search engine marketing (with PPC being one of the bidding strategies in SEM) targets users based on search queries, offering precise targeting for specific keywords and intent, which also helps in lead generation. Additionally, you can use social media to retarget visitors to your website, potentially leading to more conversions. In essence, social media management and SEM complement each other by offering different strengths. When used together, they can create a comprehensive and effective digital marketing strategy.

9. Which one is effective Facebook ads or Google Ads?

The effectiveness of social media ads and Google Ads depends on the results that you wish to achieve. Facebook Ads are well-suited for enhancing brand recognition and targeting individuals who fit specific demographic and interest profiles. Google Ads, on the other hand, is better suited for driving immediate sales or generating leads through search queries.

People come across social media ads while they are randomly scrolling on social media apps but the searches on Google are done with the intent of purchase giving our ads a better response. Today, though the youth log on to social media apps like Instagram to check the latest trends in the products that they wish to purchase, Google Ads still provides the better ROI.