What is SEM?

Search Engine Marketing, or SEM, is an online marketing strategy that focuses on increasing the visibility and findability of websites in search engines such as Google. SEM includes all activities related to search engines. These include optimising websites to rank higher in search results (SEO) and advertising through search engines (SEA).

How does SEM work?

To ensure that the most relevant results are displayed after each search, search engines use complex algorithms. These algorithms take into account various factors, such as location and other valuable information. In this way, they show the most relevant results to users.

Sponsored ads are displayed at the top, side or onder side of search result pages (SERP). These ads are displayed based on keywords selected by advertisers and pay per click. Search engines display these ads based on relevance to the search query and the quality score of the ad. 

It is important for advertisers to understand how search engines work. This allows them to optimise their SEM to reach the right audience and get the best results. By selecting the right search terms, creating relevant ads and using the right bidding strategy, advertisers can increase their own website's visibility and generate more traffic to their website.

Why is SEM important?

Search Engine Marketing is thus important because it enables companies and brands to be visible in search engines and drive more traffic to their websites. Several benefits of SEM are onder others:

• Increased visibility: thanks to SEM, companies are visible in search engines, based on keywords relevant to their products or services. 
• Targeted traffic: SEM makes it possible to attract targeted traffic to the website. By applying the right keywords to the website, businesses can reach their target audience and generate traffic interested in what they have to offer

• Measurable results: the results from SEM are easily measurable. So, as a company, you can clearly see how the campaigns are performing and how much traffic, conversions and sales have been generated. On this basis, the strategy can be continuously optimised

• Cost-effective: SEM is cost-effective because advertisers only pay when their ad is clicked (PPC). This means they only pay for traffic that actually comes to their website and is interested in their products or services.

Getting started!

Search Engine Marketing thus reaches consumers at the perfect moment in the sales funnel. Namely, the moment when they are open to new information. Not reason enough to get started with SEM yet? At our SEO consultancy we would love to help you! We offer various SEO services to contribute to the optimisation of your website. Curious about what our team has to offer? Then feel free to take contact up with our SEO specialists.