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SEM is More Valuable in 2022 Than Ever Before

This may come as a shock, but a lot of people use the Internet nowadays. Just as an example of hard data to support this (fairly obvious) claim, consider the following: 

As of June 2020, there were 4.8 billion active Internet users worldwide. By March 2021, that number has jumped up to over 5.1 billion, or 65% of the world's population! The online community grows larger every day. 

Of course, people use the Internet for a wide variety of reasons. For some, it's mostly for social or recreational use. For others, it's a helpful tool that allows them to research stores and services ahead of making a purchase decision. With that in mind, it's no surprise that search engine marketing (SEM) is more valuable now than it's ever been before. 

Let's discuss why SEM is such a valuable asset and how you can optimize yours for maximum impact. 

SEM Reaches Customers at Crucial Moments 

SEM is so powerful because it reaches customers at critical junctures in their buyer's journey. In marketing terms, when taken as a whole, these different stages make up the customer journey. The first part of the journey is the "awareness stage," when consumers first become acquainted with a brand. Then you have the middle part (the "research" and "consideration" stages), where most of the research takes place. Finally, you have the "conversion stage, when consumers decide what to buy. 

The great thing about SEM is that it can engage with customers at any and all of these crucial moments. For example, imagine that a consumer named John is looking for a plumbing professional online. John will likely search for local plumbers first (awareness), then research two or three by looking at their posted reviews, services offered, price ranges, and so on (consideration). Finally, John will reach out to a company, either by phone or through their website (conversion). 

As you can see, SEM is involved with all stages of John's buying process. It's no wonder that search engine marketing has the highest ROI of all forms of digital marketing! 

SEM Makes Sales While You Sleep 

How valuable would an employee be to you if they were constantly selling your product or service, 24 hours a day, seven days a week? In a sense, SEM does precisely that! A strong SEM strategy constantly attracts traffic to your website, and it will do so on the customers' terms - in other words, anytime and anywhere they type in their search queries.  

SEM empowers your customers to research you ahead of their purchase decision or even your business season. It also adds credibility to your brand. A crisp, professional-looking website full of helpful information is a tell-tale sign of a well-run business. SEM can significantly increase your chances of making a sale and promoting customer loyalty in the long run. 

Over the years, SEM evolved in sophistication as the Internet (and search engine algorithms) developed. However, how can you optimize your SEM campaign? 

Tips for Your SEM Campaign 

An SEM campaign consists of writing short ads that match the keywords your customers will likely search for when they need your products or services. Here are a few tips that can help you optimize your SEM campaign: 

  • Make sure your ad copy is clear, concise, and informative. 
  • It's crucial to accurately track your campaigns to refine your keyword strategy and ad creative. One way to do so is to link an ad to a designated landing page on your site instead of just the home page. 
  • Make your ads more targeted by including negative keywords in your strategy (i.e., keywords where you don't want to show up for a search query). 
  • Implement A/B testing with your keywords and ad creative, and determine which option provides better performance. 
  • Considering working with an experienced digital agency to save you on cost per click (CPC). 

Continue to Focus on SEM for 2022 and Years to Come 

SEM is an asset for countless small businesses and enterprise-level organizations. It's a powerful way to increase your visibility, engage with customers at critical moments in their buyer's journey, and keep your marketing department active 24/7, even outside of business hours. 

You can develop and implement a search engine marketing strategy entirely by yourself. However, if you take that route, you may not have the experience or capacity to get the best results from your efforts. Instead, it may be best to work with a digital partner to help you succeed in your SEM strategy and meet your key business goals. They can help you make your SEM even more valuable. 

Contact Us | Federated Digital Solutions

Shannon Allen

Written by Shannon Allen

Shannon Allen is the Chief Revenue Officer for Federated Digital Solutions. She has over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing and over 15 years more specifically working in the digital world. Her passion for digital marketing is what drives her to find the best digital solutions for clients as well as for FDS. Shannon believes that true marketing starts after the sale with strategic campaigns and detailed reporting to help all FDS clients with an ROI, so they see the value in digital marketing.

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