Search engine marketing is one of the most cost effective ways to reach a targeted audience no matter what size business you have. While traditional forms of advertising like direct mail, billboards or display ads are becoming ineffective, search engine marketing is becoming more popular because it brings in real, tangible results.
Search engine marketing (SEM) encompasses search engine optimization (SEO), and paid advertising efforts such as pay per click (PPC). Both efforts are part of an effective search engine marketing plan. There are three main benefits that a proper search engine marketing plan will have for your business.
SEM Delivers Qualified Leads
By using SEM properly, your message will attract people who are actively looking for your product or service. For instance, let’s say you sell organic coffee in Portland, Oregon, or you have a boutique that sells designer handbags in Los Angeles, California. You would buy the keywords “organic coffee,” or “organic coffee in Portland,” or any other specific keywords you can come up with. When people search for those terms, depending on how much you paid per click, your ad would appear in their search results.
One of the benefits of the pay per click strategy is that you only pay for the traffic that actually arrives at your website. These are people who are ready to buy because they are actively searching for your products. As a result, you set the amount that you will pay per click. This can be anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars, depending on how much competition there is for those keywords. Clearly, the more competition there is the more expensive they will be.
You can also set a daily limit of what you want to spend on your PPC efforts. This will help keep your marketing costs under control.
Search Is The Most Popular Way To Get Information
Whenever anyone wants to find information, they turn to an online search engine. Recent studies show that nearly 74% of Internet users perform local searches to find businesses in their area. No one is looking at Yellow Pages or newspaper ads anymore.
Of all the local searches, 82% result in an in-store visit, phone call or purchase. Google is the biggest player when it comes to search inquiries. They account for nearly 62% of all searches, so it is important to get your keywords from them.
Low Cost Of Entry
Getting started in search engine marketing does not require a large investment on your part. SEM is cheaper than direct mail and other traditional avenues of advertising, and SEO will not cost your company any money. The only “cost” is the time and effort you put into it and you can get started immediately. PPC costs only when someone actually clicks on one of you ads.
Using an effective search engine marketing strategy can help your business grow and increase your bottom line. Once you see the results from your search engine marketing efforts you will gradually decrease your spending in traditional marketing avenues.
Cultura Interactive Web Design offers a variety of services including Search Engine Marketing for small businesses in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. You can learn more about our services or contact us for a personal interview.
