What is search engine marketing? A few years ago, such a term simply did not exist. However, the rapid development of Internet technologies has led not only to the emergence of this direction, but also to its amazing popularity. Currently, search engine marketing is known as an effective way of promotion, which includes a whole range of activities aimed at achieving only one goal - attracting customers.
Definition
If you have not come across this term before, it's time to get to know it. Search engine marketing involves promotion in search engines in order to attract the target audience. I must say that this is a whole system in which several specialists are involved at once. These are marketers, programmers, copywriters, designers, etc.
Compared to other methods, search engine marketing on the Internet has a major advantage. It allows you to appeal to an audience who is interested in an offer addressed to her. This is due to the fact that she comes to the search engine for an answer to her request. By offering what potential visitors need, you both benefit. Customers get what they are looking for, and you get real buyers.
Relevance
Search engine marketing is still a fairly new technology. Therefore, users have a logical question: why is it needed and is it needed at all? Let's find out.
So, the main task of search engine marketing is to attract potential consumers. And not random, but only interested. After all, the offer is addressed only to those who are already looking for a product or service that you are ready to offer.
However, so that among dozens of competitors the user noticed your site, you need to apply various methods of search engine marketing. After all, as a rule, flipping through the results, the user rarely looks at more than ten sites. Properly using current technology, you can be in the top ten and get ahead of competitors in the struggle for the attention of potential customers.
How is everything arranged?
A theoretical definition does not always provide an accurate understanding. Let's try to figure out how it works and why search marketing is needed.
So, suppose that a novice entrepreneur decided to open his own business - to sell lingerie in an online store. This is a sought-after product that is in demand.
However, in any field you need advertising that allows you to attract customers. Because their absence means a lack of profit. For beginning entrepreneurs, all expenses are in the account, and any advertising is expensive.
There are many companies that offer search marketing among other services. You can even tie the amount of payment to the achieved result or make installments. That is, at first the entrepreneur receives real customers, and then from the profit received makes the rest of the payment for such an unusual way of advertising. Convenient to everyone.
Targets and goals
Knowing the definition is not enough. You need to know for what purposes search engine marketing is used.
- Sales. This is the most obvious task that this method of promotion performs. You need to attract interested buyers to the site who make a purchase.
- Image. The more often a person sees your company logo, the more likely it is that he will remember you and sooner or later become a client.
- Reputation. When it comes to promotion on social networks, feedback can be of great importance. It is advisable to find a way to encourage buyers to leave real reviews. The more positive opinions you can collect, the more the level of trust in the company among potential customers will increase.
- Competition. The market for goods and services is currently oversaturated. That is why it is especially important to compete worthily and lure customers to their own side.
- Information. You can offer users up-to-date information about the goods and services they are interested in. Even if they don’t buy anything right away, your company will become an expert for them. In the future, they can return, choosing you among the many competitors.
Methods and Technologies
You need to understand that SEM (search engine marketing) is a whole range of activities that may include website optimization, launching contextual and viral advertising, etc. As a result, the Internet resource works more efficiently, attracting target customers and converting them into real customers. So what are search engine marketing technologies?
- Contextual advertising.
- Targeted advertising.
- Search engine optimization.
- Social networks.
Let's talk more about some of the technologies listed above.
Search engine optimization
This is only part of the marketing campaign. It involves working directly with a promoted website. Moreover, search engine optimization can be both internal and external. In the first case, they work with texts published on the site, meta tags, links, etc. In the second case, efforts are aimed at increasing the number of links to third-party resources.
There are a considerable number of factors that make it possible to increase the position of a site in search results. A simple user does not need to know all of them. To do this, there is a separate profession, whose representatives are engaged in search engine optimization sites.
contextual advertising
This system for placing paid ads, created by the search engines themselves. Each user can create their own ads and in this way attract the target audience to their own site.
The advantage of contextual advertising is that the user does not pay for the fact of placing an advertisement. Payment is debited only if the user clicked on the ad and went to the specified site.
Another important feature is that to get to the top lines you do not need to spend a lot of time and painstakingly optimizing the site. You can buy this place for a fee set by the search engine. It is difficult to predict how high the conversion will be in this case.
Social networks
These sites are incredibly popular among the population. It is not surprising that marketers are quite successful in using this. In this case, they often publish interesting materials for users, support communication in thematic communities, etc. In a sense, marketing on social networks can be called hidden. In addition, this method of advertising is not suitable for all companies. Not every product can be advertised with beautiful photos on social networks and enticing texts.
Search Engine Marketing Safety
This issue becomes relevant if illegal promotion methods are involved. Conventionally, they are called “gray” and “black”.
Above were described exclusively "white" methods of search engine marketing, which are loyal to search engines. Such conscientious promotion requires a lot of time and effort, but ultimately increases the reputation of the site and gives a reliable result.
Why then use the “gray” and “black” schemes? For the reason that far from all site owners are willing to invest a lot of time, effort and money in bona fide promotion. However, you need to understand that when using dishonest methods, it will then be extremely difficult to restore the reputation of the site or not at all.
Prohibited Methods:
- spamming;
- automatic exchange and purchase of links;
- placement of links on non-thematic sites.
Some of these methods may produce results, but may lead to a ban on the site. Then he completely disappears from the search results. Is it worth the risk, each site owner decides for himself.
disadvantages
- Delayed result. It may take several weeks of hard work to see the first results of search engine marketing. You need to understand that this is a task involving long-term implementation. You should not take it, expecting lightning fast results.
- Dependence on competitors. Even if as a result of well-organized search engine marketing you can be in a favorable position in the SERP, everything can change at any time due to the actions of your competitors.
- Complexity. To carry out the whole complex of measures to promote a company on the Internet alone is almost impossible. To do this, you need a whole team consisting of professionals, not random people.
- Financial expenses. You will have to pay both specialist services and search engine marketing. For example, when it comes to contextual advertising. You need to understand that promotion cannot be absolutely free.