Search Engine Marketing Strategies to Add to Your Campaign

In a vast and competitive digital landscape, search engine marketing strategies are essential to success. An internet search is still the go-to way for consumers to discover new brands, and each search brings up hundreds or even thousands of results. 

Search engine marketing (SEM) optimizes your visibility, driving more traffic and boosting conversions. Let's delve into the strategies and tactics that SEM entails, from the fundamentals to advanced tactics that supercharge your online presence.

What Is Search Engine Marketing (SEM)?

SEM is a digital marketing strategy to increase your site's visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). When implemented well, it includes both paid and organic methods.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the main form of organic SEM. It's all about structuring your online presence to appeal to search engine algorithms. Because more than 91% of searches go through Google, succeeding there is the priority.

Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are the other primary aspect of SEM. PPC is an advertising model where you pay when someone clicks your ad. These ads run at the top of search pages, driving faster visibility than SEM alone.

Tactics for Your Search Engine Marketing Strategy

There are as many possible SEM strategies as there are businesses online. Developing a plan that aligns with your business goals while incorporating SEM campaign best practices is essential.

Here are three of the most important tactics to include to get you started.

Attracting Quality Backlinks

When reputable websites include links to your content, Google considers that a good sign. It indicates that the other site's creators see your material as worthwhile.

Marketers refer to these incoming links as "backlinks." The more backlinks you have from high-quality websites, the more trustworthy your site probably is.

The first step to attracting backlinks is producing high-quality content with plenty of trust signals. Trust signals show that your information is accurate and valuable to its target audience.

Author credentials are necessary because they show your content comes from an expert. It's also crucial to cite authoritative sources for factual information, such as statistics or studies.

The next step is to make sure other creators know and respect your site. Guest posting on industry blogs is an effective way to get your name out there. You can also share your original content on social media or via your email list and invite your followers to share it with their audiences.

Developing a Keyword Strategy

Relevant keywords are essential to success in all search engine marketing strategies, including SEO and PPC. 

Google uses keyword matching to determine which websites rank organically for a particular search. When you run a PPC ad, you choose which keywords you want to appear for.

Developing a keyword strategy is essential so you know what terms to target. The first step is to conduct keyword research.

Google's Keyword Planner is a valuable tool to start with. Use it to generate keywords related to your business, complete with data on their popularity and competitiveness.

High-competition keywords are more challenging to rank for, especially when you're a smaller business. Consider choosing low- or medium-competition keywords to start.

Most importantly, look for phrases your ideal customer would enter into a search box. Think about the questions your audiences ask and the pain points you solve. Then, build your SEM strategies around the answers.

Creating Quality Content

Keywords match your content with the right audiences, but content seals the deal. It earns your audience's trust, which is what Google wants.

Google's algorithm aims to recommend the most valuable content for each search query. Google defines valuable content as helpful, trustworthy, and based on real-life expertise.

Blog Posts

Blog posts are simple ways to showcase your knowledge of a topic and target specific keywords. 

Blogging is also an effective technique for targeting different audience subgroups. Imagine you run a sporting goods store. Two key audience groups are parents and adult athletes. 

The same content won't be relevant for both, but you could create separate blog posts and sort them by category on your page.

Videos

Did you know more than 90% of marketers use video to attract audiences? It's a relatable and engaging way to reach audiences on multiple platforms, from social media to your website.

High-quality cell phone and tablet cameras make producing high-quality videos easier than ever. A facility tour or introduction to your team makes a great start.

Emails

Email marketing is a powerful way to reach customers one-on-one. Build your email list by offering valuable information to people who find you through search and inviting them to stay in touch. 

Once they're on your list, you can send them regular newsletters and special promotions to keep your brand top of mind.

Social Content

As of 2023, 60% of the world's population and 92.7% of internet users have social media accounts. Social media lets you reach new audiences and keep your existing followers engaged.

Organic content — non-paid social media — builds community and encourages active engagement. Comment sections are perfect for answering followers' questions and showing you care.

Social media can reach users who haven't followed you yet. Most platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, invite you to choose your target demographics. Link those ads to dedicated landing pages, and you have another channel for building your email list. 

PPC Ads

A PPC campaign is another affordable way to get eyes on your brand. Also known as "paid search," PPC puts your brand at the top of the SERPs page.

PPC ad campaigns work on a bidding system. You tell Google how much you will pay per click and your per-day budget. Google uses those numbers and the quality of competing ads to determine which ad runs.

Paid search tends to show results faster than SEO, so simultaneously running the two strategies is wise. Link each ad to a relevant page, and make sure the page includes a way for the visitor to take the next step.

Case Studies

Case studies tell the world about your successes. Each case study focuses on a specific client, the problem they came to you with, and how you solved it.

Case studies resonate best with audiences who've heard of you before. Maybe they've read one of your blog posts or seen a video and want to know if you can help them. If they read about the success of someone like them, they can picture themselves in that person's shoes.

Gearing Content to the Buyer's Journey

Customers need change as they get closer to buying. Successful search engine marketing strategies acknowledge those shifting needs and create content for each of the four stages of the buyer journey: awareness, interest, desire, and action. 

Awareness

Someone in the awareness stage has just started to notice a problem or need. Their searches focus on learning more about the issue and potential solutions. 

Awareness-stage shoppers aren't ready for a sales pitch or details about a product or service. They need engaging content that puts the problem in context, possibly offering a broad sense of the solution. Effective content types include:

• Blog posts
• How-to videos
• Infographics
• Social media posts

With awareness-stage content, you want the person to ask for more information. Depending on your business model, your CTAs might ask them to sign up for your mailing list, download a free resource, or call for more details.

Interest

The interest stage is when shoppers start to shortlist solutions. They've learned about many possible ways to address their issue, and they're beginning to see why one or two might be better than the rest.

An interest-stage shopper usually researches your brand at a deeper level. Your job is to show them why you're the best possible match.

Interest-stage content explores the product or service in connection to the reader's pain points. Successful content types include:

• Ebooks
• Case studies
• Buying guides
• Email newsletters

The next step is to close the deal by removing any lingering doubts.

Desire

The desire-stage is when the prospective customer goes from understanding the benefits to actively wanting the product. Your job is to use that desire to drive a final decision.

Desire-stage content focuses on the product or service's benefits and how it would improve the reader's life. Successful content could include:

• Customer testimonials
• Case studies
• Explainer videos

Benefit-stage content usually points readers to where to purchase or make an appointment.

Action

The action stage is the last phase of the buyer journey. The customer has now realized that you offer the best solution to their problem. 

To close the deal, your content must remind them you're the perfect match. Helpful content types include:

• Abandoned cart emails
• Personalized offers
• Follow-up messages

Your CTA should encourage an immediate purchase and create a sense of urgency for the reader to act.

Launch Your Search Engine Marketing Strategies With Optimize

In the ever-shifting world of digital marketing, staying ahead means constantly adapting and refining your strategy. By leveraging the power of SEM and incorporating current best practices, you can elevate your brand's visibility, engage your audience effectively, and achieve measurable results.

To learn more about Optimize and what it can do for your business, schedule a free consultation today