Search Engine Marketing: Trials, Tribulations and Tactics
Most frequently referred to as, SEM, search engine marketing is the practice of enticing users on search engines to choose your product, company or service online. It’s no secret that the general public goes directly to their mobile device to search for inquiries ranging from where to get food and what’s the square root of 82.
From my years of experience with SEM, I’ve learned that one of the more difficult aspects is understanding how humans look for information. With anything using humans as a variable, you are going to get a lot of variants. Just like some humans prefer Pepsi over Coke; some humans prefer Bing over Google. Whether I think they’re wrong or not doesn’t matter – I still have to be sure my soft drink of choice is readily available to be found on both search engines.
How we get there is the channel. The destination is completely up to the user’s expectations. This is able to be found by search intent. Because we are unable to stand in front of our potential customer’s computer and scream “WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!” in all caps and comic sans – we rely on search engine marketing.
What are the different types of Search Engine Marketing?
Glad you asked. There are three industry-standard types of SEM. Each having its own benefit and role to the overall infrastructure of search engine marketing.
Paid Search
Search Engine Optimization
Business Listings – Online Directories – Local Search Optimization
Which Search Engine Marketing tactic is right for you?
Totally depends. As an SEO, “it depends” is an answer and a valid one. I know, you want more details. I know you’re thinking…” Depends on what? Why can’t you just TELL ME?”.
I can’t. I cannot decide what is the A-1 prime tactic that is a surefire way to drive traffic to your business and shoot your lead generation machine to the moon. If I had the magic bullet, I’d package it in sparkles and sell it on Amazon for $500 each. Alas, it doesn’t exist therein lies my job security – but most importantly – that’s the fun of it all.
Search Engine Marketing, much like any digital marketing tactic, is a recipe.
Generally- you need the same ingredients for a chocolate chip cookie, but if you want the chunky chips – you’re going to need a different variety of ingredients. If you want the crisp, flaky cookies then you’ll need more or less of another ingredient.
I’m the baker that will customize your cookie.
Because I still believe we’re all special sweeties in our own way…. (cringe).