Search engine marketing (SEM), also known as “paid search” or “pay-per-click” (PPC), is a type of online marketing that increases your business’ or nonprofit’s visibility in search engine results pages through paid advertising. You‘ve probably noticed that when you search for a term using a search engine, like Google or Bing, the first few results at the top of the page are ads. These are from brands using SEM strategies.


What are the benefits of search engine marketing?

Search engine marketing is a great way to increase brand awareness and website traffic. When your brand appears at the top of a search results page, people are more likely to see your ad, and click through to your website.

Although you do have to pay for SEM, you usually pay for each click, as opposed to a large upfront investment. This approach is cost-effective, because you’re only paying for what you get. You can also set a limit, so that you only spend a set amount. Once your spending reaches that amount, your ad turns off.


How do you start using search engine marketing?

You can get started with SEM by researching and building a key search term list, and reaching out to a search engine advertiser like Google Ads. Additionally, figuring out your budget and combining your SEM and SEO strategies can jumpstart your efforts to getting your business found online.