Search engine marketing (SEM)

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Search engine marketing involves paying to place ads at the top of SERPs. It is a key outbound marketing tactic.

SEM Activities
Also known as pay-per-click (PPC), SEM is the process of bidding on relevant keywords so that brands can meet customers at the exact moment they are searching for something.

The main reason SEM works is that brands establish a direct correlation between marketing activity and sales.

For example, if you pay $1 per click and 1 in 100 converts to a paying customer, your acquisition cost is $100. If you're selling a $1,000 product, that's a great return on investment.

However, with increased competition and low barriers to entry, the cost of SEM is rising. Without qualified vp communication officers email list SEM specialists, you may end up paying more money than you intended with little reward.

SEM example
Google SERP: used in various types of marketing

sponsored search results for the term "iPad mini"


PPC is especially effective for e-commerce or SaaS tools. For example, if a customer searches Google for “iPad Mini,” they will find ads from multiple sellers, all competing to appear at the top of the page.

Listed as “sponsored” results, SEMs allow brands to appear inorganically at the top of the SERP. On the other hand, SaaS tools use SEM to their advantage by signing customers up for free trials or demos at the right time.