The Story Behind SEM: An Evolution Guide

By Published On: November 17, 2022Categories: PPC / Performance MarketingDaily Views: 1

Can you imagine what life was like before Google? We sure can’t.

As a search engine, Google has taken over the world and has come a really long way. Search engine plays a major role in digital marketing agencies in India and the world. Most businesses and brands now heavily depend upon SEM SEO Digital Marketing  not only to reach the masses but also to attain high profits.  It is one of the strongest platforms for SEM Search Engine Marketing in the digital space.

Coming across ads on Google isn’t surprising these days, and many are aware of the complex web of algorithms behind them. However, are you aware of every step this company has taken to become the giant that it is today?

Early search engines, which appeared shortly after the Internet, lay the framework for search engine marketing, now abbreviated SEM. OpenText Corporation pioneered pay-per-click advertising, paving the way for an unnamed sort of SEM or search engine advertising at the time. But, in truth, it didn’t have a name at all.

It wasn’t until Danny Sullivan, a programmer and entrepreneur, popularised the term “search engine marketing” in a 2001 piece on Search Engine Land that the sector gained traction. To understand the history of SEM, we must first understand What is Search Engine Marketing?

Why SEM is Important?

SEM is crucial since it makes sure that the content you publish appears in the search query results for your target audience. On the first SERP page, your adverts are displayed at the very top. You can efficiently attract visitors, increase traffic, and increase conversions.

It was once an umbrella phrase for SEO and sponsored search, but it now stands alone. Today, the word refers only to sponsored search and encompasses marketing sectors such as display, commerce, and pay-per-click (PPC). On the other hand, SEO is entirely natural and focuses on making backend improvements to websites, such as content and architecture, on assisting web pages rank better in search engines.

With the expansion of the Internet’s scope and reach, more and more information has been available, and consumers desire better ways to search for and access it. Early search engine companies attempted to monetize their operations, prompting OpenText, a Canadian search engine, to run the first pay-per-click advertisements in 1996.

The purchased advertising was an early search engine marketing technique featured on the search results page and was referred to as preferred listings. Google was processing 500,000 inquiries per day in 2003, and growth accelerated at the turn of the Millennium when Google became Yahoo’s client search engine.

Search engine marketing Google ads first appeared in Google search results in 2000 as a monthly service for advertisers. Google, Yahoo, and Bing Ads offered manual bidding in 2005, expanding SEM’s popularity. According to an old New York Times story, SEM grew faster than traditional advertising as early as 2006.

With the arrival of new personal computing devices into our lives, such as the iPhone in 2007 and the iPad in 2012, the web became more accessible to many people. SEM was no longer restricted to the PC but was now available to anyone on the go through mobile or tablet.

The importance of Search Engine Marketing couldn’t be overstated. SEM began to evolve as people’s search habits changed, allowing for device segmentation and geo-targeting. Bid automation tools, such as Google Smart Bidding, were introduced to aid marketers and were subsequently followed by bid optimization platforms. The next trend in SEM basics for 2015 was using big data in bid adjustments.

Paid search currently accounts for $40.6 billion of digital ad spending in the United States and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Google’s market dominance in search continues to this day, handling more than 70% of worldwide online search inquiries, making it a key component of how many people find information on the Internet.

How To Optimise SEM Campaigns:

Search engine marketing campaigns have become so common that nearly every major brand engages in them. Detailed knowledge of optimising sem campaigns is the need of the hour. It aids businesses in widening their horizons. Here are a few ways in which you can effectively optimise SEM Campaigns:

Search Terms Analysis – By minimising unqualified clicks, boosting CTRs, and optimising your targeting keywords, keyword match types, and negative keyword lists, it aids in enhancing the campaign’s overall performance.

A/B testing – The success of a search campaign depends on the effectiveness of the ad copy. The creation of ad copy and ad extensions that improve the campaign must be balanced by marketers.

Quality score optimisations- Cost per click, bid changes, and targeting are significant hard elements that directly affect the effectiveness of a campaign. 

Bid Modifications – By examining performance across a number of variables, you may prioritise spending, tailor cost per click to the areas with the best results, and ultimately increase ROI.

While we don’t know what the future holds for SEM digital marketing, some inventive new strategies in the sector, such as introducing predictive engagement, machine learning, and data science methodology to the bidding process, such as natural language processing and bid-landscape data.

Brand positioning strategy using search engine marketing is something which clearly sets your brand apart from the rest and gives you the much-needed extra edge. 

Role of Search Engine Marketing PPC agency:

  • Gives You a competitive edge
  • Helps your Brands and Businesses reach the masses,
  • Improves Brand Reputation and Recall
  • Generates Revenue and brings about growth

If you are wondering how to do SEM, connect with our experts to get a better idea. We will suggest excellent search engine marketing strategies to expand your business to the next level.

Our team of experienced professionals at SRV Media, one of the best Search Engine Marketing PPC agencies in Pune, are dedicated to providing you with the best digital solutions right for your business. 

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