NetsDesign.Net: Search Engine Marketing Solutions (Pay for Placement)

 

First off, let's distinguish between two confusing terms: search engine optimization, and search engine marketing. Optimization usually pertains to those things that can be done to a web page to make it appear higher in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) than it otherwise would, while "marketing" usually refers to paid or sponsored results.

This page is about Search Engine Marketing. If you are looking for more on organic results, please see our Search Engine Optimization Page. However, since most web pages are put into what Google calls the "Google Sandbox" (a holding tank for pages that are new and do not have any credibility yet) for about 6 months-1 year, it is best to drive new traffic for new sites with a paid/sponsired plan, while- at the same time- to begin optimizing for organic results.

General Information about SEM:

PPC advertising is the fastest growing marketing tool. Any site owner starting a SEO/SEM campaign can receive targeted traffic when using proper keywords that are directly relevant to site’s content. It is advisable to use PPC advertising in the periods before good organic rankings come about (usually 6 months-1 year). 

Ppay per click (PPC) is an advertising technique used on websites, advertising networks and search engines.

Merchants (you) bid on "keywords" that they believe their target market (people they think would be interested in their offer) would search for. For example, if an advertiser sells light bulbs, they would bid on the keyword "light bulbs", hoping a user would type those words in the search bar, see their ad, click on it and buy their light bulbs. Keywords should therefore be chosen very carefully with the help of Keyword research tools or an advertising campaign can become very expensive very quickly. Additionally, the ads need to be written in a way that compels the user to click on it rather than your competitors' ad.

These ads are called "sponsored links" or "sponsored ads" and appear next to and sometimes above natural or organic results on the page. The advertiser pays only when the user clicks on the ad.

A word of warning about "click fraud."

Abuse of the pay per click model can result in “click fraud”.  Click fraud occurs when a person, automated script, or computer program (a "bot" which is short for "robot") imitates a legitimate user in order to artifically increase Clcik Through Rates (CTR).  There are ways to monitor this possibility, but it requires a great deal of time and research.

Use of a computer to commit this type of internet fraud is a felony in many jurisdictions, for example it is covered by Penal code 502 in California, USA, and the Computer Misuse Act 1990 in the United Kingdom. There have been arrests relating to click fraud with regard to malicious clicking in order to deplete a competitor's advertising budget.

The main PPC search engines available are Google (most recommended), Yahoo, MSN, AskJeeves, Kanoodle, LookSmart, and Miva.

Depending on the search engine, prices per click start at $0.01 and in competitive markets often reach the multiple dollar figure. 

Before starting a PPC campaign, the following steps are necessary:

• Analyze your business niche and learn who your competitors are;
• Refine the search terms that you will use in your ad (keywords you are want to target and the negative keywords that you want to omit based on price or irrelevancy);
• Write effective ad copy that brings a high clickthrough rate;
• Optimize the "landing page" you will link your ad to;

Experienced Search Engine marketers know how to manipulate bids and keywords using keyword growth techniques, and refine campaigns based on feedback and monitoring tools. 

The most successful strategy for online businesses is to use a combimation of SEM and SEO, concentrating on SEM in the beginning until organic traffic begns to occur naturally. Both should be combined with a number of other Internet Marketing techniques to ensure maximum visibility in the world of online business.

SEM campaign management prices are determined on a case-by-case basis, so please let us know if you are interested in any of the above SEM services.