Introduction to search engine advertising
Search engine advertising, a central component of online marketing, works hand in hand with search engine optimization (SEO) and together form search engine marketing (SEM). In this dynamic area of digital marketing, it is crucial to use the right strategies and tools to achieve an optimal presence in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Search engine advertising and keywords
When a user enters a search term in the Google search bar, they are presented with specific, selected search results. These search terms, also known as keywords, are the backbone of any successful search engine advertising campaign. The results can be divided into two main categories: organic and paid results, a combination of SEO and SEA (search engine advertising).
Choosing the right keywords is a critical step in search engine advertising. Google evaluates the relevance of your keywords, ads and landing pages through a quality score, which is measured on a scale of one to ten. A higher score can lead to better placement and lower costs.
Strategies for successful search engine advertising
Search engine optimization focuses on improving on-page and off-page data in order to achieve higher positions in the SERPs and therefore greater visibility. In contrast, search engine advertising allows the creation of ads under Google Ads that match the respective keywords related to your product or service. The advertiser also sets a price that they are willing to pay for a click on their ad.
However, it is important to note that the highest bidder does not always win. The Google algorithm uses hundreds of criteria to deliver the most relevant search results for the user. An important indicator for evaluating effective advertising campaigns is the quality score, which sets the user experience as the highest benchmark.
The costs and formats of search engine advertising
The cost of a top placement on Google can vary, depending on various factors such as the competition, the bid and the quality of your ad. There are also different ad formats to choose from. In addition to the classic text ads in the search network, Google also offers other options for placing your ads, such as Google Maps or Google Shopping.
The search network is just one part of the extensive Google advertising network, which also includes Google websites, partner websites in the search network and other placements such as mobile apps. Depending on your strategy and your offer, you can also place ads in the Display Network, on YouTube, in Gmail or under Google My Business.
The Apalion AG team will be happy to work closely with you to define the ideal approach for your company and to address your customers perfectly.
Billing models in search engine advertising
Billing for Bing and Google Ads is based on the pay-per-click method. This means that the advertiser only pays if the user clicks on the ad. If the user sees the ad but does not click on it, no costs are incurred. There are also other billing models such as cost-per-view (CPV) and cost-per-1000-impressions (CPM), which focus differently on clicks, views or conversions depending on the bidding strategy and campaign type.
With this method, you only pay when a certain action is carried out, which is a clear advantage.
Learn more about search engine advertising
Search engine advertising (SEA), an essential part of search engine marketing (SEM), enables companies to increase their online presence through targeted ads. These ads, which are based on predefined keywords, are displayed on the search engine results pages (SERPs) of search engines such as Google and Bing. It is important to note that SEA is not the same as SEM, as SEM also includes search engine optimization (SEO), a process to improve a website's organic search results.
The advantages of SEA are manifold. Companies can achieve immediate visibility and reach potential customers who are already searching for their offers. In addition, advertising platforms allow campaigns to be precisely targeted at specific user groups, which increases the effectiveness of campaigns and reduces costs.
The implementation of an SEA campaign requires registration with an advertising platform such as Google Ads, where companies can create campaigns with different ad groups and ads. The position of the ad is determined by an auction in which various factors such as the price and the relevance of the landing page are taken into account.
Another important aspect of SEA is targeting, where companies can determine who can see their ads based on criteria such as keywords, language, region, age and gender. This allows ads to be precisely targeted to the target group, minimizing wastage and increasing the chances of conversion.
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