eMarketing - Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
According to Wikipedia, search engine marketing (SEM) is a set of marketing methods intended to increase the visibility of a website in search engine results pages (SERPs). The primary methods of SEM are:
- Search engine optimization attempts to improve rankings for relevant keywords in search results by improving a website's structure, content, and relevant backlink count.
- Pay-per-click advertising uses sponsored search engine listings to drive traffic to a website. The advertiser bids for search terms, and the search engine ranks ads based on a competitive auction as well as other factors.
- Paid inclusion can provide a guarantee that the website is included in the search engine's natural listings. However, as of 2006 the leading search engine, Google, does not offer this service.
In this article, we briefly explore the first two methods.
Organic Searches & Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The purpose of search engine optimization (SEO) is to index and improve rankings of individual webpages within your website that are relevant to the keywords consumers use most often in search engines.
Search engines do not share their algorithms with marketers, so it's hard to know exactly how they derive their rankings. But we do know some of the factors they consider.
At one time, keyword density within page copy was the most important ranking factor. That is no longer true, but quality content that is rich in keywords is still extremely important.
The architecture of the website, including its internal link structure and navigation, is also an important factor. Websites that are well-organized and whose internal pages are all accessible to search spiders are more favorably ranked than those that are not.
Finally, inbound links (also called backlinks) are important ranking factors. Search engines consider both the quantity and quality of inbound links to the website in their ranking. Note the term "quality" link. Search engines can now identify irrelevant links, such as those created by automatic linking programs, and exclude them for ranking purposes. Rather than using an automated program to generate numerous irrelevant links, you should plan and execute a linking campaign to improve your search engine ranking. Link building tactics include submission to directories, exchanging links with related sites, submitting articles to be published on authoritative sites and buying links from related sites.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
Pay-per-click advertising can be an effective lead generating tactic, as it has the ability to target prospects, control expenses and measure return on investment.
Here's how it works:
You identify a specific keyword or keywords that you believe prospective customers will use when searching the internet for the banking products and services you offer. PPC guarantees that your ad will display on the results page of searches performed on those keyword(s). You pay nothing for the ad to display, but you pay a pre-determined amount each time someone clicks on the ad and is taken to your landing page. Hence the name: pay-per-click. If multiple advertisers choose the same keywords, placement of the competing ads on the search results page is determined by the amount the advertisers agreed to pay. In other words, the best placement is awarded to the highest bidder.
A PPC listing typically consists of a title, your website name or short heading (approximately 50 characters) and a short description (typically less than 200 characters) of your service or promotional offer. Some PPC search engines strictly control the text content and style (punctuation, capitalization, non-standard spelling, etc.) that can appear in the listing, others are open to using the advertiser's copy.
Four Tips for Effective PPC
- Link to a specially designed landing page(s), not the bank's home page.
Effective PPC ads take the consumer to a special landing page developed specifically for the subject of the search. You may even want to create multiple landing pages to ensure that the keywords used in the search are prominently displayed on the landing page. The landing page should be clean and uncluttered with a clear call to action and a simple process for moving the searcher to the next step, whether that's requesting more information, subscribing to a service or making a purchase.
- Manage your search terms and bids.
Make sure that the keywords you choose and the bids you place for them consistently land you in one of the top three spots. SEM experts estimate that 85% of all PPC clicks are on ads in one of the top three positions. If you choose the wrong keywords or don't bid high enough to get into one of the top three spots, you'll have trouble generating the leads you want.
- Be specific in your ad copy.
Don't waste your limited ad copy on meaningless adjectives that confuse the searcher. If you're vague in your copy:
- Searchers may not click on your ad. Because it's a PPC, it doesn't cost you anything if they fail to click... but it doesn't produce any leads either.
- The wrong people may click on your ad. Bad or vague ad copy can cause people who are not good prospects to click on your ad. You wind up paying for clicks that produce no qualified leads.
- Test and re-tool.
Unlike ads in traditional offline media, PPC results can be tracked. By continually monitoring PPC results, you can adjust your keywords, ads and landing pages to improve results.
