Search engines are often the first website people interact with when opening a new web browser. Websites like Google and Bing dictate almost all of the average internet user’s online experience each day, directing where they go and when they do it. These search engines also empower users to find new content and businesses, both of which play a massive role in the products they buy.

This provides business owners and digital marketers with a unique opportunity. As these popular  search engines are incredibly powerful and function as the defacto gatekeepers of the current internet, getting your business to show up as one of the top few results on relevant search queries can lead to an exponential increase in sales and leads.

The importance of these top results can not be overstated. Research shows that one in every four people immediately clicks the top result when they make a Google search, and over 90% of all users don’t make it past the first page of their Google search query. This makes those top few spots some of the most valuable and sought-after pieces of digital real estate on the entire internet.

Naturally, this has led to virtually all businesses trying to find their way to the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs) using one of two key strategies: search engine optimization (SEO), and search engine advertising (SEA).

In today’s article, we will explore search engine advertising and its role as one of the most powerful digital marketing tools available to business owners today. We will also break down Google Ads, the most powerful and widely used platform in the industry, to get an understanding of how you can leverage the platform to get your business in front of highly qualified, relevant leads and potential customers.  

What Is Search Engine Advertising?

Search engine advertising can most simply be understood as the paid alternative to organic search engine optimization strategies. It allows you to “cut the line” on the SERPs relevant to your business and appear in the allocated advertisement space directly beneath the Google search bar without having to wait the many months that even the most effective SEO strategies can take.

SEA methods may offer better short-term results and lead to quick spikes in sales and qualified leads, though the bidding can get expensive in competitive industries with many companies fighting for limited spots. With research and planning, your average price per click (PPC) can be significantly reduced, and continue to do so as you collect data throughout the scaling process.

Types of Search Engine Advertising

There are many different types of SEA ads that business owners can choose from to properly convey their messaging and products to relevant audiences. Some of the most popular search engine advertising types include fully text-based ads and visual product shopping ads that link directly to your digital store.

Using Search Engine Advertising Platforms

Search engine advertising is best accomplished through the usage of SEA advertising platforms such as Google Ads (formerly Ad Words) and Bing Ads. Most businesses would be advised to focus their efforts almost entirely on Google Ads, as the company controls more than 90% of the search engine market, and the platform offers the highest return on investment (ROI) and potential exposure due to said dominance.

What makes SEA platforms like Google Ads unique and extremely cost-efficient is that, unlike many forms of traditional advertising, you only pay when a user clicks on your ad. There is no up-front fee for the space your ad takes up as would be expected with something like a billboard or TV commercials. 

High-quality, relevant ads that are properly targeted allow much smaller operations to compete with the major players in their respective industries. That being said, search engine advertising is not an easy or guaranteed way to generate sales–nothing is. However, with proper due diligence, businesses of any size can find success in the search engine advertising marketplace.

The Importance of Keyword Targeting

Keyword targeting refers to the usage of highly specific words or short phrases in ads to get your business in front of the proper audience. It is one of the foundational aspects of both search engine optimization and search engine advertising campaigns and a skill set that will pay dividends in campaign results.

In an SEO campaign, keywords are used to achieve a high rank on relevant SERPs, while in search engine advertising campaigns they are used to link your ads to the proper search queries for your desired outcomes.

Understanding the Google Auction

A Google Ad bid is the amount of money you are willing to spend for somebody to click on your ad and plays a crucial role in the physical space your ad’s creative takes up on the Google search page. Each place offers a varying degree of eyes (and thus potential ROI), and as such, has a different monetary value.

This monetary value is assigned through an auction. In simple terms, the higher you bid the more likely you are to win the auction, though this is not the only thing that matters. Other factors such as quality score, auction competitiveness, and search context play an important role as well.

In addition to these factors marketers must consider, there are also several strategies they can use to keep their ads cost-effective and high-performing:

• Automated Bidding: Leverages pre-built algorithms to maximize performance and maximize clicks and conversions.
• Manual Cost-Per-Click (CPC) Bidding: Offers total control of all settings but requires constant monitoring and attention.
• Smart Bidding: Uses Google AI to automatically leverage key data such as time signals and device type to efficiently bid while maximizing profits.

Begin Search Engine Advertising with Alan and Company

Alan and Co. is a full-service marketing agency with decades of experience in the constantly changing world of digital marketing. Our team has implemented effective search engine advertising campaigns for small businesses looking to improve their reach, generate more qualified leads, and increase overall brand awareness.

If your business is looking for a specialized digital marketing agency in the US that can help you understand and begin implementing search engine advertising, don’t hesitate to reach out today for a complementary 45-minute consultation with Alan and Co. Marketing. We would love to talk about your current marketing efforts and see how we can help you reach your goals.

For additional, 100% free online resources about digital marketing best practices or to simply get a better idea of what we do over here at Alan and Co., be sure to check out our blog, filled with hundreds of free articles just like the one you have just read.