Top 5 SEM Myths Uncovered

SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing and is the practice of advertising through online paid mediums.

Many internet users are unfamiliar when they come in contact with SEM practices because of the way they tie into search engine optimization. This is where a lot of the confusion derives from.

Let’s clear up a few misconceptions by uncovering what we feel are the top 5 SEM myths.



1. Pay Per Click Keywords that cost the most will get me better results

Not quite. Just because you are paying more out of pocket does not mean you will receive better results from your spendings.

For example: If I were to bid high enough to receive top rankings for the term “Real Estate” I may in turn receive tons of traffic. But how focused is this traffic? Not at all. And because my keyword is not focused to what I offer, I might as well be throwing my advertising dollars to the wind.

If you want the most bang for your buck (literally), you want to bid on keywords that are focused and to the point. Might I suggest “Arizona Adult Community” or “Phoenix Real Estate Broker”? Users searching for these terms are a million times more likely to turn into leads than those looking for “real estate” alone.

Just another tip: Link your ad to the direct page of what you are advertising. A search engine user will get frustrated if you promise them information and they do not find it on your linked to page. Just trying to save you a few bucks.

2. Buying Ad’s in Google and Yahoo will help with my organic placement

Here are some fast facts: Purchasing Google Adwords will not make you rank higher in Google’s organic results. Same goes with Yahoo Search Marketing and Yahoo’s organic results.

These ad’s are not text links, but instead are ran through the pay per click program, recorded, and re-directed to your page.

Without getting into all the technical mumbo jumbo, buying pay per click ad’s will not help your organic results.

3. I don’t need to pay for a pay per click campaign because I already rank in the top 10

Research shows that having both organic placement teamed up with paid advertising will boost your online creditability. When a search engine user sees your company in the results page twice, your chance is higher to gain their click.

Those running a pay per click campaign side by side with organic rankings will have higher organic click through rates than they would have without. The proof is in the pudding.

4. SEM doesn’t give a good ROI; SEM users are not high quality

This may have been true a few years back, but with the technology out there now, we can demographically target our ad’s and have them displayed to users who will get the most out of it.

Staying with the topic of Pay Per Click (Search Engine Marketing), you are now able to display your ad’s in your demographical area. You are also able to direct them to the exact page your keyword term relates to. Basically, you have the power to hand them what they looked for.

With this in mind, obtaining ROI from your pay per click efforts are highest when your website does it’s job. When your visitor enters, hand them your product or services, give them the information they searched for, and sell it.

5. SEM is Simple

Just as much goes into SEM as in SEO.

SEM techniques must go through a trial and error phase for full optimization. Slapping together a campaign just to watch your account dwindle is not ideal.

Research goes into SEM. Here are a few things to take into consideration if you want to set up your own campaign:

Keyword Research - You want to make sure people are looking for the terms you are bidding on. If not, you just lose time. In another sense, only bid on keywords that could potentially turn into conversions. Delete ones that are not.

Analysis Research - You must closely monitor when users come onto your site, which keywords they are using to enter, and where they are exiting. Once you find your problem areas, they must be revised on site to make your campaign work

Time Research - Look at how long visitors are staying on your page. If they come and go quickly, they obviously are not finding what they came for. Revise your campaign to focus exactly on your keywords.

Placement Research - Check to see where your ad is placed. Up your bid, or lower your bid to see if you can achieve more clicks by placement. The #1 position does not always get you the most clicks.

Ad Research - If the amount of impressions is high and click through is extremely low, take a look at your ad’s and the descriptions you are using within them. Do they speak to your audience? Are they focused on your sole purpose? Get creative and try out different ad variations.

Those are just a few of the SEM processes that we must go through to make sure your ad is completely targeted and focused.

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