There is a saying that the best place to hide is Page 2 of Google search results. Obviously, because no one ever looks there!

So, what does it take for a business to find a spot on Page 1 of Google search? Among the highest rated content, served on a platter by Google?

Well, the answer to being famous under the “search spotlight” lies in integrating SEM into your Digital Marketing agenda. SEM is short for Search Engine Marketing and can be plainly understood as a strategy to market a business via search engines.

A well-planned SEM activity could include all or some of the following:

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

   is a process to improve website rankings on organic (un-paid) result pages. These are the search results that appear naturally upon executing a search. The rankings depend predominantly on the quality of keywords used in the website content.

2. Search Retargeting

   is a clever SEM algorithm that tracks the links/sites that a user visits and shows him corresponding display ads for his other subsequent searches. Ever experienced ads that catch your attention simply because you were interested in a product or service and looked online for it? How did that product/service show up as an ad on your SERP (Search Engine Results Page)? Search Retargeting is designed to simply follow your track of online searches and display a set of similar results on your SERPs.

3. Data Import:

   Imports all your data together and segregate them under a single set space with Google Analytics Data Import. CRM or content management and systems as such supporting data import functionality with available data types like –user, content, cost, product, campaign, refund and custom data; benefits in leading your online business fronts.

4. Paid Listings/Adwords:

   At times, you just have to pay money to get what you want. Advertisers/Businesses promote their websites on SERPs by backing it through funded ads. Commonly known as Adwords, these results appear as prominent ads in the most crawled section of the SERPs

   Have a look at this all-too-familiar picture.

    

   Quick Fact: Almost 70% of users are going to look you up over search engines and reach your website from there.

   Obviously, improving your site’s ranking does matter significantly. So how do you get there

   Begin with an SEM plan.

   1. Research your Target Audience (TG). That is going to be the deciding factor in planning a SEM strategy, and taking it to success.

   2. Keywords. Behind every successful SEM campaign is a set of high-quality keywords that score high on search volume among other parameters. Keyword management tools are available to help you come with a list of promising keywords that add punch to your SEM campaign.

   3. Ad Campaign. The intent of each campaign needs to be well-defined to include a set of keywords that boost the ranking of your website a few notches up (figuratively and literally) on SERPs. It also needs appropriate ad text and a corresponding landing page to take the user to, and let him linger there long enough to want to do business.

   1. Analytics. Crucial to keep a tab on which keywords are performing better, what drives user searches and map user interests for effective retargeting.

   2. SEM Activities. SEM Activities. Continuously test your keywords to improvise, keep abreast your current rankings, add fresh content and possibly revamp website design to optimise web-crawling, turn on RSS feeds and most importantly, use keyword management tools for keyword building, optimisation & analytics.

   Is SEM even an alternative really? Well, not all websites are businesses waiting to win customers over the internet. In which case, you don’t need to channelize your marketing efforts there. But what if you do get to a point where you are creating compelling content (blogs on fitness, food, parenting, medical advice, education) that’s going "viral" and wonder, "Do I want to give all this information for free?"