Search Advertising 101

paid search advertisingWhen it comes to online advertising, there are a number of different tactics that can increase your visibility and brand awareness while driving up leads and conversions. Search advertising is a key component of online marketing, as it capitalizes on the fact that many consumers will now use Google or another search engine when they are preparing to purchase local products or services. Google is by far the largest search platform used by American consumers, and it processes about 40,000 search queries every second, or 3.5 billion per day. With numbers like these, it is hard to imagine how search engines filter results displayed to consumers to provide relevant information. When you look at a Search Engine Results Page, or SERP, you will notice that sponsored results occupy the most visible parts of the screen at the top and bottom of the page. These results appear due to search advertising, which requires an ongoing approach to produce quality ads matched to relevant search terms and locales.

How Search Advertising Works

Search advertising uses specific keywords to pair results with individual searches, and these results are filtered based on a number of factors. In addition to the quality of the ad and the website it links to, paid search results will be filtered based on the cost payed for a certain keyword. However, cost is not everything. By investing in a well-rounded approach to online marketing, you will end up paying less overall per search when you implement search advertising. Below you’ll get a closer look at how search advertising works as part of a comprehensive online marketing strategy.

  • Build keyword lists – Like organic search results, paid search results are initially filtered based on keywords. With search advertising, however, you pay for the use of certain keywords, which is why it is essential to do extensive keyword research before posting paid ads.
  • Create adsOnce you have identified the right keywords, you will make ads to pair with each one. Your ads might include a few descriptive lines of text about your business, a specific offer, or a certain service. They might also feature customer reviews, contact information, and photos. When you enhance your ads with these components, they will have a higher quality score, making them more likely to appear in searches.
  • Link relevant landing pagesThe landing page linked in your ad is very important, because it should be directly related to the text of the ad. If, for example, your ad features a promotion about roofing, the landing page should not feature information about gutter cleaning.
  • Monitor trafficSearch advertising is not a static process. Because the popularity, and therefore the cost, of keywords can change over time, you may need to alter your keywords. You might also find that certain search terms deliver more success than others, so you can allocate more of your advertising resources to these terms. With tools like Google AdWords, you will get a clear picture of how your search advertising campaign is performing so that it can continue to evolve with your needs.

Why Search Advertising Works

Search advertising is highly effective, because it can boost the visibility of your business and deliver more leads than organic search alone. What’s more is that search advertising can be very cost-effective, because you only pay for advertising when someone clicks on your ad.

To be sure that you get the most out of your paid search campaign, connect with our team today. Give us a call to discuss your advertising needs and begin building an effective strategy for your business. (904) 823-9747