An Introduction to Search Engine Marketing

Search engine marketing (SEM) is the art of combining search engine optimization (Seo), or on site changes, with organic and paid link building techniques to increase a web site's profile and improve its standing in search engines. In the modern world of cutthroat online competition, it is essential for any company's success, whether the company is an international megaconglomerate, a small town business, or a single freelancer working from home. But what exactly is involved in search engine marketing?

First, the web page itself needs to be optimized to be as appealing as possible to search engines. The page content, the titles, and even the web site's structure should be streamlined and reworked to target the most advantageous keywords and to improve the site navigation.

When the SEO is complete, SEM specialists turn their attention to building new links to the site. Some of the links are free, but for fast, well targeted link building, paid links are usually necessary. Paid links can include advertising bought on web sites and in advertising networks, as well as new methods such as paid blog posts. Expert help is needed to avoid pitfalls in link building. Too many links from or to undesirable sites can drop a site in the rankings, and newcomers to SEO frequently find it challenging to identify which sites are undesirable. Also, people who are new to link building are often tempted by methods like astroturfing, in which a company representative pretends to be an ordinary consumer and posts comments about the company in other people's blogs. Although astroturfing looks like an excellent tool on the surface, blog readers recognize it as spam. The fallout from an astroturf campaign can do heavy damage to a company's online reputation. There are dozens more bad ideas that look like good ideas, so before implementing any idea, a businessperson would be wise to consult with an SEM expert.

Paid inclusion is another important part of any link building strategy. While many search engines and directories are free, quite a few either require a fee to include a site or give higher rankings to sites that pay. Since the difference between sites that get visitors and sites whose links are rarely clicked can be measured in a very few ranking points, many companies find it worthwhile to edge their web sites up the listings by paying for a better ranking.

Search engine marketing requires a delicate balance of free and paid link building, paid search engine and directory inclusion, and search engine optimization. When all the parts of an SEM strategy word together, they can shoot a web page to the top of the search engine results. The important part is to balance the elements right, link to the right mix of sites, and get the right experts to manage it.

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