WHAT IS SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING (SEM)?

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) used to be the umbrella term referring to various search marketing strategies, including Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Pay Per Click (PPC).

Today, SEM is used alternately with Pay Per Click (PPC). In this context, SEM is defined as an internet-based advertising platform that allows you to strategically place your advertisement to your target audience in terms of geographical location (what country they’re in), time (what time are they mostly online to see your ad) and content networks (what are the related sites your target audience might also be visiting so you can place your ad there for them to see).

WHY RUN A SEM CAMPAIGN?

SEM strategically positions your website where target niches easily find you. Through SEM, your website is prominently placed on the first page search engines such Google, Yahoo and Bing. Every time your prospects do a search, your website is listed well above competitor websites! This increased visibility drives clicks to your website, attracts users most likely to convert, which results in acquiring greater market share over competitors.

It does not matter if your business is offering services, and/or physical products, a properly executed SEM is going to bring targeted and potential customers right to your doorstep in a laser-point way! This way, your website becomes a powerful and lucrative lead generation engine, bringing you massive leads, enquiries, and sales and you only have to pay for each click!

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
versus
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

SEM & SEO

SEM
Search Engine Marketing
SEO vs SEM SEO
Search Engine Optimisation
A form of internet marketing that involves increasing website visibility in search engines via paid advertisements or pay-per-click listings. Also commonly known as Pay Per Click (PPC) SEO vs SEM - Description logo A form of internet marketing that affects the website or web page’s visibility in search engines via organic or unpaid search results.
The purpose of SEM is to drive targeted traffic to your website by positioning your website or web page links where prospects will click it. seo vs sem purpose icon The purpose of SEO is to rank your website high in the search engine results page in the hope of potential customers clicking on your website.
Website URL of companies running SEM are found on the more prominent places in search engine results page and content networks, such as above the organic search links in the case of Google, or at left, right or bottom borders where they are properly labelled as SponsoredAds for better visibility. seo-vs-sem website url placements Website URL of companies running SEO are always found below paid search results.
Immediately – as soon as you start your paid ads, your website will rank on the first page of search engines seo-vs-sem time to rank icon Takes considerable time. Depending on optimisation elements on your website, it can go anywhere from 6 months to one year before your website can rank on the first page
You pay only if a person clicks on your website URL. seo-vs-sem cost icon While appearing on organic search results is ‘free’ for all, payment is made towards the SEO agency for the work done so that your website shows up in organic search results.

SINGAPORE ONLINE MARKET SIZE FOR 2020 - 2021

  • Singapore accounts for almost one third of Southeast Asia’s eCommerce market and is valued at US $4.9 billion, with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 8.35% to 2021.
  • A Visa survey showed that 58% of Singaporeans shop online at least once a month while 26% makes shop online at least once a week. Annual sales value total US $4.11 billion with a year-on-year growth rate of 35%.
  • Singapore’s online community is growing rapidly. Approximately 93.5% of Singaporean households are connected to the Internet.
  • The Covid-19 pandemic further thrust eCommerce into the spotlight. Mobility restrictions spurred a shift from offline to online consumer activity. Nielsen study showed that 37% of consumers reported increased online shopping activity since the outbreak. The effects are possibly long-term, as 76% of consumers indicated that they will not return to in-store shopping even after the outbreak.

SEM is one of the key strategies you should have in your marketing arsenal, if you want to level the playing field and compete alongside bigger competitors fast and in a cost-effective way.

WHY CHOOSE FIRST PAGE FOR

SEM SERVICES

Call Tracking


Call tracking effectively gauges the performance of a multi-tiered marketing strategy. We assign a specific tracking number to each marketing campaign, both offline and online. Tracking calls and conversions allow us to see which campaign generates quality leads for your business and which do not. This valuable insight helps you invest more in campaigns that yield better ROI.

Trust Based


Our work is anchored on trust-based collaboration. Holding you hostage using lock in-agreements or contracts isn’t our identity. Our focus is on implementing a strategy fully aligned with your business goals. We pride ourselves in knowing that clients stay with us because they are happy with the results, not because of a run-of-the-mill contract.

Ad Copy


The right copy helps brands thrive. Engaging, thought-provoking content resonates well with audiences. Our copywriters help you craft powerful ideas into words, and convey these words persuasively. A good content strategy can inspire trust, and consistently turn prospect interest into action.

FAQS FOR SEM SERVICE

Paid search is a type of search engine marketing where you bid for ads placement on search engine results page. Your ads are placed atop search results, so they are more visible to engaged audiences who are actively looking to purchase your products or targeted audiences whose search queries are related to your business. Paid search usually operates on a pay-per-click model, which means that you only pay the platform (Google or Bing) showing your ad every time your ad is clicked on. This is why paid search is synonymous to as pay-per-click advertising (PPC).

Immediate Results

Unlike SEO which takes years before your website scales up the rankings, SEM delivers immediate results. Paid ads on search pages generate site traffic and improve click-through rates faster than organic SEO.

Targeted audiences

SEM allows you to target the right audience who are likely to convert. Quality leads result in higher conversions.

Brand awareness

Google says paid search ads can increase brand awareness by 80%. Even when prospects don’t click through, they’re likely to read the ads appearing on search pages. This triggers brand recall even for those unacquainted with your brand.

Cost-effective

Running an SEM campaign on a minimal budget can still yield good ROI through strategic keyword bids. Costs will still depend on numerous factors, such as campaign scale and cost-per-clicks.

The difference between SEM and SMM is the platform used for ads placement. In SEM, paid ads are listed on search engines results pages like Google and Bing. In SMM or social media marketing, paid ads appear on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SMM focuses on promoting your online presence on social media.

Do a background check on potential service providers. Choose a reputable SEM agency that adopts good SEM practices. Assess the team, their credibility and transparency. Inquire about past case studies, to know if the agency has successful campaigns which yielded tangible results. Verify the scope of work that’s included, and if it’s commensurate to the pricing model.

SEM

SEO

A form of internet marketing that involves increasing website visibility in search engines via paid advertisements or pay-per-click listings. Also commonly known as Pay Per Click (PPC) DESCRIPTION A form of internet marketing that affects the website or web page’s visibility in search engines via organic or unpaid search results.
The purpose of SEM is to drive targeted traffic to your website by positioning your website or web page links where prospects will click it. PURPOSE The purpose of SEO is to rank your website high in the search engine results page in the hope of potential customers clicking on your website.
Website URL of companies running SEM are found on the more prominent places in search engine results page and content networks, such as above the organic search links in the case of Google, or at left, right or bottom borders where they are labelled as Sponsored Ads for better visibility. LOCATION ON SEARCH ENGINE Website URL of companies running SEO are always found below paid search results.
Immediately – as soon as you start your paid ads, your website will rank on the first page of search engines TIME TO RANK Takes considerable time. Depending on optimisation elements on your website, it can go anywhere from 6 months to one year before your website can rank on the first page
You pay only if a person clicks on your website URL. PRICE While appearing on organic search results is ‘free’ for all, payment is made towards the SEO agency for the work done so that your website shows up in organic search results.

To maintain ethical business, we only cater to the first three (3) clients from the same niche.

All this information about SEM sounds good. But here is a caveat: even if the strategy sounds promising, but if it falls in the wrong hands, then the results can be far from being achieved.

In SEM, your competitors can outbid you for the same keywords in just one wink of an eye. This means, today, you are enjoying excellent traffic with your ad placements running like a well-oiled machine, but the next minute, your ad will not be found in the search.

Apart from this, many businesses have seen their marketing dollars being wasted on SEM that did not yield a single enquiry.

While the advertising platform appears fair and straightforward, setting up your website to be ready for SEM traffic, strategizing on keywords selection to use only keywords which attract the right target audience, and managing the SEM campaign on an ongoing basis requires the know-how and dedication of an expert team.

SEM can tremendously grow your business faster than any traditional advertising platform can, at the lowest cost.

SEM is also highly measurable in terms of the corresponding results per investment per amount of time. You can review reports on a frequent basis and monitor how your campaign is performing. As a business owner, measurable results reported regularly allows you to quickly and easily decide whether or not to continue with this advertising and marketing platform.