What is SEM

Let’s start by covering what you will be learning in this module.

Now that you know what this module holds for you, let’s understand the meaning of Search Engine Marketing.

So, you have learnt that SEM is Search Engine Marketing and that it includes buying top rankings on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).

You also learnt that SEM is also called Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising, wherein you only pay when a searcher clicks on your ad.

The big difference between SEM and traditional forms of advertising, like ads in newspapers and magazines, or billboard posters, is the flexibility in targeting. If you advertise using traditional media, the advertisement is shown to a wide audience, irrespective of whether the audience is interested in your product or is actively looking out for it. On the other hand, SEM will target the right users and show them the advertisements at a point when they are most likely to respond to them. Moreover, you only pay if the consumer interacts with your ad, unlike, for example, in the case of a billboard, where you pay no matter what the outcome of the ad.