There are many things you should consider before starting search engine marketing.   Advertising like life doesn’t happen in a vacuum.   There are many things that impact the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns.  How old is your website? Does your website have compelling content that is structured effectively for search engines?  Are you using offline advertising and if so is that advertising tied in to your online efforts?  Perhaps the most important thing to consider is what you are looking for from your advertising campaign.

What are your goals for the campaign?

There are two different core ways to advertise using search engines.  Brand focused campaigns get your name in front of as many potential customers as possible.  Branding campaigns can be anything from a banner ad on your local news website to product placement in online video games.   Action based advertising focuses on conversions.  Usually following the pay per click model this method is direct marketing at its core.   Pay per click uses search pages and websites to get your website in front of customers when they are looking for your products.

How can you best use your advertising budget?

Do you want to be seen or are you looking for a more immediate return?  Are you willing to sacrifice the benefits of one form of advertising over the other or should you utilize a mixture of both?

If you have a strong local presence and want to expand your market, a branding campaign can help get your company noticed.  Paying for impressions can make it difficult to see a clear return on investment, however it is a cost effective way to branch into a new market.  While the benefits may not be immediate they can be hugely effective in the long term.

Pay per click does give a clear ROI and can be an effective tool to drive conversions.  This type of marketing is designed to make the most of your customers’ online activity. Focus your efforts on your market rather than new markets to see an immediate return.

This is your business take a moment to decide where your efforts should be focused and what will benefit your company the most.