Search Engine Marketing / SEO Terms Search Engine Marketing Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a digital advertising strategy that promotes websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results through paid placements. It allows businesses to appear alongside or above organic results by bidding on keywords that potential customers are likely to use. When done well, SEM helps drive highly targeted traffic to your site, often leading to faster conversions than organic search alone. The most common platform for SEM is Google Ads, but Bing Ads and other search engines also offer similar tools. SEM works on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, where advertisers only pay when a user clicks on their ad. These ads can appear in various formats, including text listings, shopping ads with product images or local listings with map details. Campaigns are managed through advertising platforms that allow for keyword selection, audience targeting, budget control and performance tracking. Advertisers can fine-tune their campaigns by adjusting bids, refining keywords or testing multiple ad versions to improve results over time. Unlike search engine optimization (SEO), which builds visibility gradually through content and technical improvements, SEM delivers results almost immediately once a campaign is live. It is particularly effective for launching new products, promoting time-sensitive offers or targeting high-intent customers. SEM also provides detailed analytics, helping marketers understand which keywords and ads drive the most value. To succeed with SEM, it is essential to write clear ad copy, select relevant keywords and link to landing pages that match the user’s intent. When combined with a solid SEO foundation, SEM becomes a powerful tool for achieving short-term results and long-term growth.