Search Engine Advertising For Businesses
Everyone searches for products & services online using search engines such as Google, Bing, Yandex, DuckDuckGo, and others. Search engines serve as the first point of contact for a purchase decision, as well as for the selection of a service provider. Consequently, it is more important than ever for a company to be visible and to position itself at the top of the search results page.
In the following article, we will explain how exactly SEA works, on which platforms it takes place, and how you can use it to promote your products and services.
Content overview
What is SEA?
Search engine advertising (SEA) is another part of search engine marketing (SEM) alongside search engine optimization (SEO) and comprises the paid placement of advertisements within search engines.
The aim of SEA is to offer one’s own products and services to a relevant target group and to increase brand presence.
What are the benefits of SEA for my business?
In the digital age, search engines have the advantage that users actively search for specific terms. Your company can deduce from these search terms which interests or intentions the users are pursuing.
As a business owner, you have the opportunity to pay for relevant ads to appear in the results list when users search for specific keywords (search terms). The probability for your company to attract potential customers and sell products is significantly higher compared to traditional advertising measures.
SEA can be seen as a supplement to SEO or as compensation for a poor search engine ranking. If you are not well positioned organically, SEA offers you the opportunity to be present on the first search results page and even appear above the organic search results. Professional application of both concepts is necessary for effective online presence and online marketing.
Should users already be able to find you easily in the search engines, search engine advertising still offers many more advantages, e.g. generating more sales during a new sales campaign or during important advertising times (Christmas, Black Friday, etc.). Additionally, SEA will bring more traffic to your site or simply increases your brand awareness. Also, your organic search page position can be strengthened, should the advertising campaigns be well-structured and relevant, because Google also considers bounce rates and click-through rates for ranking your website in the organic section.
You already appear in search results and you wonder why you should pay for advertising now?
It is possible that a potential customer has already heard of you and as a result searches for your company name directly. In this case, it is imperative that you avoid losing customers through targeted search engine advertising by your competitors. They can add your company name as a keyword and thus position themselves specifically above your search results.
Furthermore, if you are already well positioned in the organic search results, search engine advertising can offer you a variety of opportunities to generate new customers via alternative search queries and increase your visibility. Beyond pure search engine advertising, there is also the option of display advertising, i.e. placing ads on websites that are paid to display your ads (display network). Take full advantage of Google’s display network and advertise via video, image banner ads, or Gmail.
How does SEA work?
Search engine advertising is based on an auction system in which the advertiser specifies keywords. Keywords are phrases that the advertiser assumes users will use in searches. Each time the user’s search term triggers one of your keywords, you participate in an auction where the various ad placements are auctioned off. In the auction, the quality and relevance of the keyword in relation to the ad are assessed, and the competition and keyword bid are taken into account. The keyword bid is the maximum amount you are willing to spend for a keyword. Your ad will be displayed at a certain position if you are the winner of the auction. You only pay when the user clicks on your ad.
What is Pay-per-Click (PPC)?
Pay-per-click (PPC) refers to a billing method in online marketing and is mainly used in search engine marketing. PPC advertising is based on cost-per-click (CPC) which means that you will pay a variable click price only when your ad is clicked. PPC and CPC are often used as synonyms, with pay-per-click describing the process and CPC providing information about the price of a click.
PPC advertising includes advertising based on keywords (Google Ads and Bing Ads), banner & display advertising, as well as Meta advertising.
You are afraid that your competitor is intentionally causing you costs by clicking on your ads multiple times?
Google records users who click on an ad several times in a row and reimburses these click costs at the end of the month. In addition, various technologies, such as IP blocking, exist to prevent click fraud. We show you further possibilities.
WHAT SEARCH ENGINES ARE THERE?
The first search engine that comes to mind is Google. However, there are other search engines through which you can address and attract potential customers.
In Germany, the Google search engine is the undisputed market leader with 86% followed by the Bing search engine with about 12% of users. If you are thinking about advertising to other markets as well then the Baidu search engine becomes interesting for China, whereas in Russia mainly Yandex is used. In the USA, Oath (formerly Yahoo) is the third most popular search engine, along with Google and Bing.
Search engine advertising also includes banner advertising on partner websites of these search engines, which can comprise video ads, image ads, as well as e-mail ads.
What are the advantages of professional search engine advertising?
- Increasing the conversion rate through target group-specific focus
- Decrease in click cost through an improvement of the quality score
- Meticulous evaluation of the collected data with the help of website analysis tools and clear monthly reporting
- Insider knowledge - benefit from our experience working as official Google Ads account consultants and from advanced internal trainings we received directly from Google
- Through our network and contacts at Google we are always up to date and can show you newest features
Sounds all too complicated?
Q / A
Q & A
What is the procedure?
After an introductory meeting, we will get an overview of your Google Ads account and work with you to determine your objectives. We will then send you a non-binding offer. You can then sit back, relax and let us do the work. If your performance has not improved within 90 days, we will refund the costs.
Does my company qualify for the Performance Guarantee?
The performance guarantee only applies to established companies that invest at least €10,000 per month in Google Ads. If your company wants to get started on Google with a lower budget, we can provide you with individual support outside of our special programme. Another basic requirement for the performance guarantee is that Google Ads must have been running continuously for at least 90 days. Find out more about the requirements for the special programme in a personal consultation. The offer only applies to new customers.
How much budget do I need?
Your Google advertising budget is highly individual and cannot be generalised. If you do not have a predefined advertising budget, we will be happy to support you with a customised budget plan.
What happens if performance declines?
If we do not achieve the performance target agreed with you, we will refund 100% of the fees.
How does the repayment take place?
The administration fees will be refunded by SEPA bank transfer within 7 days after the 90 days have expired.
What happens after 90 days?
After 90 days, you are free to extend your co-operation with us or find another partner. However, the performance guarantee is only limited to the first 90 days. The offer is only available to new customers.
What services are available outside the performance guarantee?
If you do not qualify for the special programme, we will still support you with tailor-made strategies and account management. Please complete the configurator to receive a customised offer.