What Does Search Engine Marketing Do?

Search engine marketing (SEM) is the technique of boosting a web site's ranking in search engines and drawing attention to it by combining search engine optimization (SEO) with paid and organic link building. In the modern world of cutthroat online competition, it is essential for any company's success, whether the company is an international megaconglomerate, a small town business, or a single freelancer working from home. But what exactly is involved in search engine marketing?

First, the web page itself needs to be optimized to be as appealing as possible to search engines. SEO specialists edit and clarify the content, the page titles, and possibly even the site's structure to make the site easy to navigate and to hone the site's keyword targeting.

When the site is ready, specialists get new incoming links to the site. Free and organic links are best, but shooting up the ranks in search engines and fine tuning link targeting usually requires paid links as well. Paid links can include advertising bought on web sites and in advertising networks, as well as new methods such as paid blog posts. Expert help is needed to avoid pitfalls in link building. Too many links from or to undesirable sites can drop a site in the rankings, and newcomers to SEO frequently find it challenging to identify which sites are undesirable. Also, people who are new to SEM often find methods like astroturfing appealing. In astroturfing, a company employee posts comments about the company in niche blogs, pretending to be an ordinary consumer who is impressed with the company. Although astroturfing looks like an excellent tool on the surface, blog readers recognize it as spam. The fallout from an astroturf campaign can do heavy damage to a company's online reputation. The field of SEM is dotted with many more bad ideas that look like good ideas, so before putting any new idea into use, a web master would do well to call in an expert.

Another important element in any link building plan is paid inclusion. While many search engines and directories are free, quite a few either require a fee to include a site or give higher rankings to sites that pay. Since only a few ranking points can make the difference between a steady stream of visitors an an anemic trickle, many companies find paid inclusion to be a good investment.

Search engine marketing requires a delicate balance of free and paid link building, paid search engine and directory inclusion, and search engine optimization. When all the elements work in tandem, they can boost a web site from the bottom of the search engine result pages to the top. The important part is to balance the elements right, link to the right mix of sites, and get the right experts to manage it.