What is SEA and how do you deploy it for your organization?

To apply a good SEA strategy, basic knowledge of SEA is necessary. In this article, I will discuss the meaning of SEA and how to run and optimize paid search campaigns. The combination of SEO and SEA leads to powerful marketing strategies. Therefore, it is good to have sufficient knowledge about both parts.

What does SEA entail?

SEA is the abbreviation of Search Engine Advertising and involves buying advertising space in search engines to gain direct visibility. This is subject to a fee per click or view, unlike SEO, which focuses on organic traffic. (1)

Keywords and performance trigger ads. Thus, clicks and conversions can be accurately measured by platforms such as Google Ads and Bing Ads. Google is the market leader.

With the use of SEA, a website’s traffic can be well measured, which is useful for determining strategies to drive more traffic to the website.

Some basic points about SEA:

• Pay per click: where SEO is about getting organic or non-paying users to a website, SEA pays for each click, view, or conversion through the ad.
• Instant visibility: the moment the campaign goes live, the ads are immediately shown to users when they search for the keywords you use. This can also bring direct traffic to the website already.
• Keywords: to create an ad, keywords appropriate to the products/services offered by the ad are used. When users enter these keywords into their search engine, the ad pops up.
• Measurability: the number of impressions, kills and conversions on the ad is easy to measure. This provides immediate and clear insight into the performance of the ad.
• Flexible budget: the budget for SEA is flexible. You can change the budget daily by adjusting spending based on ad performance. Thus, with good performance, the budget can be reduced.

What is the difference between SEO and SEA?

SEO and SEA both have to do with search engine marketing. However, the strategies of the two components differ. SEO ensures that a website is optimized to rank higher in Google organically – without payment. SEA focuses on buying ad space above or beside organic search results.

With SEA, you buy a visible share in search results immediately, while with SEO it takes longer for the effects to show up in search results.

Read my blog on SEO and SEA here, where I talk more about the differences between the channels and how to use them together within your marketing strategy.

The benefits of SEA

In today’s market, there is a fight for consumer attention and strong competition. SEA ensures that the website is highlighted in the right place; the place where the target audience is active. By using keywords and placing the ads in places related to the keywords, the ads easily come to the attention of people who are interested in the products/services. Promotions are also easily brought to the attention of the target audience, generating a positive ROI – provided the SEA is done correctly. (2)

The basics of SEA

Before we dive into the depths of strategies and campaign optimization, it is essential to get the basics right. Only then can the investment become profitable. The following steps lead to a good SEA strategy:

Start a Google Ads account

The first step of an SEA strategy is to set up a Google Ads account. This can be done on the Google Ads website…. Click “Start Now” and go through all the steps to set up the account. Link the account to the website and make sure conversion tracking is set up correctly. This tracking optimizes and accurately measures SEA results.

Define the objectives

Now that the first step has been taken, it is important to set the objectives. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) must also be determined. Is the goal more users on the Web site or is the focus more on selling products/services? Achieving brand awareness can also be one of the goals. (3)

Setting goals in advance makes for a more efficient campaign. Moreover, you can adjust the budget accordingly.

Determine the budget

Based on the objectives, the budget can be determined. In budgeting, it is important to find a middle ground between the intended objectives and the willingness to invest.

Choose a budget that is not too high to begin with, to avoid risk. Then monitor the results and see if the investment pays off. In this analysis, the cost per click (CPS) in the website’s industry and the competition on the target keywords are important factors.

Creating ads

There are some things involved in advertising the ads. The goal of an ad is to generate the highest number of clicks possible, along with a large percentage of relevant visitors. Therefore, the ad must also target the audience. Every click costs money.

Relevant keywords and easy-to-read text should be used when creating an ad. Ad extensions also help.

The importance of relevant keywords

As described above, relevant keywords are key to a successful SEA campaign. Keywords are the words and phrases that the target audience – and thus potential customers – type into the search engine. So choose keywords not only that fit the products/services offered, but also keywords that match the target audience’s search behavior.

Not only is the meaning of the keywords important, the length of the words also plays a role. Additionally, look for a mix of specific and general keywords to reach an even broader target audience.(4)

Writing the ad copy

Ad copy should be of good quality. They should be accurate in content and provide enough information about the products/services. In addition, it should contain enough relevant keywords and be coherent with the landing page. This increases the ad’s Quality Score.

But in addition to good content, the ad must be attractive to the audience. Ads should print the unique selling points and include a call-to-action. Keep in mind the search intent of the target audience.

Using extensions

Ad extensions are a powerful tool to provide additional information and additional reasons to click. A smart way to raise the ad’s profile is to use ad extensions. For example, use sitelink extensions, location extensions or callout extensions to ensure the extension stands out more. Moreover, these extensions generate more interaction for potential customers.

Defining the target audience

Knowing the target audience for the products/services offered is the basis of the SEA campaign. Based on demographics, geographic location, behavior and interest, you can segment the target audience. Therefore, target the SEA campaign primarily to this group. The core of SEA is delivering the right message to the right people at the right time. (5)

Demographic and geographic targeting

Demographic and geographic targeting are two elements of great importance to an SEA campaign. These components ensure that ads are targeted to specific groups or locations.

Demographic Targeting

• Age: tailor the ad to a specific age group.
• Gender: some ads are especially suitable for a particular gender. Also, make sure that this audience in particular sees the ad.
• Income levels: the level of income also plays a role. Take into account income groups and determine which of them fall under the target group.
• Marital status: for certain campaigns, the marital status of the target audience may be influential. Determine if a product/service is especially suitable for singles or people who are married.
• Parents: parents are also a specific target group. Products/services related to children are appropriate for this audience and appeal less to singles.

Geographic Targeting

• Country/Region: consider specific countries or regions when advertising.
• City or place: cities or specific places within a region influence target behavior.
• Zip code: some ad campaigns are intended only for a particular zip code.
• Location groups: create specific location groups, for example a group located near your business.
• Location extensions: include your business address under ads to attract local customers.
• Device-based location targeting: tune an ad to the users’ device location.
• Weather: some ads are customized based on the weather in a particular location (via APIs and scripts).

Make smart use of the various targeting options by combining them. In this way, the target audience is reached more quickly and easily and the likelihood of conversion is significantly increased.

Segmentation of behavior and interest

It is useful to know what content the target audience is interested in. This provides insight into the interests and online behavior of the target audience, which helps tailor ads to their needs and preferences.

Remarketing

Moreover, remarketing is a useful strategy. Remarketing tracks which users have previously visited the website or app. This is useful information for marketers because it allows them to create specific ads for this target audience. By regularly showing relevant ads to previous visitors, the website or app remains under their attention and they are more likely to return again.

Segmenting remarketing lists even further will make ads even more personal and increase the likelihood of conversion.

Landing pages optimal for conversion

When investing in SEA, the landing pages that visitors land on are optimized for conversion. Since a fee is charged for each click, it is important that the user lands on a page that is both relevant and encourages action. That could be buying a product/service, but also downloading files or signing up. (6)

Why is a consistent user experience so important?

Make sure the content of the ad is consistent with the content on the landing page. The message, visual elements and call-to-action should be displayed in the same style. This way, the user does not get confused and is more likely to click.

Optimal mobile user experience

Nowadays, the biggest online traffic takes place on a cell phone, so this must be addressed when creating landing pages. The mobile pages must be technically responsive and the content must be adapted to the smaller screens. The same goes for call-to-actions. Moreover, people who surf on their phones tend to have shorter attention spans. So don’t make the ads too long and make sure the message is clear quickly.

A/B testing

For optimal performance of landing pages, A/B testing is very useful. In A/B testing, two different versions of a website are tested by the target audience. Adjust elements such as the headline, images and call-to-action and analyze how the target audience responds to these changes. The page with the best results in conversion and user experience can be used for the website.

A/B testing not only provides insight into the layout of the current page, but also what the target audience expects from future pages.(7)

Analyze and optimize SEA campaigns

An SEA campaign must be analyzed on an ongoing basis. Review the results regularly and adjust the SEA campaign accordingly. Some elements will require a little more attention, while others will require a little less focus.

Google Ads analysis

Google Ads has extensive analytics capabilities that provide insight into ad performance. Not only does this look at clicks and conversions, but also at data, quality score, cost per conversion and click-through rate. Leverage these outcomes for an optimal campaign.

Making changes based on the dates

If the analysis shows that some parts of the campaign need fine-tuning, the budget may need to be adjusted, for example. But the content of the ad must also be changed in some cases. For example, ad copy should be worded differently or offers adjusted.

Moreover, some ads must be changed each season. Market trends are very sensitive to seasonal changes and the products/services involved.

Feedback Loops

Applying the information coming from the analytics to new SEO campaigns and test creates Feedback Loops. In this way, results are constantly evaluated and changes are constantly made.

Each new outcome in turn leads to new insights and can be used in improving future ads. This creates a cycle of continuous improvement.

Advanced SEA strategies

Once a good SEA campaign is up and running, advanced strategies are continually explored to further optimize ad results. For example, the format of the ad can be changed or different bidding strategies are applied.

There is also a constant search for new opportunities within the platform, such as the use of machine learning and automation.(8)

Automation and scripts

To rotate ads, optimize bids and perform other repetitive tasks, automation and scripts within Google Ads are used. These let marketers work more efficiently and get more out of their campaign. Automation allows for faster response to changes. Even outside office hours, changes are made to the website in this way, so the content is always up-to-date.

Dynamic ad content

Ads are personalized based on the user’s search query by applying dynamic ad content. Dynamic content ensures that ad text and content fit the user’s purpose as closely as possible. This makes the ad more relevant and increases the likelihood of conversion.

Dynamic search ads that automatically adjust to search terms can be used. Different variations of an ad are also created, targeting different segments of the audience.

SEA combined with other marketing channels

SEA is used in conjunction with other marketing channels. As a result, the message from all channels should be consistent with each other. For example, data from SEA campaigns is used to optimize SEO, social media campaigns or email marketing.

A combined approach of different marketing channels conveys the message more uniformly to the target audience. In this regard, it does not matter which of the channels they interact with.

Summary

SEA campaigns are created in the form of ads, which are shown to users who search for certain keywords or were previously interested in the topic of your website.

To achieve optimal results, the campaign must be constantly monitored and analyzed. Adjustments are made based on these results. Moreover, these results provide insight into creating future ads.