SEM – Search Engine Marketing
Six out of every ten people use Google for research before buying something new, online or offline. Nine out of ten discover new brands via Google. Takeaway: if consumers aren’t seeing your business when they’re searching online, you’re losing out to your competitors. Lime’s search marketing specialists help you win, with expert PPC / search strategy, persuasive ad copy, and great landing pages.
What are search ads?
Search ads, also referred to as search engine marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, or paid search marketing, is a form of marketing that shows ads on search results pages on search engines like Google and Bing. These paid search ads are generally shown above and below the “organic” results (i.e., unpaid results that the search engine considers most relevant to a given search query) for certain searches.
Search ads let you target specific keywords or search topics for which you want your ad to be shown, as well as many other targeting criteria. Ads can contain some text to promote your product or service, your phone number, seller ratings, and a link to a webpage that you specify.
Search networks like Google auction these ads to the highest bidder; how often your ads are shown or clicked on, as well as how much each click costs, depends on the level of competition for your keywords and targeting criteria, and on how much you bid.
What is the difference between search ads and display ads?
Paid search ads are a form of marketing called “pull” marketing, which refers to the fact that these ads are only shown to people who are already actively looking or “pulling” for information related to your ad.
Display ads, on the other hand, are a form of “push” marketing; they are shown to a targeted audience who may not necessarily be looking for information related to the advertised product or service, at the moment when the ad is shown to them.
Search ads typically contain only text, while display ads can have images, animation, and video. One exception to this is Google shopping ads, which is a type of search ad that also contains images of the advertised product.
What is the difference between Google search ads and Google shopping ads?
Google search ads and Google shopping ads are both campaign types that use the PPC model, and that have placements on Google search results pages, including web search and image searches. The table below summarises the differences:
| Google Shopping Ads | Google Search Ads |
| Focused on product- or product-group-based bidding | Focused on keyword-based bidding |
| Features product images | Does not allow images |
| Better suited for large eCommerce sites | Better suited for ads of brick and mortar businesses and small eCommerce sites |
| Allows easy, automated setup of ads for thousands of individual products | Allows greater customisation of ad copy and information |
Note that shopping ads and search ads are not necessarily mutually exclusive – it is possible to run both campaign types for the same set of products, simultaneously.
Why should I choose Lime to create and manage my search ads campaign?
A successful search ads campaign needs more than choosing keywords and ad copy. Well-optimised website and landing pages, attractive product imagery, and persuasive calls-to-action, each make the difference between great and ordinary results. Lime comprises experts in all these facets of marketing, allowing a holistic approach that gives your brand an edge over your competitors.