As we work to use search to become better marketers, we will devote today to Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Search Engine Optimization (SEO) falls under the larger umbrella of SEM, but as we discussed last week, the two should be used in tandem to achieve optimal results.
SEM is most commonly associated with paid search ads that appear at the top and sides of a Search Engine Results Page (SERP). These paid search results are one point at which search and social begin to collide, because brands can pay to appear in the results pages of social networks as well as search engines. Seeing an advertisement that is appealing in their Facebook or LinkedIn feed makes it enticing and easy for them to share it with their own networks.
While an investment in SEM is very appealing for marketers, it is important to approach it the right way to make the most of your budget while also avoiding common pitfalls. Here are four tips to help you avoid SEM faux pas:
B2B marketers must make the effort to correlate customer relationships with paid search campaigns. The opportunity for ROI in this arena is huge, but tracking it requires a bit of work, since sales are often closed by sales teams rather than an online shopping cart. B2C search campaigns, in contrast, are tracked more easily as a customer clicks through directly to sale. B2B companies must record a lead’s source info or URL in their customer management system to develop an understanding of what paid keywords are leading to increased revenue.
B2B marketers often find it harder to track ROI on SEM than B2C marketers, because while a customer quickly buys a $20 item online without much thought, a one million dollar software purchase often leads to a phone call. The B2B customer wants to talk to a sales team to find out more about such a large investment. Even though entry into the sales funnel may happen over the phone for a B2B customer, it is crucial that the lead’s source, again, be recorded. There are many companies who offer call-tracking software to link a phone number directly to a paid search campaign; ClickPath and LogMyCalls are both good examples. Because the B2B sales cycle is so long, understanding which campaigns are bringing you qualified customers along the way is crucial to continued success.
As you have realized, the B2B marketer must make many considerations specific to their industry before investing in an SEM campaign. One risk for a pay per click campaign, for example, lies in the fact that there are many more consumer than business searchers online every day. Many B2B keywords also have a general appeal, and even when you make your language specific to your target, unqualified leads will click. This costs marketers money with no return, so developing ad content that is as specific to your product as possible is crucial in the B2B arena. Finally, B2B marketers must relentlessly target the customer they want, be it the entry-level small business employee or the mid-market executives.
Because keywords can be so difficult for B2B companies to manage profitably, contextual advertising is a wonderful option to consider. The highly specific, industry-related B2B product is not something internet searchers typically have on their mind, so it is the B2B marketer’s job to put it there. Contextual advertising on an industry blog or message board is the perfect way to get your target thinking about a product they didn’t know they needed.
Pairing B2B marketing with SEM can be complex, but the return on investment will be well worth it. Reach out to us on Twitter or LinkedIn to tell us the strategies that have worked for you.
(Image credit: Yaph)
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