Stand out when it matters most with Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is one of the most intent-driven advertising channels, offering a direct connection to consumers actively searching for answers, products, or services. With Google processing 3.8 million search queries every minute worldwide and holding 94% of the search engine market share in Australia (followed by Bing at 4.5%), the potential reach is great. Coupled with the fact that nearly 45.5% of users make a purchase or contact a business after conducting a search, SEM is an essential component in many marketing strategies as a strong conversion driver.

Search Ad Campaigns are the most well-known type of SEM. These text-based ads appear when specific keywords are searched on Google, allowing businesses to target users with precise intent. These campaigns are confined to Google’s Search platform and its Audience Network, excluding other parts of the Google ecosystem like YouTube. However, they provide advertisers with significant control over ad placements, audience targeting, and bidding strategies, making them ideal for businesses seeking a highly focused approach.

Bing, owned by Microsoft, powers three search engines: Bing, Yahoo, and AOL. Bing Ads operate similarly to Google Search Ads, featuring text-based ads that appear at the top of search results for targeted keywords.

While Bing’s market share is smaller compared to Google, it has a unique audience. Bing tends to attract an older, more educated demographic with higher household incomes. For certain campaigns, Bing can be a valuable addition, especially since its smaller user base often results in less competition and lower cost-per-click compared to the Google ecosystem.

For a broader reach, Performance Max (Pmax) Campaigns leverage Google’s advanced automation and AI capabilities. Pmax ads extend across multiple platforms within the Google ecosystem, including Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, and the Display Network. Unlike traditional campaigns, Pmax optimises placements and ad combinations over time, using both the advertiser’s input and the campaign’s data signals. This format supports text, images, and video assets, making it a versatile option for advertisers looking to maximise their reach and performance.

If you sell physical products online, Google Shopping Campaigns provide an excellent opportunity to showcase your range. These campaigns display product details such as images, prices, and brand names at the top of search results or within the Shopping tab. To run these campaigns, businesses need to set up a Google Merchant Center account and integrate it with a product feed, typically sourced from their eCommerce platform. This setup ensures real-time updates for inventory, pricing, and availability. Google uses product data to determine how and where ads appear, ensuring your products are shown to users actively searching for similar items.

If your product is an app, leveraging specialised app install campaigns can significantly enhance its visibility and drive downloads. Both Google and Apple offer distinct approaches tailored to their ecosystems.

Previously known as Universal App Campaigns (UAC), Google App Campaigns enable marketers to promote mobile apps across the Google ecosystem—not just the Google Play Store. These campaigns require assets such as text, videos, and HTML5 creatives, which Google automatically tests and combines to optimise for the best-performing ad variations. Goals can range from app installs to specific in-app conversion events.

Carefully crafted text ads are particularly important, as they guide Google’s targeting and placement strategy, delivering ads across platforms like Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, and the Google Display Network.

Apple Search Ads focus exclusively on the App Store, helping your app stand out in search results. These ads appear at the top of relevant keyword searches, allowing you to target specific audiences based on keywords, demographics, locations, and devices. This precision ensures your app reaches users most likely to download it.

Both Google App Campaigns and Apple Search Ads complement organic app store optimisation efforts.