8 Search Engine Marketing Tips to Implement

If you’re looking to supercharge your digital marketing strategy, you can’t afford to ignore the power of search engine marketing (SEM). It’s one of the most effective ways to grow your business and outshine the competition. Interested, but have no time? At least understand the basics. It’s a must-have in your marketing plan.

8 Marketing Tips to Improve Your Search Engine Ranking

 

1. Leverage the Power of Long-Tail Keywords

In the search engine universe, the long-tail keyword is king. They’re the specific keyword phrases that visitors use when they want to learn about your company or for voice search. While long-tail keywords may attract less traffic, the traffic they do attract is more targeted, leading to better conversion rates – and that’s what it’s all about.

So, instead of targeting a broad keyword like “shoes”, you may want to try “women’s red Nike running shoes”. This not only decreases competition but also attracts people who are looking for products like yours. Red Nike running shoes anyone?

2. Get Smart with Geo-Targeting

If you’re trying to pinpoint customers in your area, localize your SEM efforts to be more effective. Say you’re promoting a Shop Local campaign. It doesn’t make sense to target customers halfway around the world. Geo-targeting allows you to reach potential customers in a specific area. Even with a small advertising budget, your online ads will appear more relevant, and you’ll boost your conversion rate. 

3. Mobile Optimization is a Must

You’ve probably heard me say that more people in the world have mobile phones than toothbrushes. Kind of icky if you think of it, but a mobile-first mindset is key. If you’re not optimizing your search engine marketing for mobile users, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Mobile devices account for more than half of all internet traffic and Google’s algorithms prioritize mobile-friendly websites.

Is your site mobile-friendly? Look at factors like page loading speed, your web design’s responsiveness, and easy navigation. Mobile optimization isn’t just a nice to have, it’s a must have to reach a larger audience and rank higher on SERPs (search engine result pages).

4. Master the Art of Ad Copy

There’s no excuse for bad advertising copy. There are freelancers, outsourced marketing teams, and now AI can help you become a better copywriter. Plain and simple, bad ad copy can break your search engine marketing campaigns. Remember your audience’s attention span is short, so you need to be precise, concise, and compelling. Forget flowery sentences unless you’re writing for the J. Peterman catalogue; (though I do like their style). Use strong action verbs, emphasize the benefits, and create a sense of urgency (FOMO) to encourage clicks.

Also, keep A/B testing your ad copies to determine what works best for your audience. Small tweaks can make a big difference. Ask ChatGPT and it will show you how.

5. Make Retargeting Your Secret Weapon

I’m not a digital marketing ad specialist, but with over 20 years’ experience working with clients, I know that retargeting is a powerful SEM strategy. Retargeting targets people who have already visited your website but haven’t converted. It serves as a reminder for prospective buyers to pick up where they left off and complete their purchase – or follow through on a call-to-action.

If you’re wondering about the average conversion rate, you may be surprised. Research shows that it’s between 1 – 3%. That means that a large majority of your visitors will never follow through. With retargeting, the likelihood of conversion increases significantly. Check it out to see if it’s right for you.

6. Embrace Voice Search

According to the latest voice search statistics, 36.6% of users in the US use voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. No surprise that it’s rapidly becoming a major player in the search engine world. By optimizing your marketing content for voice search, you can reach a whole new audience and get ahead of competitors who aren’t taking advantage of this growing trend (yet).

How do you optimize voice search? One marketing tip is to use more conversational keywords and phrases since they’re like our natural speech patterns. Here’s a podcast from the Fast Marketing Minute on simple voice search strategies.

7. Add Video to Your Marketing Mix

If you’re not on the video brand wagon, jump on. These 2023 video marketing statistics will confirm that if you’re not using video, you should be. Video content is highly engaging, people love it, and it’s favored by search engine algorithms. Add video content to your website (in small doses so it doesn’t slow down your speed). It can help improve your search rankings, keep visitors on your site longer, and build like, know, trust – and believability.

Remember to optimize your video content with relevant keywords in the title, description, and tags for the best results – and if you’re repurposing on YouTube, you’ve got 5,000 characters to use in the video description.

8. Track and Analyze Your Progress

Lastly, you’ll want to track and analyze your progress. Even if you tend to be a right-brain thinker, never underestimate the power of data. When you regularly track and analyze your search engine performance, you’ll find valuable insights on what’s working and what’s not. Google Analytics is a powerful tool that can help you measure your success and identify areas for improvement. If you want to be a master, take this Google Analytics Training.

Bottom line: Using These SEM Tips to Improve Online Conversions

These search engine marketing hacks aren’t just about bringing in more traffic; they’re about bringing in the right kind of traffic. They’re about understanding your audience, meeting them where they are, and offering them what they need. Keep them in mind as build and perfect your marketing plan.

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As a small business owner for the last 20 years, I’ve gained experience, wisdom, insight, and knowledge to help you market yourself and your brand at a fraction of the cost. My focus is to use the same PR and promotional strategies used by bigger brands, and personalize them to fit your needs and goals.

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