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What is search engine marketing (SEM)?

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Quick answer

Search engine marketing (SEM) is promoting a website by increasing its visibility in search engine results — mainly through paid ads that appear above or beside the regular results. It's a fast way to reach people actively searching for what you offer.

Key things to understand

  1. It boosts visibility in search engine results.
  2. It mainly uses paid search ads (like Google Ads).
  3. Advertisers bid on keywords people search for.
  4. It complements SEO, which earns visibility organically.

People also ask

What is search engine marketing?
Promoting a website in search results, primarily through paid ads targeting people's search queries.
What's the difference between SEM and SEO?
SEM usually means paid search ads; SEO earns unpaid, organic rankings. Both target search visibility.
How do search ads work?
Advertisers bid on keywords, and their ads show to people searching those terms, paying per click.