Marketing
What is Search engine marketing?
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.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains search engine marketing.
Key things to understand
- 1It boosts visibility in search engine results.
- 2It mainly uses paid search ads (like Google Ads).
- 3Advertisers bid on keywords people search for.
- 4It complements SEO, which earns visibility organically.
Frequently asked questions
- 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.