Search engine marketing (SEM) is the practice of promoting a website by increasing its visibility in search engine results pages, primarily through paid advertising. It is often used alongside search engine optimisation (SEO), which focuses on organic rankings.

SEM includes pay-per-click (PPC) ads, shopping ads, and display ads on search networks. Advertisers bid on keywords, and ad placement depends on bid amount, ad quality, and relevance. SEM delivers immediate visibility and is highly measurable, but costs can escalate in competitive markets.

Key points

• Paid visibility in search results
• Includes PPC and shopping ads
• Bid on keywords
• Immediate and measurable