It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s the SEM Superheroes!

The SEM Superheroes took a break from saving companies from digital pitfalls to give S&A Communications an exclusive interview.

Matt Rice: So, SEM Superheroes, what are some of the common mistakes that companies make when trying to market themselves?

Red: Companies miss out on opportunities because they don’t understand how Search Engine Marketing works. SEM has two main components: search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC). The strategy and tactics of SEO work to improve the visibility of a website in the search engines (Google, Yahoo and others). PPC is a type of internet advertising where companies pay each time their ads are clicked.

Green: Why have a fancy website if it can’t be found? That’s like buying a car and not filling it with gasoline – it might look great sitting in your garage, but it’s not going anywhere fast. The foundation for any digital strategy is SEO, and PPC advertising can complement that. Since it takes three to six months to see actionable SEO results, PPC ads can handle the short-term goals, producing more immediate activity and exposure. Why does SEO takes so long? Well, your competitors are trying to rank for the same top spot you’re angling for. Getting on equal ground with them is a time consuming task. And, once the desired results are achieved, there has to be a continuous effort to maintain them.

Blue: Now remember, SEO and PPC cannot be an afterthought. And the first thing you need to think about is what kind of timely, relevant and useful content your customers want from you. Then you can direct them to that content using SEO and PPC techniques. We’re talking about more than just throwing up a few Facebook posts or writing a couple of blog articles and then re-posting the same content all over the web. That kind of repetition is a recipe for annoying your audience. You need a concrete content marketing plan that tailors your posts to the channels your clients use most.

Red: Some companies wonder why they can’t just run PPC advertising. Isn’t that enough? Well, no. No, it’s not. PPC advertising is good, but it can get expensive over time if you are not actively managing it. I’m talking about monitoring the account every day so you do not go over your budget. That’s why it’s good to invest time and effort into SEO if your goal is to rank at or near the top of Google and other search engines. Of course, the biggest obstacle to staying at the top is thinking that SEO is “set it and forget it.” SEO also needs to be monitored, but that’s usually not as time consuming or costly as PPC.

Matt Rice: Well, I’m convinced. So how do we get started?

Red: As a company owner or manager, it’s unlikely you have time to devote to search engine marketing – you’re too busy running your business. That’s why it makes sense to hire a professional to set up, monitor, adjust and analyze your SEO and PPC efforts. You do you. Let S&A Communications do your SEO and PPC.

Blue: It’s not rocket science, but it’s not pat-a-cake either.

Green: A full-service agency can handle not only your SEO and PPC, but also the content creation and advertising design that supports your digital marketing strategy.

Matt Rice: Sounds great, SEM Superheroes. Thanks for stopping by!