Search Engine Advertising: Definition and How it Works

In running a business, implementing search engine advertising and search engine optimization practices can help you build your brand effectively.

Efforts to optimize websites with SEO result in positive business development in this digital era. However, such efforts can also be assisted by SEA.

As mentioned at the beginning, SEA stands for search engine advertising. This strategy plays a role in driving the effectiveness of advertising in digital marketing activities.

So, how does search engine advertising work in business promotion? Check out more information in this guide.

What is Search Engine Advertising?

Search engine advertising (SEA) is an optimization activity that is usually carried out by digital marketers to place advertisements directly on search pages.

With SEA, paid advertisements used to promote brands can appear on various search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

The way the search engine advertising strategy works is almost the same as search engine optimization (SEO), namely by using certain keywords.

Internet users who actively enter specific search queries can see optimized ads on search results pages (SERPs).

It's just that advertisers have to pay a fee for every click from internet users, better known as cost per click (CPC).

SEA-optimized ads are those that are usually in the first position on search results pages.

With this strategy, website owners can optimize their business promotion activities according to their needs and budget to get optimal conversions.

The Differences Between SEO, SEM and SEA

After getting to know search engine advertising briefly, you need to know what differentiates it from SEO and SEM.

SEA is a paid ad optimization strategy that is displayed on search results pages. This is also very different from SEO, which is organic website optimization.

The SEA strategy is used to get conversions from paid ads, while SEO is primarily aimed at getting organic traffic to increase ranking on the SERP.

Whereas SEM (search engine marketing) is a common digital marketing practice. SEA and SEO are categories under SEM.

The way it works is by optimizing the website by considering conversion interests so that the promotional results obtained are optimal.

Aspects of Search Engine Advertising

Paid ads that are optimized for SEA appear in the first position of the Google search results page.

However, this does not apply to Bing and Yahoo, which display ads above, below, or even next to organic search results.

To identify what SEA-optimized paid advertising looks like, consider the following aspects:

• Headline: contains keywords that are relevant and attract the attention of the audience
• Descriptive text: focus on the most important details of the product or service being offered
• Extension: ads get more space on the search results page
• URL: direct users to the landing page of the business website

In order to work optimally, every aspect of the ad must complement each other and attract the user's attention.

Also, make sure to create a landing page with a personalized design that represents the campaign so that it can encourage users to convert.

How Search Engine Advertising Works

Ads displayed using the SEA method generally appear on search results pages and are labeled "Sponsored" or "Ads".

SEA itself works by utilizing a paid advertising platform. Here, business people can create campaigns on the selected advertising platform.

After that, ads need to be optimized with keywords or phrases that are relevant to the business or product being offered.

Then, an ad will appear when the user enters a query that is relevant to the search keywords that have been selected.

In addition to choosing keywords, advertisers also need to implement further the search engine advertising strategy by targeting ads based on several aspects, such as:

• Geographical location
• Device type
• Gender
• Age
• Interest
• User online behavior

With an effective search engine advertising strategy, digital marketing can also be carried out effectively by optimizing the budget spent for each ad click or display.

When the ad is active, users who search with the selected keywords will appear on the search results page.

Therefore, keyword selection is very important in SEA practice. Keyword research needs to be done in depth so that the ad can get the highest position at the lowest cost.

In addition, pay attention to the level of competition in the market and the cost per click or view to run ads optimally.

This cost per click is determined based on the level of competition, ad quality, ad relevance to search intent, and many other factors.

The things mentioned above affect not only ads but also landing pages.

Search engines like Google, Yandex, Baidu, and Bing pay attention to landing page quality as a measure of ad ranking.

To optimize your landing page, or LP, you need to look at the targeted keywords and page quality based on Core Web Vitals and On-Page.

5 Benefits of an Ad Optimization Strategy Through SEA

After getting to know various things that need to be known about SEA, it's time for you to know the benefits of implementing this strategy.

As with SEO, SEA is a strategy that relies on measurable planning so that the results of its efforts are optimal.

Here are some of the benefits that can be obtained from a measurable search engine advertising strategy:

1. High Search Intent

Ads with the SEA strategy have been optimized so they can appear in strategic positions on search results pages.

This relates to the search behavior of internet users who enter certain keywords to get the desired results.

Therefore, search intent can be used to get high ad visibility. Targeted ads based on certain queries can also provide a better user experience in the eyes of search engines and users alike.

2. Target Audience According to Business Niche

Targeting certain keywords is not enough. Therefore, digital marketers need to target an audience that fits the business market.

For this reason, the written text must be personalized to suit the marketing needs and the target audience.

3. Fast Conversion Results

If organic search isn't enough to help your business get revenue fast, then SEA is the solution.

With SEA, getting a strategic position, even at the top, on the search results page can be easier.

If the ad occupies the first page of the SERP, then the chances of searchers finding it will be even greater.

That way, the potential for conversion will increase along with optimized ad visibility on search results pages.

However, it should be noted that digital advertising does not always generate leads that can be converted.

It is not uncommon to find that many of the clicks you get are spam and detrimental to advertisers.  

4. Increased Brand Awareness

Besides encouraging more of the target audience to convert, SEA can also increase brand awareness.

The higher the ad's ranking on the SERP, the more internet users will know your business brand.

With these frequent advertisements, audiences will judge your business as credible and trustworthy.

For example, you can target software-related ads for Windows mobile devices on Bing. Whereas on Google, ad targets can include YouTube or the Google Display Network,

This is what makes SEA different from SEO, which can only target search pages.

Searching for related products and services with advertising will be able to increase the value of the business brand in the market more effectively.

5. In-Depth Analysis

SEA involves measurable data from major search engines such as Google, which provide tools to analyze the effectiveness of ad performance.

For Google, you can use Google Ads, which can provide data such as CTR, CPC, and conversion rate of ads served.

That's a guide about search engine advertising and how it works to help increase conversion rates effectively.

In addition to SEA's efforts to optimize business performance digitally, you can also use SEO services to introduce websites more effectively to your target audience.

With the help of an SEO specialist, your website will be optimized with a measurable strategy and get organic traffic that can make it better known on the SERPs.