What SEM Can Do For Your Business

So what do SEO/SEM companies offer, anyway?

There are many bloggers, article writers, web developers and business owners out there who think search engine marketing (SEM) isn't something anyone should pay for. They believe search marketing - like any other type of marketing - is something you can read up on and learn how to do yourself. But, as I'm sure we all know, some things are best left to the experts.

Is search marketing for everyone? Of course not. Neither is social media. Neither is purchasing space on a highway billboard. It all depends on business marketing goals.

Danny Sullivan said,

Search engines are where people go to seek information. They express what they want using their own words. They’re having a conversation with that search engine, and part of the conversation back comes from the web sites that hear what they say and speak the same language.

But, Can't I Create My Own Site/PPC Campaign?
Any Tom, Dick or Harry can zip out to GoDaddy and purchase a domain with hosting, then start a web site on Wordpress and write the content. Heck, they can even create an Adwords account and bid on some keywords. Hey, if that's all a business owner needs, then super. But, are they aware of the finer points of entering into the 'conversation' Danny alludes to? Sure, they've saved money and have the pride of building their own site. The reality is, if a web site is intended to be more than an online business card, there's more to it - a LOT more - than that.

Are SEMs offering some magical service no one else can do? Of course not...but this IS something we do every day, and for those of us who adhere to best practices, we're offering a service which can be very effective for a company's bottom line and takes much less time and effort than it does to the small-business owner struggling to learn and do everything himself.

Think of it this way: if someone wants to write up her will, can she take care of that online, with a cheap, do-it-yourself service? Yes. Is it probably smarter to hire a lawyer well-versed in the law to ensure everything is done correctly? Absolutely. An even simpler analogy: are we all capable of hand-washing our clothes? Indeed, but I've yet to come across one of my friends who doesn't own a washer and dryer. Why? Because who's got the time dedicated to do as good a job as a Maytag?

So, what DOES an SEM company offer you - the small business owner, the veterinarian, the health and safety consultant agency? Lots of experience in a marketing niche, proven results, data to back it all up and peace of mind.