FAQs About Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
What happens when I request a FREE proposal?
We’ll hop on a quick 10–15 minute call to learn about your business, goals, and where you might be missing opportunities. There’s no charge and no commitment—just a helpful, low-pressure conversation.
By the end, you’ll walk away with one or two personalized ideas or scenarios designed to help you generate more qualified leads. Whether or not you choose to work with us, you’ll gain valuable insights you can use.
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What is Search Engine Marketing (SEM)?
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a comprehensive digital strategy designed to help businesses
become more visible when people search online for products or services it offers. It brings together multiple
tactics to increase a business’s presence across search engine results pages (SERPs).
SEM typically includes the following elements:
-
Paid Search Advertising:
Businesses can pay to have their website appear at the top of search results for specific keywords.
These ads are clearly marked and often appear above the organic (non-paid) listings.
-
Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
SEO focuses on improving a website so that it appears naturally in search engine results.
This includes optimizing content, using the right keywords, improving site structure, and
ensuring the site works well on different devices.
-
Local Search & Maps:
SEM helps businesses show up in local search results and on platforms like Google Maps.
This is especially valuable for businesses with physical locations or those that serve
specific geographic areas.
-
Online Reviews & Reputation Management:
A strong online reputation is critical. SEM includes strategies to monitor and manage online
reviews, respond to customer feedback, and build trust through consistent, positive engagement.
-
Business Listings & Directories:
Accurate and consistent business information across platforms—such as Google Business Profile,
Yelp, and other directories—ensures that search engines and potential customers can easily
find and contact the business.
In essence, SEM helps a business reach more people by improving how and where it appears across search engines—whether through ads, maps, reviews, or organic listings.
What types of paid advertising are included in SEM?
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) involves paid strategies to boost online visibility and drive traffic.
It includes Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads, which appear in search results and charge per click; Social Media
Ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram; Remarketing Ads that target previous visitors to re-engage
them; Product Listing Ads (PLAs), which showcase products in search with images and prices; and Local
Services Ads (LSAs), ideal for service-based businesses, charging per lead.
SEM allows for precise audience targeting, immediate visibility, and measurable results—making it a
key component of any digital marketing strategy.
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of building, structuring, and evolving a website to make it easily
understood and navigable for both people seeking to learn about or engage with an organization and for search engine
software that crawls and evaluates websites to determine their subject matter and relevance. The search engine software
evaluates:
- Page content (text, images, structure)
- Metadata (title tags, meta descriptions, headings)
- Links (internal and external)
- Structured data (schema markup)
After a page is crawled, the content is analyzed and stored in the search engine's index - this process is known as
search engine indexing. If a website fails to meet certain technical or quality criteria (e.g., blocked by robots.txt,
poor content, duplicate pages), it may not be indexed.
Websites that meet the criteria and are considered high-quality and relevant are scored and assigned higher rankings.
When users perform a search, the search engine queries its index and displays the most relevant pages in a limited set
of non-paid listings (typically 6 to 8 per page) on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). These listings are known as
organic search results.
How does SEM differ from SEO?
The terms Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are commonly misunderstood
by non-technical people who are not actively involved in these activities. So, let’s break this down
and clarify the difference and relationship between the two.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a broad strategy that aims to put businesses front and center -
in multiple locations - on a search engine results page (SERP). SEM involved several areas of focus
including paid advertising, search engine optimization, business listings, reputation management and more.
A properly designed SEM strategy will deliver both immediate and long-term results, using learning from the
short-term successes as guidance for longer-term sustainability.
SEO, on the other hand, is entirely focused on organic visibility through a number of areas that include
content optimization, technical improvements, backlink building, structured snippets that support AI driven
search, and more.
SEM delivers fast, targeted results using paid strategies and tactics - ideal for businesses that need
immediate results – as well as long-term value using organic, non-paid strategies like SEO.
Why is reputation management crucial for SEM success?
Reputation management influences SEM by affecting both organic rankings and ad performance.
Positive reviews and high ratings can improve click-through rates and Quality Scores, leading
to better ad placements and lower costs. Managing your online reputation ensures that potential
customers view your business as trustworthy and reliable.
How does integrating SEO, PPC, and reputation management improve SEM performance?
Integrating Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, and reputation management
creates a cohesive Search Engine Marketing (SEM) strategy that enhances visibility and conversions.
SEO builds long-term organic presence, PPC delivers immediate traffic, and reputation management fosters
trust through positive reviews. Together, they ensure consistent messaging, optimized targeting, and
improved return on investment.
What role does AI play in modern SEM strategies?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhances SEM by analyzing real-time data to optimize ad placements,
bidding strategies, and content relevance. AI-driven tools can predict user behavior, allowing
for more precise targeting and efficient budget allocation. This leads to higher conversion rates
and more effective campaigns.
Why is appearing on the first page of Google important?
Google processes approximately 8.5 billion searches daily, illustrating Google’s central role in
information discovery and discovery of businesses that can satisfy their need. Of the 8.5 billion
daily searches, only about 1% of searchers go beyond the first page of search results.
On the first page of search results, there have historically been 10 organic listings (organic
listings are non-paid / non-advertising listings). In recent days, the number of organic listings
is fewer – approximately 6 to 8 - depending on the search. This is a result of the dominance of
AI driven search results and the increase in paid advertising formats.
Meanwhile, there are thousands of businesses in their respective local areas - and areas of
specialization - competing for visibility in relevant user searches.
So, put simply the problem is a very crowded space with very few slots available and an unwillingness
to click past page one for 99% of the people searching.
In other words, billions of searches, thousands of businesses, and less than 10 available listing
positions for 99% of the search universe. This is why page one visibility is so critical for businesses
of all sizes, especially small businesses.
Here are a few articles diving deeper into the challenges as well as outlining solutions:
What budget is required for SEM services?
Canvasblu offers flexible budgets, transparent pricing, and packages starting under $1,000 per month. All packages are completely customized based on individual business goals and needs.
Package 1: Traffic Igniter
Launch your brand into the spotlight with high-impact Google PPC campaigns.
Includes:
- Google Ads Campaign Setup
- Google Analytics Integration
- Custom Event Tracking
- Retargeting / Remarketing
- Landing Page Optimization (1)
- Monthly Budget Management & Bid Strategy
- Performance Reporting (Monthly)
- *starting under $1,000 per month
- 💰 Perfect for businesses looking to generate instant traffic and leads.
Package 2: Visibility Booster
Combine PPC ads with onsite SEO and Directory Listing to supercharge your visibility across search engines.
Includes everything in Traffic Igniter, plus:
- Google Business Profile Setup & Optimization
- 100+ Local Directory Listings
- Onsite SEO Audit & Optimization (up to 5 pages)
- SEO Metadata (Title, Description, Alt Tags)
- Basic Keyword Tracking
- *starting under $1,500 per month
- 💰 A strategy for those who want more reach, more clicks, and more conversions.
Package 3: Momentum Accelerator
⚙️ Fuel steady growth with PPC, on-site SEO, Directory Listing and Reputation Management working in harmony.
Includes Everything in Visibility Booster, plus:
- Full Onsite SEO (up to 10 pages)
- Reputation Management / Social Proof
- Email List Building Tools
- Landing Page Optimization A/B Testing
- *starting under $2,000 per month
- 💰 Ideal for scaling businesses and growing capabilities
How quickly can I expect results from SEM campaigns?
While timelines can vary depending on the specific needs and complexity of your campaign,
Canvasblu is committed to efficiency without compromising quality. Once you've reviewed and
approved the custom campaign strategy, our team works swiftly to launch your campaign—typically within just 5 business days.
But speed is only part of the equation. With a well-researched approach and experience on your side, you won’t
be waiting long to see impact. In fact, most clients begin seeing meaningful engagement, increased visibility,
qualified leads, and a measurable lift within the first month. It's all part of our goal to help your business gain momentum
quickly by turning strategy into success.
What industries does Canvasblu have experience with in SEM?
Canvasblu has extensive experience across various industries, including Water Treatment, Pool Builders, Irrigation, Ecommerce, Legal Services, Medical Practice, Education, Business Services, Clinics, Software, Restaurants, Sporting Goods, and more.
How does Canvasblu measure the success of SEM campaigns?
At Canvasblu, we measure success based on your business's success and how much our contributions have
increased your business sales, revenue, and customers.
We measure and track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as keyword performance, click-through rates (CTR),
monthly qualified leads, monthly conversions, cost per click (CPC), and cost per acquisition (CPA). Each month,
you will receive a custom report and analysis showing how things are trending, highlighting where opportunities
exist, and outlining the optimizations that will be implemented to capitalize on those insights.
What tools does Canvasblu use for SEM?
Canvasblu utilizes tools like Google Ads, Keyword Planner, Google Analytics, and Google Merchant Center to deliver data-driven results.
How does Canvasblu tailor SEM strategies for small businesses?
Canvasblu offers customized SEM solutions that align with the unique goals and budgets of small businesses.
By focusing on high-impact tactics like targeted PPC campaigns, localized SEO, and proactive reputation management,
Canvasblu helps small businesses achieve significant online visibility and lead generation without the need for large
marketing budgets.
How can I determine if SEM is a good fit for my business?
You can start by simply
clicking here and requesting a free proposal through the website.
There is absolutely no cost and no commitment. We are confident we can develop a proposal that will
fit your business needs. ANd most of our programs are self funding after only a short period of time.
To be clear, most of our programs pay for themselves within the first few months.
