Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is becoming a vital component of many advertising programs. Without keywords a search campaign cannot function. However, keywords are only one element to think about. In a SEM program keywords are simply the key that opens the door for an ad to appear.

The ads triggered by keywords are the real bait, and what the user actually sees. The ads need to motivate someone to take action. They need to convince the searcher to click on the ad, and hopefully lay the foundation for spending time on the landing page.

Think about how long you spend on search results pages. I bet it is not very long. With that in mind, think about how hard SEM ads like Google’s Adwords must work to convince a searcher that the answer they are searching for is provided on the other side of the click.

Developing effective SEM ads can be a real challenge. Focusing on engaging the searcher and writing ads that give them a reason to click on your ad are the first steps in developing a new customer.