What SEM resources can help you improve your online advertising campaigns?

1 Keyword Research Tools

One of the most important aspects of SEM is choosing the right keywords to target with your ads. Keywords are the words and phrases that users type into search engines to find what they are looking for, and they determine how relevant and visible your ads are to your audience. Keyword research tools can help you discover new keyword opportunities, analyze the search volume and competition of different keywords, and generate keyword lists for your campaigns. Some of the most popular keyword research tools are Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Moz, and Ahrefs.

3 Landing Page Tools

Once you have created and launched your ads, you need to make sure that the landing pages that your ads lead to are relevant, persuasive, and user-friendly. Landing pages are the web pages that users see after they click on your ads, and they should provide them with the information, value, and action that they expect from your ads. Landing page tools can help you build and optimize landing pages that match your ads, increase your conversion rate (CVR) and return on ad spend (ROAS), and reduce your bounce rate. Some of the most popular landing page tools are Instapage, Leadpages, Wix, and WordPress.

4 Analytics Tools

To measure the success of your SEM campaigns, you need to track and analyze the data and metrics that reflect your performance, such as impressions, clicks, conversions, cost per click (CPC), cost per acquisition (CPA), and return on investment (ROI). Analytics tools can help you collect, organize, and visualize the data from your campaigns, and provide you with insights and recommendations on how to improve your results and achieve your objectives. Some of the most widely used analytics tools are Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity, Google Data Studio, and Tableau.

5 Learning Resources

SEM is a dynamic and evolving field that requires constant learning and updating of your skills and knowledge. Learning resources can help you stay on top of the latest trends, best practices, and strategies in SEM, and learn from the experts and peers in the industry. Learning resources can include blogs, podcasts, webinars, courses, books, and newsletters that cover various topics and aspects of SEM, such as keyword research, ad copywriting, landing page optimization, bidding strategies, campaign management, and more. Some of the most valuable learning resources are Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land, Google Skillshop, Microsoft Advertising Learning Lab, and SEMrush Academy.

6 Community Resources

Finally, SEM is not a solitary activity that you can do alone. Community resources can help you connect with other SEM professionals and enthusiasts, share your experiences and challenges, ask for feedback and advice, and discover new opportunities and collaborations. Community resources can be online or offline, and they can take the form of forums, groups, events, conferences, and networks that bring together people who are passionate and curious about SEM. Some of the most active and helpful community resources are r/PPC, r/SEO, Google Ads Community, Microsoft Advertising Community, and Search Marketing Expo (SMX).

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?