Search Engine Marketing combines keywords, copies, and an extensive knowledge of your target to be effective.
Google AdWords and Microsoft Bing are popular tools used in SEM, and the most common words you’ll hear in paid search are PPC (pay-per-click) and CPM (cost-per-impression).
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
Essentially, advertisers bid on keywords (or key phrases) to have their text-based ads placed in one of up to 4 places at the top of the search engine results page (SERP) or a couple at the bottom of the page. Visitors who click on the ads go to the advertiser's web page, and the advertiser gets charged for every click.
Cost Per Impression (CPM)
CPM is the price per 1,000 impressions your ads receive on various web pages. For example, you might be paying $2.00 per 1,000 impressions, and your display ad or ads will be placed on 3rd party websites.
CPM isn’t the number of visitors who clicked on your ads, but rather the ads that were served on a page. In many cases, the ads could have been at the bottom of the page and not even seen by the visitor, but you will still be charged for the ads. It’s most suited for brands with bigger budgets or in remarketing to visitors who have seen your website.
Why Are My Ads Not Displayed?
Search Engine Marketing can be classified as paid or non-paid. Your business can be ranked on the first page of Google through a well-thought Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy.
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SEM uses paid advertising to appear at the top of search results immediately — you pay per click for prominent placement. SEO builds organic rankings over time without direct per-click costs. SEM delivers instant visibility, ideal for competitive keywords or time-sensitive campaigns where you need results now rather than in six months. SEM also covers display advertising beyond Google search.
SEM management typically ranges from $700–$2,500 per month depending on campaign complexity and ad spend. A well-managed campaign pays for itself through higher conversion rates and eliminated wasted spend — our focus is always on qualified leads at the lowest possible cost-per-acquisition. Bundled into a Digital Assassin WaaS program, SEM management costs less than engaging a separate agency.
ROI varies by industry, but well-managed SEM campaigns for Australian service businesses typically return $3–$8 for every $1 in ad spend — higher in less competitive niches. The key metric is customer lifetime value. Sometimes a loss on first acquisition is worth it when you know what a client is worth long term. We set realistic benchmarks upfront and report transparently throughout.
SEM can deliver leads on the day of launch — but only if the ad, targeting, and landing page are all aligned with your ideal customer profile. Remember, only 3% of your market is ready to buy right now. The real value comes from engaging prospects earlier in their journey and nurturing them over time. SEM is the accelerator, strategy is the engine.
Absolutely — SEO and SEM are stronger together. A high-authority, well-optimised page reduces your Google Ads cost-per-click and improves your Quality Score. If your authority score drops too low, Google won't show your ads at all. Investing in SEO isn't just a long-term play — it directly reduces your advertising costs and makes every SEM dollar work harder.
Be skeptical of agencies that only do SEM. Paid advertising without a solid digital strategy, a converting website, and strong SEO foundations is expensive and underperforms. The right question isn't "who runs the best ads?" — it's "do I actually need ads yet?" An improved website and stronger SEO may generate enough leads without spending a dollar on advertising.