Search Engine Advertising (SEA) is a form of online marketing where ads are placed within search engine results. Companies bid on specific keywords to make their ads appear for particular search queries. These ads can appear either at the top or bottom of the search results page (SERP) and are usually distinguishable from organic search results by distinct labeling. A well-known example of SEA is Google Ads, which allows companies to place ads in Google search results.
How Does SEA Differ from SEO?
SEA refers to paid advertising in search engine results, while SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on optimizing websites to achieve better rankings in organic search results. For more on SEO, check out our blog post about Search Engine Optimization.
SEA requires direct costs for placing ads (e.g., “pay per click” or “pay for conversion”), while SEO aims to improve visibility over the long term.
The Benefits of Search Engine Advertising
With SEA, advertisers get immediate visibility in search results, can directly target their audience, and have full control over their campaigns. Through careful analysis of ad performance, campaigns can be quickly scaled.
This makes SEA an effective marketing channel for businesses that want fast results and targeted audience engagement.