Rick Maré

SEM is a broad category and specialising in certain areas or niche industries can set you apart from your competitors. Not only does SEM have niche areas like PPC, SEO, Programatic and Mobile marketing, it also has industry niches that are vastly different. Understanding these differences can make you a leader in that space that, this will pay huge dividends when you can actually discuss minor details that could impact the results of SEM.

Data and Analytics are critical in understanding the value you are providing as part of your SEM strategy. If you can't measure and report on it, you may as well not do anything. ROI is critical for any marketing that is conducted and digital marketing, if done correctly, has the ultimate ability to track success through such things as CTRs, Referral Source and UTM tracking, conversion rates etc. Embarking on SEM without Data and Analytics is not recommended as you will waste time and opportunities.

SEM is a continually changing and we have found over the years is that there are multiple levels of expertise that need to be gained to be successful. The way I look at it is that you need the foundation of SEO. You need to make sure that your ongoing educational efforts are focussed on expanding your knowledge to become and expert. SEM is a broad category and what I have found is that specialising in certain elements allows you to become a very valuable asset to your clients.