Search Engine Marketing: Tips from a Digital Marketing Director

At UNSW Founders we’re always excited to share insights from the experts who help guide our community. Recently, Anees Misbahudeen Founder & Digital Marketing Director of INNMCO ran a workshop with us on the power of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and how it can be a game-changer for startups looking to scale. Following the workshop, Anees shared an insightful article on the subject, and we’re excited to share his knowledge with you, here! 

“Search engine marketing accelerates revenue growth.”

- Anees Misbahudeen 

Understanding Search Engine Marketing 

With approximately 8.5 billion searches conducted daily on Google, having a strong online presence is crucial for any business. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a powerful tool that enables website owners to increase their visibility on Google through Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Google Ads.

The primary goals of SEM include boosting brand awareness, driving traffic to your website, and increasing conversions. 

Key strategies for success: Anees shared several actionable strategies during his workshop to help businesses improve their content visibility and generate leads: 

SEO:  

1. Use the topic cluster model while creating content 

This model showcases your expertise to potential buyers by organising content into a pillar page that covers a broad topic and cluster pages that delve into related subtopics. For example, a pillar page on "What is SEO?" could be supported by cluster pages discussing "How to Implement SEO" or "SEO Content Writing." 

2. Create quality content that matches search intent 

Another important element is ensuring your content matches different types of search intent—navigational, informational, commercial, and transactional—so your website attracts a diverse audience with varying needs. Understanding the four main types of search intent: 

• Navigational Intent: Visitors looking for a specific page.  

• Informational Intent: Users seeking information on a topic.  

• Commercial Intent: Individuals comparing products or providers.  

• Transactional Intent: Buyers ready to make a purchase or schedule a demo. 

3. Create quality content with the buyer in mind. 

Google’s EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) framework is essential for assessing content quality, making it vital to produce accurate, well-sourced, and updated information. Create content that demonstrates first-hand experience, showcases expertise, builds authority, and relies on trustworthy sources. 

• Experience: Google values content that shows the creator’s direct experience with the subject. Focus on writing about problems you’ve personally solved. 

• Expertise: While related to experience, expertise is about the author’s knowledge, qualifications, and credentials. Make sure to highlight your expertise, such as by linking to your bio that details your qualifications. 

• Authoritativeness: Google assesses the authority of the creator, content, and website. Building authority takes time and is achieved when others in your industry start citing your work. 

• Trustworthiness: Use reliable sources in your articles and regularly update your content to keep it accurate, relevant, and informative. 

Google Ads Strategies: 

Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click model, and Anees emphasised the importance of aligning your ads with the sales funnel stages 

1. Embrace the sales lifecycle while creating Google Ads for your business: 

Top of Funnel (TOFU), Middle of Funnel (MOFU), and Bottom of Funnel (BOFU). 

TOFU: Use problem-focused keywords for awareness.  

MOFU: Use keywords related to your product or industry to capture interest.  

BOFU: Use branded and competitor keywords to drive conversions. 

2. Optimise Landing Pages 

A well-designed landing page enhances conversions. Anees suggests focusing on the content, layout, and placement of calls to action, i.e. what you want your buyers to do next after reading your content. These three tips can enhance the user experience and boost conversion rates. 

By carefully crafting and optimising your digital marketing strategies—whether through SEO or Google Ads—you can drive traffic, generate leads, and ultimately, accelerate your business’s growth.  

We’re grateful to Anees for sharing his knowledge and for allowing us to feature his article. For more insights and expert advice, check out his full article here.