SEA — more than a “letter salad”
In the age of Google and Co., SEA is one of the most important components of a successful marketing strategy. The abbreviation SEA stands for Search Engine Advertising. The name says it all: SEA managers place targeted advertising in search engines which intercept the searcher during the purchase decision phase and significantly influence their decision.
Functions of a SEA Manager
The conception of advertising on search engines is the essential thing for a successful SEA strategy. Clearly formulated goals and the definition of relevant target figures are the first things on the agenda; after all, they form the foundation of the advertising strategy. In addition to the conception, keywords are also created as part of extensive research. In this process, relevant search terms are derived from statistics, on which the customer’s advertisement appears after the user’s input. The more comprehensive the set of keywords, the more likely it is that the customer will be found in search queries. Based on the selected keywords, ad texts are then written, which are characterised by creativity and a sense of text — after all, searchers should be encouraged to click. In addition to conception and texts, the management of the advertising campaign is also an important task of the SEA manager. Click bids (CPCs) must be adjusted, keyword trends must be kept in mind, and keywords must be optimised for performance.
Competencies of a SEA Manager
In order to understand the functionalities, technical knowledge of HTML, tracking and web analytics as well as Google training, for example, are of great advantage. A degree in Marketing or Business Administration can also provide useful basic knowledge. In addition to these hard skills, a structured approach to work, analytical skills and a pronounced understanding of numbers are helpful for the job as SEA Manager. The ability to understand complex issues and to think outside the box of pure search engine advertising should also be brought along. SEA campaigns work all the better if an ad campaign on social media is running on social media at the same time.. Hence, an intuition for successful collaboration between different sub-disciplines of advertising is a useful part of a SEA manager’s profile.
