It is estimated that 80% of all searches performed on the Internet are done through Google, Yahoo and MSN. That is 800,000,000 (eight hundred million) of the roughly 1,000,000,000 (one billion) searches, performed on a daily basis.

Search engines have become a predominant tool in the lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Names like Google, Yahoo, and MSN are synonymous with dominant corporations whose technologies shape the landscape of the Internet. While this is true, it is actually the consumer who is responsible for the way that the World Wide Web has evolved. From performing product research, to finding the right physician or lawyer by researching professional credentials, the consumer is the ultimate authority.

Now imagine: you own a retail business that sells designer dog collars. Or, you might be a lawyer who specializes in copyright law. Wouldn't it be great if you could specifically target online consumers who are searching specifically for your services? To increase awareness of your product, you purchase advertising spots on radio, television and in print. You might also purchase billboards along highways or roads. Through these expenditures, you are advertising your goods or services to all who observe this media, a very low percentage of whom might actually be a member of your target audience. Wouldn't it be great to only advertise to those people who are interested in your product or service? Wouldn't it be even better to only pay an advertising fee if a member of your target audience visits your business?

Welcome to the world of Search Engine Marketing. Search Engine Marketing campaigns allow you to drive awareness of your brand or services by targeting keywords that describe your business. Have you ever seen paid listings that appear when you search, using phrases such as "cosmetic surgery Clarks Summit"? Now imagine you are one of the aforementioned business owners. It is, in fact, possible to target phrases such as "copyright law lawyers Clarks Summit", or even "designer dog collars Scranton". Why not take advantage of search engine marketing and get your ad placed prominently on these result pages? Properly worded and marketed ads can attract several thousand views per day. The best part about this is that you only pay a fee when someone actually clicks your Ad to be re-directed to your website!

Another key feature of online advertising is the ability to perform local search. By entering your location's demographic information, you will then have the option to advertise solely to local Internet users. You select your advertising area to specifically target local clients. This helps to further increase the return on investment (ROI) for your advertising dollar.

Here at SEM Logistics, we believe in providing our clients the maximum advertising effectiveness per dollar spent. With tools like keyword targeted advertising, and local sponsored placement, we are able to accomplish that goal. If you are interested in further discussing Search Engine Marketing, and how your business can benefit from it, please contact us. Let us make the Internet work for you!

Tim Moran is the president and founder of SEM Logistics, a search engine marketing and search engine optimization firm based in Scranton, Pa. He can be reached via email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it