Analysis of Search Engine Marketing Using Simbound Simulation Report

This report provides an overview of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and its practical application, focusing on the use of the Simbound simulation game. It begins with an introduction to SEM, explaining its role in digital marketing, its benefits in increasing brand visibility, and its function in driving qualified traffic through paid advertisements. The report then delves into the mechanics of SEM, differentiating between organic search (SEO) and paid search (PPC) methods, and outlining key steps such as keyword selection, website optimization, and campaign management. Furthermore, it examines the factors that influence search engine algorithms, including website security, page speed, and mobile-friendliness. The core of the report involves an analysis of a simulated SEM campaign within the Simbound platform, detailing campaign performance across multiple rounds. The analysis includes metrics such as impressions, clicks, click-through rates (CTR), and conversion rates, providing insights into the effectiveness of different SEM strategies. The report concludes with a discussion of the simulation's role in enhancing understanding of digital marketing and SEM, highlighting the practical knowledge gained through hands-on experience with the Simbound simulation.

Simbound Simulation
Game

INTRODUCTION
Search engine marketing is the tool of digital marketing which is used to increase the
visibility of the website. It is the most effective way to grow the business and to attract the target
audience. These are the type of paid ads that the business uses to enhance the visibility and
awareness of the products and services which they offer. It increase the reach of the company
and uses complex algorithm so that most relevant results are being showed to the appropriate
audience. In search engine marketing when the users enters any related keyword then the
advertisement for the most suitable products and service comes on the search engine result page
(Terrance, Shrivastava. and Kumari, 2017). Through search engine marketing generates high
qualified traffic in short period as compared to organic one also it helps in generating huge
conversions.
These ads come up at the top of search engine result page. It is a technique of the
business to create and edit the website so that it ranks higher than other pages. Search engine
marketing aids the business to acquire online market to increase their brand presence (Miklosik,
2019). It is alternatively known as pay per click ads. There are various aspects which are to be
kept in mind while doing search engine marketing such as keywords, ad group, landing page,
impressions, quality score and many more. The report revolves around selling different brand
tablets, PC's on two distinct geographical markets that have different search dynamics and
customer behaviours.
In the further report the ways businesses uses search engine marketing as a part of their
digital marketing techniques and the reason for which the techniques are being used. Also, the
benefits of using the techniques will be discussed. Focus will be put upon the ways techniques
work. Lastly discussion will be done on Simbound and evaluation will be done.
Search Engine Marketing
Overview of Search Engine Marketing
Search engine marketing refers to a technique of marketing in which businesses utilise a
paid advertisement that shows on results of search engine page (Aswani and et.al., 2018). In this
strategy advertisers focus on keywords that users are likely to use when they are searching for a

certain products and services. This provides opportunity to advertisers for their advertisements to
show in results for search. These advertisements that are often known as pay-per-click
advertisements are also available in different formats. In this advertisements are small texts
advertisements and some are also known as products listing advertisements and are also said to
be shopping advertisements. In shopping advertisements are more visible and in this
advertisements that are product-based allows consumers to see important information easily on a
screen including price and reviews. In other words, search engine marketing is marketing that is
motivated by search and every search requires organisation to pay and is a system where
businesses pay search engines to show their advertisements for the results in search.
This technique is used because search engine marketing helps in promoting website’s visibility
using paid search, contextual advertisements and organic search ranking.
Some of the benefits of Search Engine Marketing are as follows-
 SEM has a benefit as it allows organisation to reach their clients instantly. This means
that search engine marketing allows client to make search and then getting to information
of business
 This is beneficial as this allows for increasing brand awareness as this allows businesses
to expose their name in headlines of brand and this way increases brand awareness
 Search engine marketing also helps in creating geo-targeting search advertisements
(Clarke and et.al., 2018).
 Search engine also helps in targeting right audience through optimised advertisements
 Helps in increasing traffic through advertisement visibility
How does Search Engine Marketing work
Search engine marketing is concerned with developing and increasing visibility of
business on search engines when users search on the basis of terms that are related with
particular business. There are different categories in search engine marketing and these
categories are-
Organic search (SEO) - In this when audience or viewers type keyword in search engine, organic
results are displayed in result page of search engine. In this optimizing site of the organisation,
business can improve their ranking.

Paid search (SEM)- Paid search engine is another important type of search engine marketing in
this business have to pay for place in area which is sponsored in search engine. There are several
types of programs for paid search and most common is pay-per-click in which businesses pay
search engine for every click on their advertisements (Miklosik, 2019). Search engine marketing
of business have significant focus on driving traffic on targeted part of website. In this search
engine marketing is used by businesses to create new leads, increase product sales, enhancing
their brand image and attracting traffic from their competitors.
Figure 1 How search engine marketing works
Search engine marketing is done as follows-
Creating search strategy - This involves creating short-term and long-term search strategy for
paid search. In this time is required to improve organic search rankings however paid search
campaign can be started by business anytime. In creating strategy business also required to
considering traffic required, their budget and marketing objectives.
Generating a list of keywords - This is a very important step for search engine marketing in this
business and advertisers require creating a list of keywords that are terms that prospective

audience uses when looking for information that organisation delivers. In order to do this
organisation can brainstorm, copy from competitors and can also utilise different online tools to
generate a list of keywords.
Optimising website - This is another step in search engine marketing and this involves rewriting
content so that it involves keywords business have chosen (Kelsey, 2017). Managing and
organising content in best possible manner.
Generating inbound links - In this step search engines rewards business when sites link to
business and they assume it is important for site to be valuable and site can be rank higher in
search results.
Implement additional internet campaigns - In addition to above steps in search engine
marketing business can utilise additional internet campaigns. These campaigns include utilising
social media, including blogs on site, and distributes search-optimised press release on the
website.
Starting testing paid search - In order to start paid search business requires developing pages
for targeted lending for each campaign, writing advertisements of organisation, setting up
campaign with the network and start tracking results of these strategies.
In search engine marketing algorithms play very important role as they determine quality
of website. In addition to this theme of website, and types of queries that website should show up
in search results is also determined by algorithms. There are several factors affecting these
algorithms in search engine marketing and these factors affecting are
Secure and accessible website - This is a very important factor affecting algorithms and their
impact. This means that website that is easy to access and is also secure to use is given are
considered of high quality.
Page speed - A page that can be quickly accessed is of high quality. This means that a page that
takes time in loading cannot be considered of high quality.
Mobile friendliness of website - A website that is easy and effective to operate on mobile
device is known as mobile friendly website (Khan, 2018). For example many websites does not

provide complete information when is operated on mobile device is not a mobile friendly
website.
Domain age - This is concerned with how old the domain name is in and old domains are
considered of high quality.
Emails are also an effective way through which Search engine marketing is operated. In this
when businesses send emails to their prospects in those emails link of organisations search
engine are provided. This means that link of website of business is provided as content in emails
and through these emails prospects can directly connect with website of the company.
There are several ways in which search engine marketing works. For example, a brand of
tablet creates their search engine marketing and campaign in form of shopping advertisement.
Selection of keywords is done and when advertisement is ready to appear on search engine
prospect can see this advertisement by search (Miklosik, 2019). In this for example prospects
write tablets, best tablets and in such case website and campaign with highest ranking will firstly
appear on search engine results and this is how search engine marketing works.
Simbound Simulation Game
Simbound simulation game is a simulation game to practice online marketing operations.
Simbound provides a platform where people can design and execute campaigns for marketing
and improve their knowledge and understanding of digital marketing and search engine
marketing. Simbound simulation game has helped in developing and improving knowledge of
digital marketing and search engine marketing. Creating a campaign on Simbound simulation
game helped in understanding what is PPC and how to drive paid search to learning page. This
game provided several types of information about different elements of digital marketing and
search engine marketing. In campaign created on Simbound simulation game search engine
marketing included six campaigns. In campaign Impressions were 111231 in which in first round
there were 31755 Impressions and they reduced to 5409 Impressions in round 2. In round 3
Impressions were around 19492 higher than round 2 and the again reduced to 12336 Impressions
in round 4. Again in round 5 there was increase in Impressions and their around 21676
Impressions on round 5 and in round 6 there was a slight reduction in Impressions to
20872.Concerned with clicks in round 1 total clicks work 1568 and they reduced to 218 in round

2 in round 3 there was increase in total click and increase to 533 clicks. Some changes were there
in total number of clicks in round 4 and the increased to 575 from 533. In round 5 there was a
slight reduction in total number of clicks and number reduced to 558 and last Li in round 6 total
numbers of clicks was high and total number was 686 clicks. Click is about how many people
click on advertisement and searched for relevant information. On the basis of clicks round 1 of
campaign was most successful with highest number of clicks that is 1568. CTR is another factor
to be considered in search engine marketing and CTR stands for click through rate. This is a
metric that measures number of clicks that advertisers or businesses receive on their
advertisements per number of number of Impressions. In other words CTR is a ratio of users who
click on a specific advertisement of business to number of Total users who view advertisement
or page. In this campaign in round 1 CTR ratio was 1: 4.94, this means that on around five
people who view advertisement 1 person click on advertisement in round 1. In round 2, CTR
ratio was 2: 4.03, in round 3, ratio was 3: 2.73, in round 4 this ratio was 4: 4.66 and in round 5,
ratio was 5: 2.61 and in round 6 this ratio was 6: 3.29. This means that on the basis of CTR round
5 and 6 of search engine marketing was very successful in which total clicks were double than
number of total viewers. This means that on around three viewers there were 6 clicks. Click
through rate for complete six rounds of search engine marketing was 4%. Last and one of the
most important elements of SEM is conversions. Conversion is about a user converting from
being a visitor or a prospective customer into a buyer for business. Conversion rate outlines how
many viewers have converted into buyers. In this campaign in round 1 conversion ratio was 1:
41, this means that from around 41 visitors one converted into buyer.In round 2 conversion rate
was 2: 6 this means that from sticks Weavers to converted into buyers. In round 3 this rate was 3:
6, in round 4 conversion rate was 4: 14, in round 5 this rate was 5: 18 and lastly in round 6
conversion rate was 6: 20. On the basis of conversion round 3 was most successful as half of the
view was converted into buyers of the business.
Different Round has been significantly considered in different measures of search engine
marketing. This rounds and performance of search engine marketing has been significantly
affected by Strategies and campaigns of business. First campaign of the company was new
superfast tablet with a budget of 200in this campaign default cost per click was 0.20. Market for
this ad was in UK and total clicks were 2211 Impressions for this campaign war 46861.
Conversion through this campaign was 57 and on the basis of average quality score, score for

this campaign was 5. Buy one tablet second half price who was another campaign with a budget
of 200 and the forth cost-per-click was also 0.20 and market for this was UK (Jansen and Clarke,
2017). Impressions of this campaign worked 21200 and click through rate was 3.2. This
campaign led to 10 conversions and on the basis of average quality score its score was 6. Tablet
brands discount 50% was another campaign with 0 budget and 0.20 click per cost. Market for
this was US and there was no impression and conversions from the campaign and quality score
of this campaign was five. Exclusive Black Friday discounts another campaign with an budget of
300 and default cost-per-click was 0.20 and market for this was UK. This campaign call to 80
clicks and Impressions and on the basis of average quality it was five. Best Samsung tablet for
Christmas another campaign and budget for this was 500 and default cost-per-click was 0.45 and
market for this was also UK and disc campaign lead to conversions and on the basis of average
quality its score was six.Last campaign was 300 and its CPC was 0.40 and led to 36
conversations.
Figure 2 New Super Fast Tablet Campaign
Figure 3 Buy one tablet second Half Price Campaign

Figure 4 Tablet Brands Discount 50% Campaign
Figure 5 Exclusive Black Friday discounts Campaign
Figure 6 Best Samsung Tablet for Christmas Campaign

Figure 7 Amazing Xmas Tablet Deal Campaign
This simulation game was very helpful in understanding about terms like Impressions, clicks,
CTR, cost, pay per clicks and conversions and what kind of campaigns should an organisation
employee in order to get highest conversion rate. In order to understand about search engine
marketing Simbound simulation game is highly effective and allows to gain practical and
applicable knowledge of search engine marketing.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of discussion, it can be summarised that SEM is a very important and
effective tool to increase the reach, visibility, conversion rates and traffic of the business website.
The technique of search engine marketing is being used to basically increase the visibility of the
business website on the search engine result page and also it helps in generating more traffic to
the website using the paid search. There are various benefits of using search engine marketing
such as instantly reaching the clients, creating geo-targeted search ads, targeting the right
audience through optimized ads and many more. The higher websites ranks in search engines
larger number of customers visits the website. Also, various factors are determined that affect the
algorithm and also various examples are being used to for supporting the answers. Simbound is
also discussed and also evaluation is done t understand PPC and driving paid search results to the
landing pages. Various ways are being determined that the business can do in the future.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aswani, R and et.al., 2018. Search engine marketing is not all gold: Insights from Twitter and
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Clarke, T.B and et.al., 2018. Teaching search engine marketing through the google ad grants
program. Marketing education review. 28(2). pp.136-147.
Kelsey, T., 2017. Introduction to Search Engine Marketing and AdWords: A Guide for Absolute
Beginners. Apress.
Khan, F., 2018. An exploration of the utilisation of search engine optimisation for business
marketing (Doctoral dissertation, The IIE).
Miklosik, A., 2019. Search engine marketing strategies: Google answer box-related search
visibility factors. In Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurship and Marketing for
Global Reach in the Digital Economy (pp. 463-485). IGI Global.
Miklosik, A., 2019. Search engine marketing strategies: Google answer box-related search
visibility factors. In Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurship and Marketing for
Global Reach in the Digital Economy (pp. 463-485). IGI Global.
Terrance, A.R., Shrivastava, S. and Kumari, A., 2017. Importance of Search Engine Marketing
in the Digital World. In ICITKM (pp. 155-158).
Online
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