Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are both effective for driving results, however, together the two strategies can elevate your marketing efforts to the next level. The thought of using a precision approach of ABM (targeting individuals and accounts most likely to convert) alongside the broad reach and measurement-driven insights of SEM. When done properly this combination can serve to mitigate your ROI and resources.
What is Account-Based Marketing (ABM)?
ABM is a highly targeted marketing strategy that focuses on identifying and nurturing specific accounts that are most valuable to your business. Instead of casting a wide net, ABM lets you personalize your efforts for high-value prospects, ensuring a more efficient use of time and resources.
Key Features of ABM:
- Focus on individual accounts rather than a broad audience
- Personalized marketing efforts tailored to specific business needs
- Close collaboration between marketing and sales teams
- High ROI potential due to concentrated efforts
Imagine curating personalized email campaigns, custom landing pages, and content tailored to decision-makers at key accounts. That’s the crux of ABM.
What is Search Engine Marketing (SEM)?
SEM is a form of digital advertising that allows you to promote your business on search engine results pages (SERPs). Combined with tools like Google Ads, SEM helps you target users with high intent by bidding on keywords relevant to your business.
Benefits of SEM:
- Real-time results with measurable data
- Advanced audience targeting options
- Opportunities to reach users actively searching for solutions at various stages of the buyer’s journey
Together, paid search campaigns and search engine optimization (SEO) tactics can drive high-quality traffic straight to your site.
Why Combine ABM and SEM?
When combined, ABM and SEM drive laser-focused results that neither strategy could achieve as effectively on its own. Here’s how they complement each other:
ABM Personalization Supercharges SEM Efficiency
SEM often targets users based on search intent, employing keywords. While effective, it can sometimes lack the level of personalization ABM brings. By integrating account-level insights into your SEM strategy, ad copy and landing pages can be tailored specifically to the needs of high-value accounts.
SEM Data Improves ABM Targeting
The data gathered from your SEM campaigns can feed your ABM strategy by uncovering:
- Which accounts are actively engaging with paid ads
- Behavioral trends and search keywords they’re using
- Which products or solutions resonate with specific verticals or buyer personas
This data builds a more detailed target audience profile for ABM campaigns.
Both Create a Full Picture of the Buyer’s Journey
ABM focuses on direct relationship building, while SEM efficiently identifies high-intent prospects at scale. Together, they map out the buyer’s entire decision-making process—from awareness to purchase.
6 Steps to Successfully Combine ABM and SEM
1. Identify Target Accounts
Begin by creating a list of high-value accounts for your ABM strategy. These are the companies or individuals most likely to bring significant ROI. Use SEM tools like Google Analytics or LinkedIn Ads to identify current high-performing audiences and potential prospects.
Pro Tip:
Align with your sales team to understand key account goals. Collaboration ensures your SEM and ABM strategies are aligned with revenue objectives.
2. Segment Your SEM Campaigns by Account
Instead of generic SEM campaigns targeting wide search audiences, customize them per account or industry segment. Each target account or segment should have:
- Custom ad creative
- Tailored bid strategies
- Relevant landing page experiences
This granular level of segmentation ensures maximum relevance.
3. Leverage SEM Retargeting for ABM
Retarget website visitors and ad clickers from SEM campaigns with personalized ABM efforts. If a target account visits your website after clicking your ad, use that signal to follow up with specific email campaigns, direct-mail gifts, or even LinkedIn engagement.
Retargeting tools like Google Ads’ Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA) make it easy to keep your brand top of mind for these users.
4. Use SEM Data to Refine ABM Messaging
Paid search campaigns can uncover user intent through search terms, click behavior, and engagement metrics. For example:
- What keywords do potential customers use?
- Which ad copies drive the most clicks and conversions?
- What geographic regions show the highest engagement?
Plug this data into your ABM strategy to craft hyper-relevant messaging.
5. Align KPIs Across Both Strategies
For seamless integration, establish shared metrics to evaluate performance across ABM and SEM campaigns. Common KPIs include:
- Cost-per-acquisition (CPA) per target account
- Number of accounts engaged through SEM touchpoints
- Click-through rate (CTR) on ABM-specific ads
- Average deal size for accounts influenced by both strategies
Measuring these metrics helps you identify how well SEM supports ABM efforts and refine your approach.
6. Test, Optimize, and Scale
Start small by running a pilot campaign targeting a handful of accounts. Test different combinations of SEM ads, ABM content, and retargeting methods to see what works best. Continuously analyze performance data and iterate for better results.
Once you identify a winning strategy, scale it to additional accounts.
Unlock Maximum ROI with ABM and SEM
Combining ABM with SEM is more than simply merging strategies — it’s about maximizing what each does well for the best results. Together, they provide the accuracy of account-specific personalization and the reach of search advertising. There is so much you can do, from targeting top-value accounts to retargeting them with personalized messages, and this power couple can seriously amplify your marketing efforts and increase your ROI.
When you take this holistic approach, you foster better inroads into the hearts and minds of stakeholders, develop better understanding of your customer’s habits, avoid slipping into a monolithic bubble, and gain an edge over your competitors.
If you’re ready to play the ABM-SEM game, start small and with experimentation, fine-tune your courtship. Authentic progress is achieved through partnership, repetition, and persistence.
