Best Search Engine Advertising (SEA) Software & Tools

Search Advertising Software: In our comparison, here are the best SEA tools - here you'll find additional useful information

The core task of a search advertising software, also known as search engine advertising software, short SEA software or simply SEA tool, is the control of bids on the most important keywords for SEA campaigns. It helps marketers to work much more efficiently and to use their budget optimally. In addition to so-called bid management, many programs offer various other tools that help with ad text creation, keyword determination, or SEA activity monitoring/reporting.

These are popular SEA tools:

• Finch

• Adference

• Optmyzr

• Criteo Dynamic Retargeting

• adSoul

• Marin Software

• Conductor Searchlight

• Adobe Advertising Cloud

• BidX

• smec (Smarter Ecommerce)

This is what fundamentally makes a good search advertising software:

• Central and user-friendly bid management on keywords at Google, Bing, Yahoo etc.

• Monitoring tool for controlling and optimizing your own SEA measures.

• Tools to further support the efficiency of SEA activities

What types of SEA software are there fundamentally?

At the base, SEA tools are distinguished between first-party and third-party platforms. The former are directly offered by search engines. These applications can then only be used within the respective service. Search advertising software from third-party providers, on the other hand, brings the clear advantage of enabling ad campaigns to be managed across multiple channels from a central location.

Search Advertising Software handles bid management using various principles: here we distinguish between rule-based, portfolio-based, and self-learning systems.

• A rule-based software operates with a predefined set of rules.

• A portfolio-based tool works flexibly - not according to rigid boundaries for each keyword - but aims for an overall good performance of the portfolio.

• Self-learning systems measure the effectiveness of certain rules and may change them taking into account different stimuli - without any further intervention.

What benefits do SEA tools fundamentally offer?

A search advertising software ideally offers marketers a huge gain in speed, precision, and computing power or general work efficiency. Using received data, it can apply complex algorithms and perform statistically important operations that hardly anyone could do mentally.

Furthermore, it identifies changes and anomalies from the data pool, which is always connected to corresponding ads. It can then sometimes react independently to these. As a rule, such software precisely implements concrete campaign goals based on a bid strategy defined by marketers. Some search advertising software can even make statistically relevant projections with few data. Thus, they also efficiently set up keywords with low traffic and clicks or relevant ads.

In addition, search advertising software can weight the individual ad channels in connection with multichannel tracking. Each channel is then given a suitable budget according to its relevance.

Unfortunately, even the best self-learning systems are not capable of replacing the work of SEA experts. The setting of the search advertising software determines quality of the results. The users must first align the data and metrics in such a way that successful campaign control by the tool is possible at all. While search advertising software can automate many processes and it's definitely possible with some programs to hardly need to intervene in the processes, for maximum success it's important to take into account these finer points that such a tool (still) cannot "think" of. These include, among other things, the prerequisites of your own target group and semantic nuances in the keywords.

Therefore, a search advertising software alone is not worth as much as one might initially assume. Marketers should see this as a work facilitator and not a replacement for differentiated considerations and activities in SEA. Then such a tool is most likely to enable marketers to focus more on strategic necessities, with which it can have a huge positive impact on the effectiveness of ad marketing.

Remember: The better the search advertising software is tailored to your own requirements and the more skillfully it is used by its users, the more successful the SEA campaigns will be.

How does SEA work with search advertising software?

The basic goal of SEA is to gain traffic through paid ads in search engines like Google or Bing. These ads are highly scalable. Of course, certain prerequisites or competencies must be met to maximize their benefits. These should be largely carried out by the search advertising software ideally.

In SEA, the principle is often: Less is more, as every click on an ad costs money. The efforts can actually be immense depending on the keyword. High-frequency keywords can cost around 30 euros per click. Therefore, it is essential that an efficient approach is ensured - both in terms of bid management and the basic orientation and optimization of ads. The search advertising software will help with all of this.

Especially in bid management, it shows its strengths. Just buying ads on Google and Co. does not work. Especially for the coveted keywords, there are sometimes several hundred interested parties who want to take the top spot. Add to this that millions of different search queries for the keywords take place every second - in the interest of search engines and ultimately their users, no one can or should occupy the top position at all times in a blanket manner.

Accordingly, Google Ads and virtually all other SEA offers operate with a sophisticated auction system. All Keyword bidders give a signal to the respective platform, showing what they are willing to pay for a top spot with a keyword. Complex calculations for each individual ad slot, which also take into account the relevance of the bidders for the relevant keyword, are carried out in fractions of a second. The highest bid from the most suitable bidder is finally placed.

The search advertising software usually accesses Google Ads, Bing Ads, or any other advertising channel directly via an API and regulates bidding there based on predefined parameters.

What should you pay attention to when choosing a search advertising software?

Search advertising software offers different functional scopes. Here, it is naturally important to receive the features suitable in the respective company context. If a significant function is missing, the SEA can hardly unfold its full potential. On the other hand, it is also not sensible to simply choose a tool that can "do everything". Because this affects the use efficiency on the one hand and on the other hand, very extensive programs that have many features that you might not need at all, are a waste of money.

Advertising channels

Search advertising software can support different search engines and other advertising platforms. The focus here is Google Ads, Bing Ads, and also Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads. The chosen tool should ideally cover the targeted advertising channels.

User and beginner friendliness

Those who are just starting to deal with SEA should, of course, opt for a tool that is suitable for beginners. Beginners do not do themselves any favors with the sometimes enormous functional scopes that search advertising software offers for professionals. Regardless of whether beginners or experienced SEA experts - the basic usability naturally also has to be right or ideally fit precisely to your own prerequisites.

Optimization options

Search advertising software offers various settings for optimizing bids. There are rule-focused as well as portfolio-focused and self-learning systems. These orientations should also fit your own prerequisites and last but not least SEA goals.

Target determination

Ad goals can be defined automatically or by the respective users. Beginners in particular benefit from the automated variant.

Cross-editing

If various advertising channels are managed within a search advertising software, the possibility should exist to make multiple adjustments perhaps across different campaigns. This saves a lot of time.

A/B Tests

Some search advertisement software offers automated A/B testing of different ads. The most successful ads are thus filtered out without effort. Testing is very important for maximum success, which is why the chosen tool should ideally bring the best prerequisites for this.

Monitoring and Reporting

In addition to A/B tests, general monitoring is also a central premise to make successes or failures visible and to carry out corresponding optimizations. Over time, your own SEA can improve using the data obtained. A reporting function helps in preparing the diverse information. Thus, users get a meaningful overview quickly.

Keyword Research

Researching the right keywords is fundamental in SEA. Some search advertising software offers special tools that assist marketers in finding keywords. This eliminates the need to leave the program, making the SEA process even more efficient.

Campaign Assistance

When new campaigns need to be created, this can be done with special design features in some tools. For example, there are templates or step-by-step instructions.

Mobile optimization

Not since yesterday have mobile devices taken precedence over desktop computers when browsing in most contexts - they simply have the advantage that they can be quickly grabbed anywhere. Thus, SEA should definitely be mobile-optimized via a search advertising software.

Interfaces

Sometimes it is useful to use a search advertising software together with another tool. Ideally, there should be the possibility to link both programs. For example, some SEA tools offer a connection to Google Analytics to further optimize bid adjustments.

Prices & Costs

Last but not least, of course, the price is important. Really good search advertising software costs something. Especially smaller companies, which often have only a fairly limited SEA budget, have to weigh this. However, fortunately, different providers often have special packages for different requirements and wallets.