Marketing

SEM Proposal Template

Pitch search engine marketing with a proposal that covers goals, keyword strategy, ad approach, budget, reporting, and fees, so clients understand how paid search will support their goals.

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PAID SEARCH PROPOSAL

SEM & Paid Search Strategy Proposal

A plan to capture high-intent demand, measure qualified outcomes, and manage paid search investment.
PREPARED FOR
[Client.FirstName] [Client.LastName] | [Client.Company]
PREPARED BY
[Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName] | [Sender.Company]
Proposal date: [Proposal.Date] (MM/DD/YYYY) Valid for 14 days;
expires [Proposal.ExpirationDate] (MM/DD/YYYY)

Executive summary and goals

Alder Home Goods can use Google Ads and Microsoft Ads to reach shoppers already searching for home furnishings and décor. The proposed work connects campaign decisions to tracked purchases, so budget and optimization decisions follow measured sales.
Capture high-intent demand
Prioritize searches with clear commercial intent and route traffic to relevant landing pages.
Improve acquisition efficiency
Use conversion quality, search terms, and bids to work toward a $50 cost per purchase.
Increase measurable return
Evaluate revenue-generating campaigns against a 3.0x return on ad spend when reliable purchase values are available.
Planning priorities
  • Agree on the conversion actions that count as qualified leads or sales before launch.
  • Set the monthly platform budget at $6,000 and allocate it across eligible campaigns.
  • Review early performance against the benchmarks in this proposal, then adjust based on observed results.

SEM strategy and scope of work

Account audit and setup
Review existing Google Ads and Microsoft Ads accounts, campaign settings, search terms, budgets, landing pages, and measurement. Where an account is new, establish the account structure and access needed for launch.
  • Research keywords by product or service, intent, and location; group related terms into focused ad groups.
  • Build an initial negative keyword list and define a process for adding exclusions from live search terms.
  • Configure conversion events through GA4 and Google Tag Manager (GTM), connect applicable ad platforms, and test that primary conversions record correctly.
Campaign architecture
Campaign type
Proposed role
Use condition
Search
Capture relevant, high-intent queries with controlled keyword and ad-group themes.
Core campaign type where search demand exists.
Performance Max (PMax)
Extend reach across eligible Google inventory while assessing conversion quality.
Use when goals, assets, and conversion data support it.
Shopping
Promote eligible products using product-feed data.
Use when Alder Home Goods has an approved, suitable product feed.
Remarketing
Re-engage eligible prior visitors or customer audiences.
Use when audience size and consent requirements permit.
Separate campaigns where budget control, geography, product lines, or conversion goals call for it. Confirm the final channel mix during setup.

Creative, optimization, and reporting

Ads and assets
Write Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) around the agreed keyword themes and landing-page offers. Add relevant sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets, subject to platform approval.
Landing-page recommendations
Identify gaps between search intent, ad copy, and the destination page. Provide recommendations for messaging, forms, and conversion paths; page implementation remains with the party assigned in the launch plan.
Ongoing management
Monitor
Review spend, bids, conversion recording, and campaign delivery.
Refine
Harvest search terms, add negatives, and adjust bids and budgets.
Test
Compare RSA messaging and asset combinations against agreed outcomes.
Report
Summarize performance, changes made, and recommended next actions.
Management begins on October 15, 2026, subject to account access, approved creative, working conversion tracking, and funded platform accounts.

Performance benchmarks and targets

The table shows illustrative monthly planning assumptions for a $6,000 media budget. Confirm figures against account history, search demand, and the purchase events agreed for this engagement. These figures are targets, not guaranteed results.
Metric
Monthly benchmark or target
Measurement basis
Estimated impressions
75,000
Platform-reported ad impressions
Target click-through rate (CTR)
4.0%
Clicks divided by impressions
Target cost per click (CPC)
$2.00
Platform media spend divided by clicks
Estimated monthly conversions
120 purchases
Agreed primary conversions recorded in the ad platforms
Target cost per acquisition (CPA)
$50
Platform media spend divided by agreed acquisitions
Target return on ad spend (ROAS)
3.0x
Tracked conversion value divided by platform media spend
Measurement review
Before launch, confirm which GA4 and ad-platform purchase events are primary conversions and whether purchase values are passed accurately. Reporting will distinguish the $6,000 monthly platform media budget from agency fees.

Investment and fee summary

Agency fees compensate Beacon Search Studio for setup and ongoing management. Direct media spend is a separate payment to Google Ads and Microsoft Ads through accounts owned by Alder Home Goods.
Cost item
Billing basis
Amount or calculation
Paid to
Account audit and setup
One-time
$1,500
Beacon Search Studio
Ongoing SEM management
Monthly flat fee
$1,200
Beacon Search Studio
Direct media spend
Monthly platform budget
$6,000
Google Ads and Microsoft Ads
Billing
The $1,500 setup fee is due October 15, 2026. The $1,200 monthly management fee is invoiced on the first business day of each month and payable within 15 days. Ad platforms bill Alder Home Goods directly under the platform accounts’ payment settings.

Terms and account ownership

Client-owned accounts and data
Alder Home Goods retains ownership and administrative access to its ad accounts, campaign data, and related analytics properties.
Campaign start date
The engagement begins on October 15, 2026, subject to the launch requirements stated in this proposal.
Termination notice
Either party may terminate the ongoing engagement with 30 days’ written notice.
Access and handover
Alder Home Goods will provide the account access, approvals, product information, landing pages, and tracking permissions needed to perform the work. On termination, Beacon Search Studio will relinquish its access at the client’s request and provide a handover of active campaign settings and current reporting.
Approval and changes
Work outside the scope or fee structure stated here requires written approval from both parties before it begins. This sample proposal is dated September 29, 2026 and remains valid for 14 days, through October 13, 2026.

Acceptance and approval

By signing, the parties approve the scope, selected monthly management fee model, direct media budget, and terms in this proposal. The engagement start date is [Contract.StartDate].
For [Sender.Company]
Authorized signature
SENDER
Printed name: [Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName]*
SENDER
Title: [Sender.Title]*
SENDER
Date (MM/DD/YYYY): MM/DD/YYYY*
SENDER
For [Client.Company]
Authorized signature
Printed name: [Client.FirstName] [Client.LastName]*
Title: [Client.Title]*
Date (MM/DD/YYYY): MM/DD/YYYY*

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SEM Proposal Template Overview

Search marketing sounds simple until a client asks how keywords, budgets, and bids will be handled. This SEM proposal template gives you ready sections for goals, keyword strategy, ad approach, budget, reporting, and fees, so the work is easy to explain. Built as a reusable search engine marketing proposal, it also works as a paid search proposal for agencies and freelancers pitching new accounts.

The proposal generates in your agency's branding and adapts to each client. Share one link the client opens on any device, and keep every proposal filed by account, so ongoing reviews and budget changes start from the strategy already agreed.

What's Included

Everything you need to create a professional proposal

Professional Design

Fully Customizable

Ready to Use

Mobile Responsive

How to Use This Template

Get started with your professional proposal in just a few simple steps

1

Choose Template

Select this template and click "Use template for free" to get started

2

Customize Content

Fill in your details, add your branding, and tailor the content to your needs

3

Send & Track

Send your proposal to clients and track when they view and approve it

Who Benefits From SEM Proposal Template?

Search marketers, agencies, and business owners get the most from a proposal that explains paid search clearly in plain terms.

Search Marketer

Explain your keyword strategy and ad approach to a client in simple terms, with budget and fees clearly set out.

Agency Account Lead

Pitch paid search with the same structure each time, so new clients see a clear process and consistent pricing.

Ecommerce Owner

Understand how search ads will be set up for your products, what the budget covers, and how results will be shared.

Marketing Director

Compare SEM proposals on strategy, reporting, and fees, so selecting an agency is based on clear information, not guesswork.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about using this template

It should include the client's goals, keyword strategy, ad approach, budget, reporting schedule, and fees. A SEM proposal template gives you these sections ready to fill in, so the work is easy to explain and easy to evaluate.
Yes. Generate the first draft from a short prompt, then use AI to rewrite, tighten, or restructure any section in seconds.
Open with the client's goals, describe your keyword strategy and ad approach, set the budget and reporting schedule, then close with fees. Plain language helps clients who are new to paid search.
Fully. This proposal is editable end to end in the drag-and-drop editor, so you can add, remove, or reorder sections to match each client.
Yes. Add your own keywords, budgets, and reporting details straight into this proposal template, then adjust the wording to fit the client.
Yes. Your logo, colours, and fonts are pulled from your website and applied automatically, so the proposal looks on-brand without any manual design.

Explain paid search in plain language

Start from a ready proposal layout and fill in only what matters, instead of starting from a blank page.

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