Visualisation of global research trends and future research directions in search engine marketing research: a bibliometric analysis (2004-2024)

Over the past two decades, search engine marketing (SEM) has evolved into a critical area of digital marketing, yet a comprehensive understanding of its research landscape remains fragmented. This study addresses this gap by conducting a bibliometric analysis of 246 academic articles published between 2004 and 2024, sourced from the Scopus database. Utilising bibliometric tools, we identify key research trends, influential publications, leading authors, and prominent journals shaping SEM scholarship. Our analysis uncovers thematic clusters within SEM research, revealing its progression from foundational SEO and keyword advertising to AI-driven personalised marketing strategies. Furthermore, we map global contributions, highlighting top institutions and nations driving research advancements. By systematically analysing citation patterns and keyword co-occurrences, this study not only synthesises existing knowledge but also identifies future research directions, ensuring SEM remains adaptive to the evolving digital ecosystem.