Search engine Marketing is an absolute must in any Performance Marketing strategy. It is the point of the user’s journey where their intent is the highest, this is where advertisers close the loop, and where a user’s decision making process comes to an end, right before the purchase. Even if you cannot afford anything else, you still need to be present on the search auctions most relevant to your brand. 

If your goal is revenue, search engine Marketing is the most important part of your funnel. And for that reason it is also the most challenging. It is more expensive than your upper funnel traffic and usually more competitive as well. It is absolutely crucial for this part of your funnel to be perfectly optimized.