What’s the Difference Between SEM and SEO?
Unfortunate as it might be, most of the 2 billion websites up and running these days attract little to no web traffic. This could sound shocking at first, but less so when you consider that just a few of the major search engines now direct 95% of all web traffic.
So it is no surprise that competition for the top search spots with Google and co is ferocious. Climbing to the top ranking means having an effective marketing strategy, which brings two options to the table:
- Search engine optimisation (SEO)
- Search engine marketing (SEM)
Very often confused as one and the same, SEM and SEO are actually quite different. But if you are serious about appearing right at the top of the rankings, you will need to bring them bothinto your web strategy.
SEM vs. SEO
In a nutshell, SEM refers to paid search programmes, which usually manifest in the form of pay-per-click advertising. By contrast, SEO refers to the initiatives and activities implemented to boost a site’s appeal in the eyes of the major search engines.
Why is SEO important?
Considering SEO first, search engine optimisation affects which visitors would find your site organically. In this case, “organic” means you didn’t have to use any type of paid advertising, marketing or promotional materials. Instead, the visitors found you “organically” because you were clearly the best match for what they need.
SEO is important because it’s an on-going strategy that can boost not only web traffic, but also brand authority, brand recognition and the potential to achieve better conversion rates. Organic listings in the search results attract more interest and attention than their paid counterparts, thus making SEO a must for large and small businesses alike.
What is SEM?
At the opposite end of the spectrum, search engine marketing is about paying to have your ads placed prominently at the top of the search rankings. Rather than trying to appeal to the search engines by optimising and improving your site, you instead pay them to show your ad according to your selected keywords and search terms.
SEM is different than search engine optimisation in that it is able to deliver an instant influx of traffic. The very moment your paid ads go live, they start directing traffic to your landing pages. This could be ideal for generating a burst of interest in a brand new website, promoting a temporary deal or introducing a new product or service.
On the downside, PPC’s benefits are usually limited to the period during which the marketing campaign is operational.
The Best of Both Worlds
Basically, therefore, you are looking at an organic and free marketing strategy geared towards the long-term benefits, alongside a paid strategy that could deliver instant results. A smart combination of both clearly represents the ideal approach for any company out to give a boost to its exposure.