When it comes to digital marketing, there are a lot of acronyms and jargon to keep track of. Two of the most common terms you’ll hear are SEO vs SEM. But what exactly do they mean? SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of optimizing your website and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). SEM, or Search Engine Marketing, is the process of using paid advertising to also improve your visibility in SERPs. 

So, which one should you choose for your business? The answer really depends on your goals and budget. If you’re looking to improve your organic search visibility without spending any money, then SEO is the way to go. However, if you’re willing to invest in paid advertising and want to see results more quickly, then SEM may be a better option. Ultimately, we don’t have to think of SEO vs SEM as two separate strategies, as they can be both beneficial for your business. It’s just a matter of deciding which digital marketing strategies make the most sense for your business. 

What is SEO and how it can help your business?

In order to answer the question “what is SEO?”, we must first understand what it stands for. SEO is an acronym for “search engine optimization.” Search engine optimization is the process of improving the visibility and ranking of a website or web page in search engine results pages (SERPs). The higher a website or web page ranks in the SERPs, the more likely it is to be visited by users. 

SEO can be used to improve the visibility and ranking of a website or web page in two ways:

 1) by optimizing the website or web page content itself, and 2) by optimizing the website or web page’s off-page factors. 

The Four Core Pillars of SEO to take into consideration

SEO is a technical, content marketing, and advertising process that helps marketers rank high in Google. To achieve this, they do things like create proper inbound links, optimize copy and images, and so much more. Let’s have a look a the 4 core pillars, below:

Technical SEO – Technical SEO is focused on improving the structure of websites and has many benefits, such as making them faster, mobile-friendly, and easier for search engines to find. When your site conforms to these requirements, it will be ranked higher in search engine results pages.

On-page SEO – On-page optimization refers to the optimization of a website or web page’s content and structure. This includes factors such as title tags, meta tags, keyword density, image alt tags, and backlink anchor text. 

Content – One of the main factors that Google takes into account when ranking sites is the quality of content. Without satisfying content, you’ll have trouble ranking well in search results. However, it’s important to make sure your website isn’t just focused on copywriting and creating content- there needs to be a comprehensive strategy in place.

Off-page SEO – Off-page optimization is how you improve a website or webpage’s external factors. This includes anything from link popularity to social media signals to directory listings. Off-page optimization focuses on improving the trustworthiness and authority of a site in search engines’ eyes, so it can rank more highly. Typically this means building links, PR, and other similar tactics.

Any SEO strategy worth its salt will take into account all four pillars of search engine optimization. So, working with specialists in each of these areas is often required to create a well-balanced strategy that:

• increases your business visibility and ranking in the SERPs
• generates traffic to your website or web page

The visibility of a website or web page in the SERPs is determined by its position in the search results. The higher a website or web page ranks in the search results, the higher the chance is that the searcher will click on this result. This explains the direct connection between high rankings and increased traffic. On average, 51% of website traffic is driven by organic search and 40% of revenue is driven by organic traffic. 

What is SEM, and how it can help your business?

SEM, or search engine marketing, is a type of digital marketing that uses paid search ads to help businesses improve their visibility and ranking on search engines. 

Search engine marketing, also known as PPC, is a technique that uses pay-per-click advertising platforms to get ads in front of your target audience. Using platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads, SEM takes advantage of the available ad formats to help drive traffic and leads for your business. 

Paid search ads can be an effective way to reach potential customers who are actively searching for your product or service. You can target potential customers based on their location, age, gender, interests, and other factors. SEM can be a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes. If you’re just starting, SEM can help you get your foot in the door with potential customers. If you’re already established, SEM can help you grow your customer base and increase sales.

When marketers use SEMs, they start with comprehensive keyword research to find out the best words to target. Then, they’ll learn about their competitors to make sure they’re targeting an audience that’s relevant and ready to buy.

SEM-based advertising activities can include:

• Targeted (paid) campaigns 
• Writing copy with very specific keywords 
• Meeting an allotted budget 
• Applying key performance indicators like click-through-rates (CTR) and cost-per-click (CPC) to measure and test advertising campaigns

SEO vs SEM. What is the difference?

The difference between these two is simple to understand once it has been explained to you. This guide will provide a clear understanding of each of the definitions and what the differences are.

The main difference between SEO and SEM is that SEO is a part of SEM. Both processes aim to improve website visibility in SERPs. The main difference is that SEM includes other methods of optimizing your website for search engines, such as paid advertisements, while SEO only focuses on improving organically through content marketing, link building, and so on.

For most businesses, both SEO and SEM should be part of their digital marketing strategy. However, if you have to choose one over the other, it depends on your business objectives and your budget. If you are looking to improve your visibility in SERPs quickly, then you should focus on SEM. If you want to improve your organic visibility over time, then you should focus on SEO.

SEO is all about improving your website so that it ranks higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This means that when people search for keywords related to your business, your website will appear higher up on the list of results. SEM goes one step further than SEO by not only improving your website’s ranking, but also paying for ads that will place your website at the top of the SERP. 

SEMs can see clearly marked ads on SERPs

Paid advertisements will have an “ad” icon next to the site’s name. This means that organic results and paid listings appear differently, with most of the digital space devoted to organic results.

One of the best features of paid ads is the ability to use ad extensions. Ad extensions allow you to leverage different types of information and messaging, from callouts to site links and more.

While organic rankings offer rich snippets, they don’t offer the same level of control you get with ads. With ad extensions, you can display rich snippets when and where you need them. For example, if you sell a particular product, would be great to show your price in an ad extension that displays as people are looking at your product listing.

SEM will make you pay for every single click or impression

There are two main types of SEM campaigns – CPC (cost-per-click) or CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions). With CPM, the advertiser pays every time someone clicks on an ad. But when it comes to organic listings, they only pay if you rank.

SEO doesn’t produce an immediate result. SEM does.

One of the great things about an SEM campaign is that you can see the results right away, once it goes live. As soon as your ads are approved and set to compete, they’ll immediately appear in search results (provided they’re high enough to be eligible).

SEO can take time if you’re dealing with a lot of competition, which is not uncommon. It may take months to see organic results after starting an SEO strategy, and even then it’s possible to have your website’s placement drop.

SEO delivers cumulative results

SEO is also a cumulative strategy. It’s important to have this in mind as you evaluate the return on your investment (ROI). Your strategy will build over time and the results will last for years. When you invest in SEM, this doesn’t happen. As soon as you stop your ads, your visibility will stop.

What about the costs? 

As a business owner, you know that promoting your company is essential to its success. You may have dabbled in some online marketing yourself, but you’re now ready to take things to the next level and invest in professional help. But what kind of help should you invest in?

If you want to improve your visibility in organic search results and are willing to invest time and resources into SEO, then SEO is a good choice. SEO has a long lifetime value ROI. For good SEO results, you need tools, and a backlinks budget, you need someone to write content, and so on.

However, if you want immediate results or have a limited budget, then SEM may be a better option. PPC has a short lifetime value ROI, For PPC you pay and you get conversions if you know how to do it right. Over the short term, PPC is usually cheaper than SEO and SEO is cheaper if you calculate long time results. With PPC if you stop buying, you stop earning money. With SEO you have to wait longer for the results to come.

Businesses that spent over $500 per month on SEO services were 53.3% more likely to be “extremely satisfied” compared to those that spent less than $500 per month. 

What should I choose for my business?

The answer depends on your goals and budget. SEO and SEM are both digital marketing strategies used to improve visibility and traffic to a website. They have different approaches and should be used differently depending on your business goals. 

SEO is focused on improving the visibility of a website in organic or unpaid search results. This can be done through optimizing the website content, structure, and code as well as developing off-page SEO tactics like link building and social media engagement. 

SEM, on the other hand, is focused on paid advertising to improve a website’s visibility in search results. This can be done through paid search ads, display ads, and other paid channels. 

Let’s make a summary:

• What goals you have. It all depends on what you want. SEM is best suited for short-term goals, like driving traffic to a sale or new offer. SEO is better for driving long-term growth.

• Your existing performance. SEM can help you make sure your message reaches as many people as possible. If you already have strong organic visibility, SEM could be an excellent way to produce additional traffic to your site.

• Your margins. Some businesses find that while they are making a profit, their return is not as high as they would like it to be because of low conversion rates, high click costs, and low product margins. In these cases, SEO is likely the better option for your business. It’s worth estimating the CPC (cost-per-click) you need to pay with the PPC keyword tool and understanding your conversion rate to make a profit.

• If you take into account the lifetime value of a customer, SEM may seem like the best strategy. Higher LTV accounts for higher click costs, but a lower LTV could indicate that SEO is worth exploring.

You will get the best results when both SEO and PPC are blended together. These two strategies can complement each other when you don’t have to choose between them. Most agencies have long-standing experience in handling customized strategies for each business. Whichever strategy you choose, working with a digital marketing agency will help you get the most out of it. A good agency will have experience with both SEO and SEM and will be able to tailor a strategy specifically for your business needs. 

Last word…

SEO and SEM are often misunderstood. True, they might seem the same at first glance because they both have to do with keywords and search engines. However, there is a key distinction between the two. Digital marketers use SEO as a way of attracting more visitors to their website, while SEM is meant to convert them into leads or customers.

The key to success is understanding the purpose of both, then figuring out how to use them together.

3 Reasons To Work With Us

We provide valuable insights and know-how that give our clients a competitive advantage. Our digital marketing services are oriented toward generating valuable new leads and ultimately revenue. Whilst we always keep tabs on metrics such as ad click-through rates, we know what keeps you in business. We measure leads, not likes. Contact us for a personalized quote and let us help you convert leads into customers using SEO vs SEM strategies.