The goal is to be at the top of the page when people search for your company. According to Moz the first page of Google captures 71% of search traffic clicks, with the second page only capturing less than 6%. The first 5 results account for over 67% of all the clicks. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are often wrongly used interchangeably, but are in fact two different marketing channels.

SEO is necessary for driving organic traffic to your website and grow your online visibility. Understanding what SEM is directly effects how well you can manage your SEO. The mastery of both will allow you to optimize your digital marketing strategy, in effect growing your business.

SEO vs. SEM: What Is The Difference?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the appearance and positioning of web pages in organic results. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is the practice of utilizing paid methods to appear in relevant search results.

SEO and SEM are interdependent on each other – while SEM is a good method for ensuring your positioning SEO is more economical and ensures users will stay on your website.

4 Pillars of SEO

Technical – Technical SEO pertains to site speed and the overall structure of a website. Search engines like Google place a large emphasis on technical aspects such as mobile-friendliness, indexing, and overall site speed, just to name a few.

On-page – On-page SEO is the practice of optimizing overall page structure, such as using appropriate header, title, paragraph, and meta tags for the content. Arranging content with the appropriate tags not only boosts SEO rankings, but also covers ADA compliance and overall user experience.

Content – Google puts the most weight on the site content. Higher rankings are given to websites with the most relevant, accurate, and up-to-date content versus sites that are outdated or have poor content.

Off-page – Off-page SEO is optimization for off site ranking factors. Off site ranking factors are most often attributed to other places on the Internet (i.e. – pages, people, websites) linking to or promoting your website. These other entities are essentially vouching for your content.

Successful SEO strategies hinge on the combination of all four pillars. Being able to accomplish this is a difficult task and is often best handled by professionals with the tools to audit your website and the knowledge of how and where to apply each strategy.

What is SEM

SEM is the use of paid tactics to position your website competitively in search rankings. Most commonly this is accomplished with the use of Google Ads or Bing Ads. SEM combines SEO and PPC (Pay Per Click) strategies.

SEM campaigns typically begin with keyword research – Google Ads Keyword Search tool allows you to enter one or multiple keywords, your website, and returns a dynamic keyword plan. Other tools like GoTrends will show you trending search keywords in your area and allow you to search for custom keywords.

Once keywords are selected a targeted campaign can be implemented that places your products or services in front of your target audience.

Types of Campaigns

• Search Ads (text ads)
• Shopping Ads
• App Display Ads
• Video Ads
• App Ads

SEO + CPC strategies require strict budgeting and a comprehensive knowledge of keyword management. Strategies that utilize keywords that target customers interested in your product or service are the most effective at an optimal return on investment.

Choosing the right type of ad campaign is equally important as choosing the right keywords. For example, if you are selling a product or good online your best ad type is likely a Shopping Ad. Likewise, if you are selling a service such as a vacation getaway Video Ads may be the way to go.

While it is possible to pay your way to the top with SEM, simply doing so is not your best strategy. Understanding how to balance SEO and SEM to maximize your investment is important. A strong SEM strategy incorporates SEO & CPC providing for a strong user experience once users are directed to your website.

Be sure to contact us for more information on how to best leverage your SEO and SEM strategies and stay tuned for more articles on enhancing your digital marketing experience.