You have a business. You’re focused on growth. Online is the only way to go. But where do you put your focus, SEO or SEM? In digital marketing, is one more valuable than the other?
Search engine optimization and search engine marketing are intertwined in a digital marketing strategy. They’re needed to drive traffic and enhance your visibility in search engines like Google.
Yet, the two are often confused. Each has a purpose. They have their differences. The more you understand SEO and SEM in digital marketing, the better you can leverage them to help you develop a robust online plan.
Planning to get more from your digital marketing plan this year? Then it’s time to dive in and better understand how SEO and SEM can help.
SEO and SEM – What’s The Difference?
Google’s search results are either organic or paid search results. To appear in organic search results takes time and effort. You don’t pay for the results; they are achieved through SEO work. They are listed below the sponsored results in the rankings.
Paid search results are placed at the top of every search. You pay to play, meaning you bid on appearing in the search results and are rewarded with top billing. Paid search results will be the first three ranked websites and listed as sponsored results.
SEM aims to help you leverage search engines to the fullest extent. It provides a paid search plan to get you ranked fast and an organic search plan to ensure you rank well in all areas of search ranking.
SEM is a broad umbrella term that includes both organic and paid, while SEO refers to organic traffic only.
How SEO Works
What is search engine optimization? SEO is the art of continuously optimizing a website to rank well in organic search engine results pages, also known as SERPs.
Search engines work by crawling through website content to rank it based on its effectiveness at providing relevant information. They assess a website based on many factors and then rank it accordingly.
Google has more than 90 percent of the market share. SEO experts focus on what Google uses as ranking factors, knowing the other search engines follow along. Some of these ranking factors are known; others Google holds close and are purely speculation. Still, SEO experts know enough to build robust SEO plans that help sites rank well.
SEO involves many different activities to improve optimization, yet typically includes on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO.
- On-page SEO refers to optimization techniques used on your website, such as adding title tags, publishing a keyworded blog post, or improving page performance.
- Off-page SEO refers to optimization techniques that occur off your website, like outreach, optimizing your social media profiles, or sharing content.
- Technical SEO is about improving the technical aspects of a website that make your site more crawlable to Google and help it rank well.
In short, you’re telling the search engines exactly what to expect from your website and delivering in the form of a well-thought-out website. You’re consistently improving your web presence, making it better for the search engines to rank you.
How SEM Works
Search engine marketing is a blanket term that includes SEO and a variety of other strategies to help you rank well in search engines. It can include things like:
- Keyword research and targeting
- PPC
- Local SEO
- Display advertising
- Retargeting
- Social media ads
In general, it refers to paid search marketing and focuses on paid efforts that improve your visibility within the search engines.
What makes SEM so powerful is the ability to reach out to your audience in many ways. It has a variety of features that make it a powerful tool in any digital marketer’s toolbox.
- Keyword targeting: This tactic helps you understand what motivates your audience to take action. Keywords help you bid on relevant keywords for all types of display ads, refining your approach and the way you target.
- Ad creation: Compelling copy helps you approach different channels in a manner that works well for each audience. You can refine your approach using AI tools and A/B testing.
- Bidding: You control your budget by bidding on keywords and optimizing bids for specific goals.
- Analytics: Google Analytics provides in-depth performance metrics and insights that help you refine your approach.
What makes SEM work well is its overall approach. You can gain traction quickly through paid advertising. You can build for the long term using organic techniques. SEM is an essential strategy for any digital marketing plan.
Getting Results with SEO and SEM in Digital Marketing
SEO and SEM have distinct differences in their approaches to digital marketing, giving you different results. If you want fast action, SEM can deliver. Through paid advertising, you can have ads launched quickly. If you’re creating a marketing plan for the long term, SEO delivers. It may take three to six months to see results, but organic placement means you’ll be where your audience is looking.
Of course, these are estimates. Your turnaround time is dependent on a variety of things. If you’re in a heavily targeted industry, for example, it may take longer to see the results. SEM may take a few weeks to build your advertising platforms and play with conversions to get results. SEO may take more time with larger sites as an expert works through an SEO audit.
SEO or SEM: Which Should You Use?
While SEO may seem to be the buzzword of choice, SEM has its place in every digital marketing strategy. Which would work better for you? It depends on your goals.
SEO works well if you’re planning for the long term. You have the time and resources to build a plan to reduce ad spend and gain traction in the search engines over time.
SEM generates traffic, leads, and sales immediately. If you want a presence quickly while you wait for SEO to work, SEM is the way to go.
There isn’t a right or wrong choice. In fact, they work well together. Want to explore your options? Sometimes, it’s best to speak with an expert. We can help you determine which tactic fits your overall digital marketing plan better. We’re ready to talk when you are.
