In this digital era, a business must have a website. However, having one isn’t enough. As much as possible, your site must stand out in a sea of digital competition. Your target consumers should easily and quickly find your website when they’re looking for products or services your business can offer. That is where digital marketing comes into the picture.
When it comes to online marketing, you may have heard of SEM and SEO. However, a lot of people tend to get confused with the difference between the two. For the most part, some entrepreneurs think they are just the same. Even some digital marketers use them interchangeably.
In this article, we’ll share with you the difference between SEM and SEO. Keep on reading to learn more.
Search Engine Marketing in a nutshell
Entrepreneurs usually hire a web development company to create and develop their websites. But they aren’t satisfied with just having a business site. They want to ensure it takes the spotlight in the SERP environment. That is where search engine marketing.
SEM is one form of online marketing. As the name suggests, it aims to promote your business website via the search engines like Google and Bing. Its primary purpose is to boost your online visibility and increase your website traffic.
In general, you want your website and content to appear on the search engine results pages (SERP) environment. When your target users search online, you want them to see your web pages, content pieces, and even ads in SERP. If they do, they will most likely visit your website. And this can lead to plenty of opportunities for your business, from lead generation to actual conversion.
Types of Search Engine Marketing
Keep in mind that SEM is a broad term in business and digital marketing. There are actually two types that fall under this. Take note of the following:
- Search engine optimization (SEO):This process entails optimizing your website (technical SEO), producing relevant content (on-page SEO), and boosting your business reputation outside of your site (off-page SEO). The primary purpose of SEOis to get the top spot in the SERP environment. Ultimately, doing so helps boost your online visibility.
- Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising:This strategy involves creating and displaying ads in the SERP environment. Same as SEO, PPC aims to increase your online visibility. But as a form of paid search, you must pay for every successful click. But what’s good about this is that you’ll get people to visit your website.
Understanding the Difference Between SEM and SEO
As you can see, SEM is a broader term, while SEO is a sub-category under this. It appears that SEO basically focuses on online visibility in SERP. On the other hand, SEM endeavors to boost both your web presence and website traffic in general.
That said, it’s important not to get confused with these two terminologies. In fact, there’s no way to differentiate them, as they are both intertwined. But if anything, they are crucial in how your business fares and succeeds in the digital realm. Hence, as a business owner, you must not ignore your search engine marketing or SEO, for this matter.
The Benefits of Search Engine Marketing
There are a handful of benefits that come with implementing SEM for your business. Take note of the following:
- Global reach:This marketing form allows you to reach out to your target market instantly. When done correctly, your target consumers will quickly and easily find your business online.
- Brand awareness:Know that recognizing a business online all starts with the search engines. If people come across your website and content, they’ll get introduced to your brand. And that can lead to a boost in your brand recognition.
- Easy targeting:What’s good about SEM is how it allows you to target your ads to the right people. Be sure to choose the consumers’ demographics and your ads’ placement to reach the right market.
- Online visibility:Of course, this marketing form primarily aims to boost your web presence. With proper SEO and effective PPC campaigns, you’ll make your business conspicuous in the online realm.
- Website traffic:Through both SEO and PPC, you’ll be able to attract more and more potential customers to your business website. SEM can indeed boost your website traffic. Who knows? It can translate into an increase in lead generation and sales conversion for the benefit of your business.
At this point, you now know the difference between SEM and SEO. It all boils down to the fact that SEO falls under SEM. That said, be sure to consider the valuable information discussed above. To boost your online visibility and website traffic, work with a highly reliable digital marketer. Ultimately, doing so can translate into your overall business success.
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