What is SEO and SEM?
Both are important components to driving site traffic.
SEO and SEM are really two sides of the same coin, but they consist of very different actions and relate to different aspects of marketing. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to the process by which search engines “crawl” content to see how effective it will be to attract traffic. And, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a descriptor that incorporates various types of paid search advertising.
SEO is a subcategory of SEM, which uses both promotion (PPC) and optimization (SEO) to increase a website’s ranking in the search engine results. A good SEO strategy targets your current page content, with the goal being to increase traffic to your website via search engines, increasing conversions. And, your SEM strategy includes using paid search advertising campaigns to get your site’s search results up higher on top of the search results page.
Why SEO Strategy is Important
SEO helps increase site traffic – and conversions.
Approximately 95% of online traffic to business websites come from search engines. So, optimizing your site content for search has a direct impact on not only how many people find your site, but also how high it appears in search results – and a direct result in improving the conversion rate of visitors to customers.
When a potential site visitor is using a search engine such as Google, that search engine determines if your site will appear in the search results by evaluating elements such as page theme, titles, keywords, metadata, on-page content, inbound and outbound links, and images. And, a good SEO strategy is designed to bring greater brand visibility and increases traffic, leads, and sales. Just remember that it can take time for Google to recognize and reward your site. Which is where SEM comes in.
When to use SEM
Paid Search Advertising for Improving Brand Visibility.
SEM is great for brand recognition as it means that you’ll be at the top of the list every time someone searches. It’s also a great way to bring in targeted traffic to your website. A good SEM strategy uses paid search advertising (also known as Pay-Per-Click or PPC campaigns) where you bid on specific keywords that customers would type to find your site content.
Paid search ads allow you to target specific keywords, and display ads targeting those keywords, even on other websites that go beyond search traffic. Additionally, your SEM strategy can expand to behavioral retargeting – ads for your brand that follow customers throughout their search experience, broadening your brands reach beyond standard search results.
Drive More Site Traffic with SEO and SEM
Turn your content into revenue!
By focusing on your brand’s unique value proposition, targeting vertical and market, then creating smart, tested and high-ROI SEM marketing strategies that work, our SEM agency experts will drive user acquisition costs down, while increasing your conversion rates.
We believe that results are everything. We help companies grow through ROI-boosting digital marketing programs that make our clients smile. We can help you develop SEO and SEM strategies that suit both your business needs, as well as your budget.
