Understanding the Difference between SEO and SEM

 Difference between SEO & SEM

SEO or SEM? They sound a lot alike, and they are similar to an extent. But SEO and SEM differ more than just in letters. Though they accomplish the same task, the difference between SEO and SEM is that SEO includes organic strategies while SEM is paid. There is no right or wrong strategy. It all depends on your business's needs and budget.

SEM

As mentioned, SEM, or Search Engine Marketing helps increase website traffic and visibility through paid marketing strategies. A few SEM includes SEO and a few other marketing strategies such as:

• Pay per click (PPC) marketing-i.e setting up and optimizing ads within the parameters of a previously agreed upon budget. Types of ads include Facebook/Instagram ads (internal link to FB blog posts). Before setting up your ads, be sure you have a strong understanding of your social media target audience

• A list of key words set up for paid search- be sure to choose keywords and phrases similar to what potential clients and customers are entering into the search engine. Thinking like your customer will grow your audience and improve your rankings in the search engine.

• Landing pages rich with SEO. Be sure you send your visitors to the most relevant page. Don't send new visitors to an offer or promotions page if said offer is past its expiration date. Organizing the amount of talent you use and create can get overwhelming. Maintaining an editorial calendar for social media posts, blogs, video content, etc. will make things much easier for you and your team long-term.

It’s important to set up a budget for every marketing plan. Know your limits and be sure to stay on top of trends that directly affect your business. If you're not sure how to accurately set your budget, just do some more research. There are many resources available at your fingertips.

MSDS partners with HubSpot which offers a wealth of information on marketing, sales, customer service, and more. HubSpot is fun and easy to navigate and will help your business thrive.

SEO

In the marketing world, the competition for sales, leads, and website traffic never ends. SEO  is the process of using search engine (like Google) best practices to increase your website visibility. The goal is to have your website or webpage appear higher in the rankings on a search engine results page (SERP). There are many ways to use SEO to improve your rankings, but quality content goes a long way. 
A few SEO strategies include:

• On page SEO i.e. keyword research and content creation. Effective keywords and content helps build trust between your company, clients, and search engines. A helpful knowledge of SEO will lead to growth and prosperity

• Off page SEO i.e. link building. Link building is the process of getting similar or relevant websites to link back to your webpage. Overtime, this improves your rankings in the search engines and lets users (and Google) know that your business is popular and trustworthy.