Nearly 70% of all online experiences begin with a search engine like Google. With search engine marketing (SEM) strategies, you can appear as people search for your product or service. Then, you can leverage their shopping mindset to generate leads and sales.
SEM marketing includes strategies like search engine optimization (SEO). What is SEO, exactly? What’s the difference between SEO vs SEM?
Keep reading to find out!
After reading this guide, you can determine which strategy suits your needs. Then, you can give your business a boost. Read on to learn more about search engine marketing strategies today.
Table of Contents
What is SEM?
First, let’s look at each strategy separately. What exactly is search engine marketing?
SEM includes multiple digital marketing strategies that you can use to reach consumers online. When someone searches for your product or service, your brand can appear in front of them. SEM can help you generate brand awareness, website traffic, leads, and sales.
Different forms of SEM include:
- Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
- Shopping advertising
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Display advertising
- Remarketing
- Video ads
- Geotargeting
You can create ads that appear in different formats, including text, video, and animation ads. Ads can also appear on different platforms. For example, you can use Google Ads to appear on search engine pages or other websites.
You can use Facebook Ads to appear on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
When someone clicks on your ad, they can reach a landing page on your website. Then, you can turn that visitor into a lead.
What is SEO?
What is SEO, then?
Search engine optimization is an organic form of SEM. You can optimize your website content to boost your search engine rankings. Pages and posts can appear when someone searches for your offerings.
Only 0.78% of Google searchers look at results on the second page. Boosting your ranking is crucial if you want to generate website traffic.
You can also use local SEO to appear in front of consumers in your local area.
You can use professional SEO services to boost your rankings and expand your reach.
The Difference
What is the difference between SEO vs SEM, then?
SEM strategies are forms of paid advertising. You’ll pay when someone clicks on your ads.
SEO, on the other hand, is organic. You can’t pay to improve your rankings. You’ll need to keep up-to-date with the latest SEO trends instead.
You can contact SEO companies for help boosting your rankings properly.
With SEM, you can post your ads immediately. With SEO, on the other hand, you’ll need time to improve your rankings.
Consider using SEM and SEO this year. SEM can improve your organic rankings, helping you reach more people online.
Then, you can generate more brand awareness and website traffic. As more people visit your website, your rankings will improve even more.
SEO vs SEM: Differentiating Two Search Strategies
To recap, what’s the difference between search engine optimization and search engine marketing? SEO is organic while SEM is paid. You can use both strategies to boost your business.
Start marketing with these strategies today.
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