SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization, while SEM is for Search Engine Marketing. They may sound similar to those who are not in the business, but in general, they are very different.
Still, only one significant difference puts a nice and clear distinction between SEO and SEM.
SEO is all about getting traffic organic from search results, while SEM improves visibility with both organic and paid searches.
But are there any other differences we need to know?
Surely, the whole approach is different, and the results come faster with SEM. Still, many businesses still prefer SEO as the best solution for organic traffic and ranking.
How Google Implements SEO and SEM?
Pay attention to the results if you use Google or any other search engine. Those ranking on the top of the first page are either well-optimized or paid. If you see a sign with the word “ad,” then it’s a paid promotion. The results below the promoted content are organic.
SEO allows you to rank in local results, especially if you implement localized practices. For example, if you are in Austin and you need a localized result, then you must focus your search engine optimization austin based on location.
Most of the time, people know what they do with their SEO practices, but sometimes, some websites rank higher by accident.
It usually happens when they are default market leaders or their industry is not as competitive as it seems.
While with SEM, search engines prioritize the paid content, with SEO, they recognize the optimization elements and rank the results according to the value.
So, we can say SEO is an art, while SEM is the shortest way around.
Google is made to detect SEO signals from websites, such like:
- Website loading speed
- Proper use of meta tags
- Proper use of heading tags
- Quality written content
- Proper keyword placement
- Value over keyword overuse
Search engine marketing combines these basic elements with PPC (pay-per-click) elements. So, SEO is a part of SEM practices, but it works separately pretty well.
The Main SEO Features
SEO is an ongoing job for those who want to gain organic traffic and rank well in SERPs. We mentioned a few signals and elements, but Google’s algorithm uses more than 200 ranking signals to rank your website higher.
For example, when it comes to on-page SEO, you incorporate the best SEO practices on your page. That means publishing relevant content, including the keywords properly in titles and subheadings, focusing on metadata, and adjusting the URL according to SEO best practices.
Off-page SEO is another group of ranking signals that are focused mostly on external links that navigate the audience to your page. Google also checks your expertise, trustworthiness, and authority before ranking you on SERPs. It’s also known as EAT, which is a signal that the author is an expert and that the website offers value before raw SEO practices.
All these things can be challenging for a person to implement alone, so the solution often lies in working together with an expert. Let’s take Austin as an example again. If you need to localize your SEO efforts, then you should work with seo consultant austin experts for the most optimal results.
Still, things get much different when you implement SEM.
What’s in an SEM Strategy?
SEM includes many SEO elements but goes above it by including paid clicks. The process is the same, especially when it comes to keywords and content implementation.
But, once you have the most relevant keyword, you start bidding. When you use Google Ads, you can bid on that particular keyword and expect your ad to appear on top of SERPs.
If you pay more money, you go higher on the result page. But, if you don’t go for the top result, you may bid less and still be in the top five results on the search page.
But is it enough to bid for the specific keyword? Is money guaranteed that you will rank high?
Google Ads has a Quality Score meter, so it still measures your value and estimates if you really can answer the searchers’ needs. It also checks on the ad copy because it should push the people to click on it. The more people click on the ad, the more your price grows.
Does SEM Need a lot of Time to Show Results?
Paid promotion always brings almost instant results. SEO needs a lot of time and patience. When you have a new website, all things will go slower until you build backlinks. Sometimes, you need to wait for one year until you see a significant difference. You can speed up the process if you really focus on SEO and implement the best SEO practices.
Google often changes and upgrades the algorithm, so it’s crucial to be updated with it too. Your hard work will result in organic traffic in the first few months, but you still need to work on SEO.
Things are different with SEM since it needs less than a day to bring traffic and conversions to you. But can you maintain that result long-term? Or even better, do you have enough money to do the same with every relevant keyword?
It’s up to you to decide which results you want to accomplish. SEO can be long and exhausting, but you can maintain the results long-term with continuous work. SEM is the fastest way around, but it may not always work, especially when you want to nurture conversions and encourage people to become your loyal customers.
Final Thoughts
Every business has different goals. Business owners want to accomplish those goals the fastest way possible, and sometimes they don’t care about how much money they will spend in the process.
Still, everyone can choose the way that works best for them. So, is it better to spend money on search engine marketing, or search engine optimization is better? It all depends on how fast you expect the initial results and what your plans are for the future.