Did you know that a lot of people do not know the difference between SEO and SEM?

There are so many people who think that they are one and the same and opt for using them interchangeably when speaking of these two digital marketing strategies. 

If you are one of those people, don’t worry.

If you are someone who knows there’s a difference but can’t really tell what it is. You too should not worry. 

This article will help you differentiate between the two and help you see how they work together. 

What is SEO?

SEO is the acronym for Search Engine Optimization. It is an organic method used to gain visibility in the search results on a search engine.

WHAT IS SEM?

SEM is the acronym for Search Engine Marketing. It is also a way of ensuring that you are seen in the search results of a search engine. The big difference here is that it is paid for.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEO AND SEM?

• The Results time frame

Search Engine Marketing offers instant results while Search Engine Optimization (SEO) may take a while. If you opt for SEM you will appear in the top results immediately so that your target can see you and your business. SEO requires a longer period, and the market’s competitiveness may determine how much time it takes for it to work for you. 

• Marked and Unmarked Results

Have you ever been on a search engine page searching for something and you see ‘Ad’ beside some of the top results? That is the result of SEM. The search result is often marked to indicate that it is paid for. The SEO results are unmarked but usually contain keywords relevant to a searcher. 

• Result requirements

There are certain activities that are necessary to carry out SEO. It requires on-page optimization which usually includes finding your keywords and including them in blogs on the page, your webpage URL, your title tag, etc. Off-page optimization is also needed. This is where you set up backlinks and promote your website on your social media pages. The technical work aspect usually takes into account your website design and accessibility for searchers. You want to make sure that you offer visitors ease of access, fast page loading access, and relevant information that is easy to navigate. The user interaction data is necessary to see how relevant your website has been for visitors. 

For SEM, on the other hand, additional actions are needed. So you may need to bid for keywords that you will pay for. As you can see for these two approaches writing is also key. You need to craft a persuasive ad copy that will appear on the search engine results page.  

• Time Value

If you are looking for immediate results SEM is your go-to strategy but if you are looking to amass results consider SEO. Doing SEO work adds greater value to your website as it builds it. It sets up the website in such a way that it guarantees reach without the extra help of paid ads. This is a long-lasting result where your page will continue to appear in search results. 

SEO is a part of SEM. That is, the strategies used in it are also necessary for SEM work. However, they are not the same thing. SEO and SEM can be difficult to differentiate. So I hope this article has cleared up things a bit more for you.