Want to learn more about SEO?
Before we explain how it works and what to do to make it work, let's look at the definition of SEO, and then delve into how SEO works.
SEM
SEM (Search Engine Marketing) – marketing in internet search engines, i.e. all activities related to promoting a specific website in search results in order to gain the widest possible visibility among users. Search results include both organic results and paid results. SEM activities may be based on website optimization, search engine positioning, sponsored links, or paid Google Ads campaigns.
Search engine marketing (SEM) is a descriptor that covers various types of paid advertising in search engines. These are the search results that you see as a Google ad at the top of the search engine list.
Examples of advertising activities based on SEM:
- Auction-based (paid) advertising campaigns
- Copy written for specific keywords
- Using performance indicators such as click-through rates (CTR) and cost per click (CPC) in future advertising activities
SEM is great for building brand recognition because it means you will be at the top of the list every time someone enters keywords into a search engine.
The downside of SEM is that it requires additional knowledge and special tools (such as Google AdSense). If you are not well versed in this field, you will probably want to hire someone with substantial knowledge of internet marketing and advertising campaigns to handle it and make it worth your time.
SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the optimization of a website for search engines so that the website responds as well as possible to the phrases entered into a search engine. It focuses on increasing a site's visibility in organic, free search results.
SEO refers to the process in which search engines "index" content to see how effectively it attracts traffic. Search engines will evaluate many things on pages (including keywords, tags, link titles) and rank them by their ability to attract organic traffic based on various factors.
What SEO includes:
- High-quality content - How long are your texts? How often is the key phrase repeated?
- User experience - Is your website designed so that users have a seamless experience? Is navigation fast and easy? Can users easily achieve their end goals (e.g. making a purchase)?
- Links - Do you use links to other websites? Where do your links come from?
You should also be aware that it takes Google some time to recognize your website too – the more so if your site is completely new, it may take even longer.
PPC / CPC
PPC (Pay Per Click) / CPC (Cost Per Click)
Search results consist of organic results, meaning those that are free, as well as paid PPC results. Paid results appear at the top and bottom of search results with an "Ad" label so that users can distinguish them from organic results.
The difference between SEO and SEM
SEO and SEM are really two sides of the same coin, but they consist of very different activities and concern different aspects of marketing. Sometimes these two terms are used together to refer to a similar set of activities, which can be confusing for people who are not completely at home in the world of marketing.
So what is the difference between search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM)? What do they have in common and what separates them?
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When we talk about the differences between SEO and SEM, we are really talking about different approaches to advertising.
SEO is sometimes used as a general term encompassing SEM, but because SEM refers exclusively to paid advertising, they are in fact distinct. SEM involves acquiring traffic through paid ads, while SEO is more about acquiring, monitoring, and analyzing organic (unpaid) traffic patterns.
