SEO, search engine optimisation, and SEM, search engine marketing, are two of the most important marketing trends you’ll find today. Why is this so? It helps businesses expand their online reach, making themselves known to potential customers. However, many people tend to mix up the two terms, thinking they’re one and the same. The reality is that they aren’t actually the same, and they both deal with different things.
Today, let’s talk about SEO and SEM to help you differentiate between the two when trying to use them to grow your business:
What Is SEO?
SEO, or search engine optimisation, is the practice of improving your web presence to get a higher ranking in search engine results. When you search online, say, for restaurants in your neighbourhood, search engines like Bing and Google will display a list of businesses based on their algorithm. Search engine optimisation is what helps your website appear at the top of those results, increasing your likelihood of getting clicked on.
What Is SEM?
SEM, or search engine marketing, is the practice of using paid advertisements to place your business or website in front of users when they search online. You’ve seen these before on the top of search engine results pages: ads for companies like Amazon, eBay, etc.
So What’s The Difference?
SEO and SEM are both used to grow your business, but they’re used in very different ways. SEO mainly depends on your website’s presence, relevance, and performance. SEM, on the other hand, relies mostly on your budget since it relies on paid ads. SEO is more of a long-term strategy, while SEM is a more immediate way of getting your company in front of potential clients.
Which One Should I Pick? SEO Or SEM?
Both SEO and SEM are very important in the world of online marketing, and it’s hard to tell which one you should use first. They can be used to complement each other because they’re both needed to complete the online marketing cycle. SEM has been proven to be more effective in the short term, while SEO is more effective in the long term. SEO is also a strategy that will pay off with time, giving you higher organic search engine rankings.
If you have a limited budget, SEM is your best bet. If you have a bigger budget, SEO will be much more effective. Each strategy has its benefits, so it’s all about finding the one that works best for you. Regardless, you’d want to have both set up sooner or later, as they both can help you grow your online presence and grow your business!
Conclusion
The main takeaway here is that SEO and SEM are very different. They both play an important role in online marketing, but they’re also very different strategies. SEO is more focused on your website’s presence, while SEM revolves more around paid ads. All in all, SEO is more of a long-term strategy, while SEM is a more immediate way of getting your business and website in front of more potential clients.
Both are very important when it comes to growing your business and seeing the results, but you’d want to pick the one that works best for you. If you’re still confused about how these two are different and how you can use them for your marketing strategy, do not hesitate to reach out to a professional for assistance. They can help you understand your needs and even help you develop an SEO or SEM strategy, or even both, to maximise your online presence.
Kingz Marketing is a young digital marketing agency that specialises in SEO, content creation, and more. If you are looking for the best SEO company in Singapore to grow your business online, work with us today!