Difference Between SEM and SEO

According to our years of expertise in internet marketing, we have found it that only few people are able to distinguish properly the difference between SEO and SEM. Actually both the terms Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Search engine Marketing (SEM) sound quite similar but the entire meaning, the definition and the work procedures are really very different by their own nature.

WHAT IS SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the proven method of website promotion into the Internet focused on increasing your website rankings favorably on famous search engines like Google, MSN, and Yahoo using targeted key-phrases or keywords that are relevant to your website and web audience of your business market. SEO optimisation is the way of making sure that meaningful visitors can find your website through the search engines.

Research shows that Internet users aren't likely to go past the first three pages - or top 30 results of a search made by them when searching for information on a product or service using a search engine. This is where SEO optimisation comes into play.

SEO optimisation sometimes requires patience because it has some proven methods to promote the keywords of your website. But when the keywords get ranked, SEO optimisation gives you a steady ranking into the search engines. If your SEO optimisation technique goes in a steady manner then we can bet you that your rankings will get improved day by day and the traffic rate will increase in similar manner as well.

Benefits of SEO

An expertise SEO strategy gives your website the edge over competition by getting top placements and thinking outside the box in developing new technologies and procedures. The end results are drastic reductions of cost over traditional media advertising due to:

• Efficient online promotion.
• Increased brand marketing through search engines
• Tremendously improved and ethical web traffic to your site.
• Marketing globally with affordable prices.
• Promoting local business to the global Internet marketing arena.
• Receiving thousands of unique web traffic at your website.

WHAT IS SEM?

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) refers to the 'sponsored listings' or 'sponsored links' of the reputed search engines. These are generally known as the keyword advertisements in return of little expenditure. Not only in search engines but also can we find these advertisements into the reputed websites of your business market as the featured links of that websites. This kind of listings is known as the paid inclusions.

More than 60% of web visitors at your website come through Google thus we SEO professionals believes in 'Google Ad words' campaigns. Here in Google Ad words, advertiser’s bids through never ending 24x7 biding to determine the highest position of any keyword. SEM is sometimes refers as the PPC (Pay Per Click) campaigns where you need not you expend any cost for listings into the sponsored section. You are responsible to pay only when somebody clicks at your listing at Google sponsored listing section and came at your website. Otherwise all listings are free until and unless somebody clicks at your link.

Sometimes we view that the sponsored listing section is not give us the steady ranking. Suppose we enter a keyword and make the search and suppose we find our link at position three. Then we refresh the page and found that our link listed at fifth position, because, Google has several algorithms to provide you the position while you are starting the PPC campaign for your website. But Click Through Ratio (CTR) is obtain as one of the major factor to provide the position at the listings.

Benefits of SEM

• You need not to start your SEO campaign.
• 100% satisfactory results through sponsored listings
• Increasing web traffic rate at your website.
• Increased goal conversion rate at your website.
• If your website is newly launched then also you get sponsored listings.

Main Disadvantage of SEM

We need to declare our budget for the Ad-words campaign before starting the process. If you have enough budgets at your pocket then you need not worry about your listings at sponsored section. Improved web traffic comes through Google and if the content of your website is good then you can easily increase the conversion rate, no doubt about it.

But if your budget is limited (which is natural) then you should be careful while choosing the keywords. Because the rates very high (for competitive keywords) and if you choose the highest keywords then your budget easily lost by clicks within few days of time span. And as these listings are based on only money thus when your budget finished your listing will be gone and you lose the entire web traffic.