SEO vs. SEM

By Olivia Adams, Sentinel Solutions 

SEO and SEM are critical marketing tactics that assist in increasing brand awareness, visibility, boosting target audience traffic, and generating an overall increase in sales numbers. 

The core difference between these two marketing tactics is that search engine optimization focuses on using organic search to gain traffic, whereas search engine marketing utilizes both organic and paid search strategies. 

Organic search is unpaid search results that end up on a search engine results page (SERP), which means the results were not affected through advertising. Organic search, also known as natural or unpaid search, works by displaying website listings based on the relevance and quality of the website associated with the search and keywords. This can also be determined by other factors such as search engine algorithms, including backlinks, user experiences, and domain names. It is also important to correct website indexing to ensure the site is easily crawled by search engines. 

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There are four main categories of SEO to consider, which include technical SEO, on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and local SEO. 

Technical SEO: optimizing the structure of the website and its code to ensure it is more accessible for search engine crawlers, which will improve search engine rankings. 

On-page SEO: enhancing webpage content to improve search engine rankings and increase traffic. This includes creating relevant and high-quality content as well as optimizing headlines, HTML tags, and images. 

Off-page SEO: Tactics used to improve the website’s search engine ranking through outside factors of the website. These factors can include social media pages based on engagement, backlinks, and reviews/mentions. 

Local SEO: a search engine that works by focusing on improving visibility through local search results. This can be achieved by optimizing the website’s presence through Google Maps and Google Search. 

Paid search, also known as pay-per-click (PPC) or programmatic advertising, works by having businesses bid on keywords or phrases that users commonly search for on engines such as Google to boost their website traffic. Advertisers only pay for this type of search when their ad is clicked on by a user. This is also a gateway for potential customers to reach your business’s website and landing page. The larger the bid is, the greater potential the ad has for being positioned higher on SERP pages. The increase in website traffic poses greater possibility to attract new customers and generating sales. 

SEO and SEM share the same purpose of leveraging search engines’ content to reach your business’s target audience on search platforms and list higher in ranking on pages. It is essential to understand both marketing methods to optimize your potential of stimulating traffic and visibility. 

Furthermore, it is advantageous for your business to pair these marketing strategies to optimize your success. Modern shoppers are using search engines as a tool throughout their “path to purchase.” During the search phase of the buying process, it is essential for your business to appear prominently in search results. There is a drastic increase in savvy online shoppers who leverage search pages to research and compare before they buy. It is important that your business does not miss out on the opportunity to grab the attention of potential customers by increasing your visibility online. Using both SEO and SEM boosts both the quality and quantity of traffic to your business’s site. The implementation of these marketing methods will produce both the paid ads and the listing of a SERP. With this said, managing a high-performance, relevant, and intuitive website where customers can easily interact with your brand will be vital for turning visitors into customers. Utilizing the insights you gain from SEM will equip you with better information on how to move forward with your SEO efforts. The two methods, when used together properly, can help your business grow exponentially. 

To learn more about how to use SEO and SEM together to grow your business, give us a call or drop us an email here at Sentinel Solutions.

We have expertise in multimedia marketing and can help you build a compelling campaign that engages your audience, drives sales, and grows your business…And include the measurement systems that prove its effectiveness and inform its improvement.

Give us a call at 603-352-5896 or email Advertising@SentinelDigitalSolutions.com.

We’re here to help you succeed

Additional Resources:

• What is Search Advertising?
• Can Search Advertising Help Grow Your Local Business?
• Tips To Improve Your Search Engine Marketing Strategy
• Can Your Local Business Benefit from Search Engine Optimization?

 

Olivia Adams, Sentinel Solutions.  Born and raised in the Monadnock region, Olivia attended NHTI where she graduated with an associate’s degree in business administration.  She then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in digital marketing from Southern New Hampshire University.  Olivia enjoys connecting and helping others, finding creative ways to solve problems, and having a positive outlook to harbor a healthy atmosphere.  As part of the Sentinel Solutions sales team, she enjoys working with SMBs to help them achieve their marketing objectives.  Outside of a professional setting, Olivia enjoys painting, the great outdoors, spending time with family (including her new puppy), and practicing yoga.