What’s the Difference Between SEO and SEM?

Although these two tools may seem interchangeable they have quite a few differences. While these are two different forms of search engine optimisation, Melbourne and global digital agencies have mastered the different strategies to create the highest performance possible. 

If your business is using these two tools in the wrong way, or you want to grasp a better understanding to receive better results from their use, then continue reading. In this blog, we’ll be going over what each tool is, its differences and similarities and how you can properly use them to reap the benefits. 

What is SEO?

SEO or search engine optimisation is a way of persuading search engines such as Google to present your content to their users. SEO is built up from four pillars; technical SEO, on-page SEO, content creation, and off-page SEO. 

Technical SEO improves on the technical structure of a website such as its user functionality, speed and other components. 

On-page SEO is all about changing elements on the website to help the search engine understand the content better and rate it more highly. 

Content is the strongest pillar. Without great content that properly matches the searcher intent, you will struggle to rank in top spots.

Finally Off-page SEO is essentially link building. It focuses on improving the trustworthiness and authority of a website in the search engines' eyes. The more trust, the higher it will rank your page. 

What is SEM?

SEM or search engine marketing is a paid strategy used to gain visibility on the search engines. It is also known as PPC (pay-per-click). SEM involves everything from setting up and optimising paid ads, to managing accounts to increase returns.

It entails keyword research and finding competitor insights, to create targeted campaigns that place your businesses products and services in front of their audience. 

How Are They Similar?

While the methods of use are different between SEO and SEM there are some similarities. These tools can both improve the visibility of your website on search engines, both will be able to help your site show in search result pages through targeting and optimising keywords.  

Both SEO and SEM will also drive a higher amount of relevant and quality traffic to your website, using strategies to encourage visitation. They both use keyword research to discover relevant words which help you to gain better insight into your audience and set you against your competition. Lastly both tools require ongoing optimisation and management to continue delivering long-term success. 

How Are They Different?

SEM ads and strategies will be more visible to users, through the “Ad” icon placed at the search results listing. Organic results don’t have this visible differentiation. 

With SEM, an advertiser pays every single time their website receives a click on an ad. Yet, you’ll pay nothing when a user clicks on an organic listing that is created through a SEO strategy.  

SEO can take months to see organic results after starting an SEO strategy, unless you have no real competition, which is a rare thing. It’s important to note here that while SEO takes time to create results, once this traffic starts it only continues to add value over time. But as soon as you turn off your SEM ads the visibility and result will stop. 

Lastly, SEO is easier to test and configure to your target audience. With the data available to SEM strategies this perfecting can be done fairly quickly, with any changes taking place working immediately. You can’t test this the same way with SEO, testing is still an important part in SEO but is just not comparable in the way that SEM allows. 

Which One Should I Be Using?

This depends entirely on your specific goals, current performance and your budget. This doesn't mean that you only have to use one or the other but just that one or a combination may work for your individual situation. If you're unsure about which would best suit your plan of attack consider talking to First Move Digital about which strategy approach would work best and ive the best results for your business.