The use of search engines is a crucial step in directing traffic towards a business or company’s website through the internet. Through the utilization of search engines, businesses will be more visible by consumers in search results through different means of search marketing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Although both search engine strategies are effective in increasing consumer traffic, each approach provides distinctively different means of obtaining an important audience.
Search Engine Optimization is the search marketing strategy that utilizes organic tactics to gain appearances in search results. As opposed to SEM, SEO allows brands to employ methods with zero cost by effectively utilizing specific keywords, eye-catching titles, unique content, enjoyable consumer experience, and reputable reviews. The importance of a brand appearing early in a search is critical to increasing consumer interaction, as about 92% of all traffic share generated by Google appears on the first search results page.
In addition, in relation to SEO, about 51% of all website traffic comes from organic search. Nearly every business can benefit from SEO; however, professional services in the financial industry as well as home repair companies benefit the most from this tactic as a result of location specialized approach this search marketing strategy provides. SEO is an important strategy that utilizes search engines through organic means to generate traffic.
Search Engine Marketing is the search marketing strategy that uses paid strategies to appear in search results. SEM provides pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, in which the brand or company pays search providers, such as Google Ads, which owns over 75% of the search engine market share. SEM, in comparison to SEO, is shown to a select targeted audience based on previous searches, resulting in a higher chance of interaction from the consumer. Each time a consumer clicks on the ad, they are directed to the website and products, and the search provider is paid. For every $1 a business spends on Google Ads, they make $8 in profit, reflecting the critical importance SEM has in driving consumer traffic. SEM provides a profitable marketing strategy to help grow a brand through search providers.
Which strategy is better? When comparing the tactics individually, Search Engine Optimization is the dominant source of consumer traffic, resulting in 53% of all website interactions compared to 27% through Search Engine Marketing. However, the combination of both organic (SEO) and paid (SEM) marketing search is the clear superior strategy, as about 68% of all website traffic comes from this powerful duo.
Both strategies are valuable to any company or brand in the world looking to expand and generate consumer traffic towards their products or services.
