For any brand, online presence accounts for a big part of its reputation and demand. When someone needs a product, service, or content, the first thing that person will likely do is looking it up online. At this point, search engines like Google and Bing will rank results to show users. Given the fact that most users will not browse through past the first two pages on the search engine results page, businesses often use two mechanisms to improve their website’s ranking so they get more traffic. These are SEO and SEM.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO refers to all kinds of organic practices to enhance a website’s placement on Google or Bing.
The optimization process starts on the site’s content; using accurate and appropriate keywords elevates the search engine placement.
A reputable website will be the source of citations for other brands because of the quality of its content. This citations technique is known as link building.
The two previous steps add key elements to the website. Now, it all needs to be in proper order. An optimized site needs to be the clearest for users and search engines to scan. Once arranged properly, Google or Bing will index it naturally.
Pros and Cons of SEO
Pros:
- It does not need any payment.
- It translates into a better experience for users.
- It increases organic traffic.
Cons:
- It is time-consuming.
- It does not guarantee first-place ranking.
- It is very uncertain because the search engine can change an algorithm anytime, and therefore shut off the traffic.
What is SEM?
SEM is the acronym of Search Engine Marketing. It encompasses all paid strategies to boost online visibility. With SEM, brands use paid advertisements or ads to show in search engine results pages.
The key to effective SEM is doing research about the target audience. Data about traffic and keywords ranking will allow the brand to design the potential ad based on location, demographic, preferences, and devices used.
These ads are called Pay per Click Ads and are particular to every kind of search engine. Consequently, the advertisements will have to go through an audit process in Google, Bing, Yahoo, or any other search engine. The audit gives great insight into the account and the way it performs in comparison with other brands.
Pros and Cons of SEM
Pros
- It increases online exposure.
- It provides data about your target audience.
- It produces results quickly.
Cons
- It can become highly expensive.
- Like SEO, SEM is also time-consuming.
- Results may not prevail in time.
Conclusion
SEO and SEM both aim to increase online traffic and exposure in different ways. The brand’s needs will determine the correct mechanism to use. If a website is falling behind in organic traffic, effective SEO would help. However, if the website needs exposure to new audiences SEM would be ideal. Nonetheless, most brands opt for using SEO and SEM at the same time, which ensures long and short-term results.
