WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEO AND SEM?
Here’s the short answer:
SEO is the process of getting your website ranked organically (or naturally) within the search engine results pages (like Google). You cannot pay Google to rank organically. The results are based on their algorithms.
SEM is paying to have your website show up in the results. This can include paying for ads in Google, in directories, or on social platforms.
For a more detailed answer, and to find which is better (or right for your business) keep reading below.
SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING (SEM) & PAY-PER-CLICK
The online marketing world has changed dramatically in recent years. Google Ads is one of the platforms driving this change. Google Ads is a paid advertising or pay-per-click (PPC) service offered by Google. It is one of the most effective methods of paid advertising online.
Pay-per-click (PPC) is a type of internet marketing service in which the advertiser pays a fee each time their ad is clicked. Once clicked, the ad directs the searcher to the advertiser’s website. The goal of the advertiser is to get the searcher to perform a predetermined action.
Common Actions Include:
- Filling out a lead form
- Completing a sale
- Signing up for a newsletter
PPC is a way to buy targeted visitors to your website, rather than gaining visits through organic methods.
Primarily based on keyword bids and other relevancy factors, ads will be displayed on the top or on the side of the organic results. Through their search query, searchers reveal their intent to purchase.
Using the results and insights from Google Ads and Google Analytics, advertisers are then able to measure the effectiveness of their ads and the quality of the traffic. They can then refine their ads and make adjustments as necessary.
If Google Ads is a platform you would rather leave up to the experts, then visit our Search Engine Marketing & Pay-Per-Click page to inquire about pricing and to learn more.
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)
What exactly does SEO mean?
Search engine optimization is the process of designing, writing, and coding your website so that there is a better chance that your website will appear at the top of search engine results page, like Google, for your desired keywords. Ultimately, it is a way for your website to get organic traffic from the search engine results page on major search engines – for free!
How it works:
The simple version: Google reads the content on your site (and other elements) and determines what keywords your website should rank for.
For the techies: Search engines used web crawlers (sometimes referred to as spiders or bots) to crawl the web and build an index of web pages, files, news stories, pictures, videos, and other media. When someone types in a search query, the search engine scours its database and returns only the results it deems to be the most relevant. It then presents the results in the form of a list, ranked from most relevant to least relevant. Each search engine has their own algorithms that use mathematical equations which contain hundreds of variables to determine the relevance and popularity of web pages.
Our team uses proven and ethical search engine optimization strategies to get your website ranked in the top positions for your industry keyword phrases.
Are you ready to start driving more traffic to your website? Visit our Search Engine Optimization page to inquire about pricing and to learn more.
What’s better? SEO or SEM
There’s a simple answer to this, it depends on what your goals are.
With SEM you have a lot more control over your campaign. You control your budget, keywords that you want to be found for, geographic area to target, immediacy of rankings, among other things. The down side is that this platform is becoming more competitive so you will have to have a regular budget to accomplish your goals. Once you stop paying for SEM, you will no longer show up in the search engines.
With SEO you may have to be patient to see results. Writing good content, generating back links to that content, and getting reviews takes time. Not to mention that you are competing with everyone in your industry as well as local directories for that first page spot. Working with a professional to complete proper keyword research and selecting the right keywords to target will help you to move in the right direction. And once you do achieve results, the traffic tends to convert higher than SEM and your website rankings will generally be maintained for a period of time. SEO tends to be a long term strategy.
We usually recommend implementing both strategies at the same time to achieve maximum results.
Are you looking for a great SEO company in Coquitlam to work with?
Longevity Graphics specializes in SEO and SEM for small to medium businesses specifically in the trades, professional services, and health services industries.
With search engines like Google dominating the online user experience, it’s crucial for you to cater to the top platforms. To increase traffic, Longevity Graphics uses SEO and SEM techniques to help your website rank for relevant searches (keywords used by the person searching). This is done through organic keyword use, as well as paid avenues such as Google Ads. When used in tandem, these techniques ensure more online success.
Contact Longevity Graphics today for a free one hour consultation, and learn how SEO can make a difference in your business. Call 778-229-5383.