Getting to know the benefits and downfalls of SEO and SEM marketing can drastically change how your company does business. To start, SEO is the abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization where as SEM is short for Search Engine Marketing.

Check out the lists below to see what is right for your marketing needs.

SEO Pros

• SEO is totally free so if your marketing budget is next to nothing or less… SEO is the way to go!
• SEO tends to attract a higher “converting” customer. This means customers who have set out to search the innerweb for key words related to your business are more likely to turn those clicks into paying transactions.
• SEO generate long term results and builds trust among users.

SEO Cons

• SEO is an organic digital marketing method, as a result, it often takes longer to generate results.
• SEO uses target keywords to bring users to a site, this means the site builder needs to make sure content is relevant and continuous. SEO is not a set it and forget style of marketing, it works best when blogging is consistent.

SEM Pros

• SEM is a paid method of marketing which often results in immediate results!
• With selective advertising site creators can target their ideal client base better than SEO.
• PPC stand for pay per click, pay only for what works!

SEM Cons

• SEM can be costly. If your marketing budget is small this may not be the best option for you.
• SEM generate results quickly but those results are often short term.

Summary

The great thing about SEO and SEM is that there are options to meet every digital marketers needs. Not much of a budget? No problem, Search Engine Optimization is a great budget friendly tool. There is are gambits of learning materials available online for those who are looking to expand their SEO skillset. On the other hand those who are looking for a quicker turn over can use SEM to aid in their marketing needs. With SEM marketers can use analytics to narrow down their clientele online behavior in order to make informed and targeted decisions.

Works Cited

Coresumo (n.d.). SEO VS SEM. Coresumo.com. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://coresumo.com/seo-vs-sem-advantages-disadvantages/

[Ignite Visability]. (2017, June 29). SEO vs. SEM [Video]. Youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eEjAkGmbqU