Search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM companies) can be difficult to tell apart. Are there any differences between them?
Both terms can be utilized interchangeably, which makes the concepts even harder to grasp. To get the most out of your online marketing, it’s imperative to know the difference between SEO and SEM and the companies that offer these type of services.
What are SEO Agencies?
Search engine optimization is basically a part of the larger SEM category, and SEO companies specialize in this type of internet marketing. It’s the process of optimizing your website to ensure that it ranks high on the list of results returned to you by a search engine site, such as Google or Yahoo, so that you can maximize the amount of visitors driven to your website.
SEO Basics
Some of the most common duties of SEO include:
- Using keywords and key phrases correctly in your website
- Crafting engaging and informative content that readers enjoy and want to share on their social media platforms
- Ensuring that your website loads fast
- Building quality backlinks from popular domains in your industry
- Increasing a visitor’s time and activity on your website to decrease bounce rates
What are SEM Companies?
SEM companies are agencies that not only deal with SEO, but with all aspects of search engine marketing. SEM is a type of digital marketing that helps websites promote their visibility on search engine result pages. SEM uses not only SEO methods, but several other tactics to be effective, such as paid searches and pay per click (PPC) campaigns.
SEM Basics
Some of the most common methods that SEM agencies use include:
- Pay per click campaigns
- Paid content marketing links on well-known sites
- Guest posting on well-known sites
- Email marketing campaigns and newsletters
- Social media marketing
- Creating websites for sales and leads
What is the Difference Between SEO and SEM Companies?
The biggest difference between these two terms is that SEO is only one part of SEM.
SEO marketing firms simply focus on search optimization while SEM agencies focus on all aspects of search engine marketing.
While the two methods work hand in hand, they are not the same marketing solution.
Which Type of Agency Should You Choose?
The answer strongly relies on which type of marketing method is right for you and your business. While SEO can help you rank higher, SEM agencies offer a plethora of different solutions to help get your website seen.
When it comes to choosing a company that’s right for you, it’s critical to evaluate your needs and wants. But understanding the difference between these two services is also valuable when selecting the agency that’s best for you. Thankfully, Softline Solutions offers a robust list of SEM and SEO services to choose from. Contact us today to learn how we can get your site in front of the eyes of your target audience!
