SEO & SEM
SEO and SEM are some of the most important building blocks to managing and improving your digital presence. But what exactly do these crazy acronyms mean and how are they different?
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is a set of rules and corresponding strategy to get your business name to rank on the first page of search results organically.
SEO is a bit of a buzzword and many marketing companies say they offer this service, but they either do not fully understand the scope of SEO or they are relying on old and toxic tactics known as black hat SEO. In reality, SEO is a complicated, interwoven strategy that requires an understanding of the many updates and algorithms put in place by Google. This understanding confirms we are playing by the rules and are increasing the page rank of a business’ website organically.
SEO is a gradual strategy that does not provide instant results. Instead, we work hard every month to keep improving rank and outsmarting what competitors are doing to rank higher than you. First page is the goal!
What is SEM?
SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing, also known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC), and is one of the best options available to drive instant leads. Like SEO, SEM takes a complex and detailed understanding of budgets, targeting, ad types, creative, keywords, search engine rank position (SERP), projected cost per click (CPC) to stay in budget, and what makes a quality score better so the ads are seen more and cost less.
What is the difference between SEO and SEM?
SEO refers to the organic listing of your website in search results while SEM is a paid advertisement that appears at the top and bottom of search results. SEO helps improve how high your website or other online presence platforms are listed in search results based on our comprehensive strategy that involves keyword research, on-site optimization, back end optimization, and more. SEM is a highly targeted ad with a specific purpose (ie: getting people to call your business to take advantage of a seasonal special offer).
While these are separate strategies, SEO and SEM can affect the success of each other. A fully SEO-ed landing page will improve the performance of your ad. Likewise, running an SEM campaign provides your business with a higher quality score which improve the organic SERP of your website long after the SEM campaign is over.
How DMI Can Help
This all sounds a little complicated, right? It definitely is! This is why our team consists of specialists in each product area. Our product specialists stay up-to-date with the latest algorithms and practices so we are always carrying out the best strategy for your business. Besides expertise in the subject areas, our SEO and SEM services include a wide variety of tactics that align with a comprehensive strategy.
SEO Includes:
- Keyword Research
- Website Content Creation or Optimization
- On-Site Optimization
- Back-End Technical Optimization
- An Audit of Your Current Online Presence for Toxic SEO Practices
- Keyword-Rich Content Marketing Strategy
- Authoritative Link Building
SEM Includes:
- Keyword Research
- Budget Analysis and Strategy
- Ad Creative
- Campaign Implementation and Monitoring
- Ongoing Optimization for Higher Clicks and Lower Costs
- Monthly Reporting
Let us know how we can help you! Contact us today for a custom solution designed just for your business.