Friday, February 27, 2009

Understanding SEO and SEM For Marketing Success

By Michael Fleischner

Many individuals new to web marketing have some questions about search engine optimization and search engine marketing. Are they one in the same? How are they different? SEO and SEM have many similarities but are not the same.

Search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing are similar in many ways. Each online marketing discipline requires a strong understanding of purpose and functionality. The practice of SEO requires a basic knowledge of search engines and how they work at their core. Search engine marketing requires an understanding of online marketing and advertising.

Both online marketing methods can be rather complex yet at the same time relatively simple. SEO can be boiled down to this. Where your site is ranked on major search engines is a direct result of your understanding and application of best practices in the area of SEO.

SEM success is based on an understanding of running online marketing campaigns across various advertising networks. The largest networks are Google, Yahoo! and MSN. Each works differently but at the same time, the general premise is the same. You place an online ad that displays when users type in specific keywords that you identify. If a browser clicks on your display ad, you pay a fee regardless of whether or not they convert into a customer.

Search engine optimization is unique and different from search engine marketing because the organic result which appears in search engines is driven from your optimization techniques. These techniques are broken down into on page optimization and off page optimization. On page optimization is closely tied to web site design and off page is more associated with in bound links to your website.

The result is that search engine optimization drives organic traffic to your website or blog. That is to say that after users complete searches on major search engines like Yahoo! or Google that the results list comes from each search engine determining the best result. When users click on these results the advertisers owes nothing. Organic search is usually referred to as free traffic for this very reason.

Search engine marketing differs in that you pay when users take an action. Unlike traditional advertising you do not pay for your ad to display. You do however pay when a browser clicks on your ad. The amount you pay varies on the competitiveness of your keywords and the position in which you want your ad to display.

Doing business online requires a firm knowledge of both search engine optimization as well as search engine marketing Both internet marketing disciplines can support your online success. If you are not currently comfortable with SEO or SEM, begin with some simple research, explore SEO and SEM products, or subscribe to an RSS feed. Doing so can improve your knowledge and expertise in both of these areas.

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