SEO | SEM | Search Engine Optimization | Search Engine Marketing

Likely among the most used acronyms in the world of internet marketing, SEO and SEM, Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing, respectively, are two distinct disciplines that are worth your time to understand so you can fully leverage their unique potential. Together, they can give you a strong competitive advantage for your products, services, event or destination.

As the Internet continues to grow, so too does the noise level. Messaging and content from one site can be replicated in seconds across many other sites, making it nearly impossible for some to break through this noise. SEO and SEM are both tools and strategies you can employ to tackle this problem, but it takes a special understanding of the differences for each.

In the most basic terms, SEO is the act of optimizing or tweaking each of the pages on your web site so that they are perfectly structured, focused, and presented in a manner most friendly to Google and other search engines. This does NOT mean trying to 'game the system,' which can get your page banned, but it does mean you need to put some careful thought behind the singular message you wish to convey for a given page.

SEM is the other important half of the equation, but a critical component in helping you gain visibility online. By structuring your overall online presence, including certain social media components, you present a coordinated message to your audience. Using a combination of paid-search (Google AdWords) and organic search, you can greatly enhance the visibility of your message to a very targeted audience.

If you'd like to discuss any of this further, please contact me for a free initial consultation. While I can't teach you SEO or SEM within an hour, I can certainly help you understand the critical differences and why it will matter for you. Thanks!