SEO and SEM are two terms that are commonly bandied about by webmasters. Sometimes it seems as if the two terms are used almost interchangeably. Let’s see if there is a difference, and if so, what is it?
Yes, there is a difference.
- SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It refers to anything you do to your page to make it more search-engine friendly.
- SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing. It forms a sort of umbrella term that can refer to anything you do to get your page ranked higher in search engines, from search engine optimization to requesting backlinks to submit your URL to search engines.
It's important to know the difference between the two when one is shopping for these services. If the service provider doesn't specify what services it offers as part of its "SEM Package," then don't hesitate to ask. And don't hand over any money until you know! Some service providers may mean nothing more than submitting your website's URL to a few search engines; you can do that yourself.
Whenever possible, get a list of specific activities they plan to do to help surfers find your website. Will they submit your URL to search engines? Get a list of the search engines they plan to submit it to. ("Yahoo!, Google, and 100's More!" doesn't count.) Will they keyword-optimize your site? Be sure to ask if they include “META and ALT tags”.
Ultimately, whether a company uses "SEO" or "SEM" doesn't matter as much as what services they offer. Ideally, SEM would be more valuable than SEO, as it would include SEO as well as other marketing strategies. But this is not always the case. As we've mentioned above, it can be simply a code for "stick your URL in a few search engines and be done with it." Look for reputable websites, and ask for specific services they offer. Once you've done your homework, you will be able to make an informed decision between SEO and SEM and march forward, knowing that you truly have the best value for your investment.