The two terms, Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization are commonly used in different contexts as interchangeable, but to a webmaster, they are completely different. Well, they have several things in common.
To be specific, they are used in the manipulation of websites to strengthen their presence in the different search engines. This is because the search engines strategize on getting as much publicity as possible for online businesses from their leading sites. SEM vs. SEO in Europe, S. Africa or America is all the same. Nothing changes, except maybe the understanding of the terms.
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
SEO is actually a component of the Search Engine Marketing or rather, an SEM function. SEO is the website optimization process for organic listings on the search engines. Webmasters claim that SEO is the most cost-efficient function in an SEM campaign despite of it being just one of its elements.
What is the Search Engine Marketing?
SEM is the process by which a website is marketed online- through the search engines. This can be done through the improvement of the site’s rank in the natural or organic listings, sponsored or paid listings or a combination of the two listings.
Specialists in SEO recommend the construction of web pages that search engines web crawlers would likely pick up first. We can say that good SEO starts right in the early steps of website construction.
The functions of a comprehensive SEM campaign would include:
• Popularizing a link or developing reputation
• Search engine optimization
• Feeding programs and paid inclusions
• Search engine submission-management
• Reporting and monitoring performance and RIO
To sum it up, one of the components of Search Engine Marketing in Europe is the Search Engine Optimization.