What is the difference between Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) has become increasingly popular of late Increasingly, 'Search Engine Optimization has ceased to cover all aspects of the very nature of search engine promotion. While search engine marketing involves click costs, search engine optimization works through free traffic. This differentiating factor has been the basis of many a generated misunderstanding.

Primarily, it is though that it is an easier task to achieve a higher Return of Investment by using SEO rather than by using SEM. Yet another of these is what we shall call the 'landing page' myth.

The landing page where the visitors first land upon is decided perfunctorily by the owner himself. Search Engine Optimization on the other hand employs an search engine which decides the landing page for the visitors based upon their queries. This important distinction is what makes Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing different.

No searcher spends more than a few seconds assessing the landing page. More often than not, a searcher lacks the patience to browse through axilliary pages and simply hits the back button. Quicker than you can say 'click' they would be back on the search engine and off to a rival webpage.


It is therefore of vital importance to optimize the webpage landing in accordance to what a searcher may search for. This would convey to the searcher that he or she has come to the appropriate page. Every searcher ultimately wants to land on a relevant page and it is up to you to make the landing page as relevant as possible. Only a good professional Search Engine Marketing firm would be able to optimize your page accordingly. This is something that an SEO cannot.

The ultimate ambition of both SEO and SEM firms is to get searchers to convert. Money wise, a Search Engine Marketing firm requires more capital investment in the beginning than what is usually the norm at a Search Engine Optimization firm. Search Engine Marketing includes management and pay per click costs which makes it more expensive. On the other hand, Search Engine Optimization firms charge only for the management costs. But of course, only Search Engine Marketing would optimize your landing pages in a professional manner thereby increasing your returns.

Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing are complementary to each other. At the end of the day, Search Engine Optimization can definitely get visitors to your page by giving you a brand image, better ranks and numerous other benefits. However, it is Search Engine Marketing that makes the visitors to your site stick. A converted visitor is the entire difference in the equation between Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing.