How SEO and SEM Work Together
Over the past few weeks, we’ve looked at both Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM), looking at what they are, how they work, and when they’ll be most effective in your business.
Of course, the real story isn’t SEO vs. SEM. They are not mutually exclusive, although you may focus more on one or the other at different times, depending on your needs. Instead, these are complementary strategies. SEO builds for the long term, while SEM drives results on-demand.
Let’s look again at the pros and cons of each.
SEO
Pros:
- Builds long-term value
- Results are consistent over time
- Visibility builds up your brand reputation
Cons:
- Results take a long time to show up
- You have to keep up with algorithm changes
- It requires a significant time commitment
SEM
Pros:
- Rapid results
- Precise targeting
- High visibility
Cons:
- Highly competitive keywords
- Traffic depends on your budget
- Increased customer acquisition costs
These are two strategies that complement one another perfectly. Short-term and long-term results, time-commitment, on down the line.
And the insights you gain from one can help with the other. For example, you may learn from SEM campaigns that certain messages are much more effective than others. You can then focus your site copy and SEO more on those messages, phrases, and keywords to match that performance organically.
By the same token, you may find that certain pages are performing better organically than you expected. That may indicate an opportunity to supplement with an SEM campaign, taking it to a new audience.
When you learn how to skillfully use both SEO and SEM to reach your audience, you’re on the way to a powerhouse online brand.
