28November 2021
SEM is the complete marketing package because it encompasses all forms of digital marketing. Digital marketers would argue that it is really more of a paid advertising component.
Search Engine Marketing for is all encompassing
SEO Vs. PPC Vs. SEM: Getting To The Root Of All The Confusion
SEO, PPC, and SEM are some of the most confusing terms ever used in digital marketing. And mind you, the confusion is not just among business and website owners (the client base). Even the so-called digital marketers don’t get it.
You’d see company “A” saying that the basis of difference is that SEM, Search Engine Marketing, can drive traffic and sales to your business. Well, isn’t that what PPC, Pay Per Click, and SEO, Search Engine Optimization, do too? Can you see what we’re saying?
Even the experts are confused – but we can’t blame them. Why?
The search engine, much like everything around, evolves daily. And even we, the experts, are constantly learning.
But judging by the name of the terms, SEM looks more like the complete package – like it entails any marketing on the search engines, including PPC and SEO. That definition makes sense – doesn’t it?
Well, the definition of SEM changed. Digital marketers redefined it to be more tuned to paid advertising on search engines rather than unpaid. Unfortunately, that definition clashes with PPC, and it begs various questions:
- Is SEM the same as PPC?
- How Do SEM and PPC weigh against SEO?
Good news: we shall answer those crucial questions in this article. To do that, we must redefine the three digital marketing terms. That’s how we can get to the root of the confusion.
Are you ready?
What Is SEO?
In simple terms, SEO, Search Engine Optimization, is a digital marketing strategy that fetches businesses and websites organic traffic. Now, ordinarily, it should be unpaid. But then comes the issue of content marketing, guest blogging, and link building.
Unfortunately, those requirements take time which business owners don’t have. Besides, the metrics for ranking a business or website on search engines are constantly changing. Hence, the reason why CEOs and innovators outsource their SEO needs to agencies like J. Bergman consulting.
Suggested reading: SEO and Digital Marketing Explained
What Is PPC?
PPC, Pay Per Click, marketing is just like SEO – it directs traffic to businesses and websites. The main difference between the two terms is that the former is a “paid” campaign and is perfect for targeting demographics.
However, there is still confusion about the payment of PPC. Let’s clarify it!
Ordinarily, PPC ads are free to display. They only cost you money when a client clicks on your ads. In other words, your company or business showing up before the organic results doesn’t cost a dime. The expenses only accrue when the advertised keywords generate a lead.
What Is SEM?
SEM, Search Engine Marketing, is the most confusing term of the lot. By definition, it comprises all forms of marketing on search engines. However, in practice, it is more paid advertising like PPC than it is organic like SEO.
For that reason, we at J. Bergman consulting refer to SEM as a streamlined digital marketing tool that tackles visibility and sales through the lenses of a business’ budget. For most parts, it is PPC, but it can also be SEO, depending on the client’s pockets.
That said, let’s answer the questions from earlier!
Is SEM The Same As PPC?
SEM is a broad term that entails PPC. Though they are the same thing, SEM goes in-depth to understand the click-through rate and the cost per click. For that reason, it is a much more efficient and detailed digital marketing strategy.
How Does SEM And PPC Weigh Against SEO?
As we earlier stated, SEM and PPC are the paid advertising parts of search engines. SEO, on the other hand, relies on organic tweaks. Now, you might want to differentiate the terms – but we’ll advise you to re-think that. Why?
SEO, PPC, SEM are all effective strategies that work best when complementing each other. So, instead of separating them, you should employ all the aids to get quick results for your business.
That said, we equally understand that combining the three strategies might be too cumbersome for you. Well, you can outsource it all to us at J. Bergman consulting – we are experts across all areas of digital marketing, even social media!