Generally, “search engine marketing” refers to paid search marketing, a system where companies pay Google to show their ads in the search results.
Whereas search engine optimization, or SEO, is quite different. For this, advertisers don’t have to pay Google for traffic and clicks. It allows to earn a free spot in the search results by having the most relevant content for a given keyword search. Both SEO and SEM are critical parts of any online marketing strategy. SEO aims to drive evergreen traffic at the top of the funnel while search engine advertisements is a highly cost-effective way to drive conversions at the bottom of the funnel Here are some differences between the two terms:
• SEO is an organic technique to have your listings in search, while SEM is a paid strategy that involves paying to have ads appear in search. • SEO takes some time to show results, while SEM shows instantaneous results.