A common question in Google Adwords interview questions for freshers, don't miss this one.   The primary distinction between SEO and SEM is that SEO relies on organic search traffic, whereas SEM focuses on both organic and paid search traffic. The below table consists of other key differences between SEM and SEO. SEO SEM 1. SEO is an abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization.  1. SEM is an abbreviation for Search Engine Marketing.  2. The SEO search result does not target any particular audience.   2. The specified audience is targeted by the SEM search result.  3. The potential for SEO traffic is limitless.  3. Traffic potential for SEM has been restricted by budget.  4. It will take time for the results to reflect.  4. Results will appear immediately.  5. Appropriate for low-budget organizations.  5. Suitable for large-scale organizations.  6. Long-term advantages.  6. Short-term advantages.