SEO and SEM positioning: what do they have in common, and how do they differ?
When considering how to land in the top spots of search engines, we end up debating between SEO positioning and SEM. While the first is a natural or organic positioning, the second is paid.
How are SEO and SEM similar?
And although they're obviously different, both techniques complement each other to win the top spots in search results. We ask ourselves which one to choose: SEO or SEM? The answer is: both.
In this blog, we explain why and where the similarities lie. As you know, both are part of the digital marketing strategy. But… how do they come together?
Boost search engine presence
When you run a search on Google, are you thinking about whether to click on an organic result or a paid one? You just want to find what fits your needs and interests in that moment.
It's true that, when you look for information on Google, you generally click on a natural result; while, when you look for an offer, you usually go to the paid result. However, both share the same screen space and must be considered as a whole.
The ability to sell and obtain new revenue streams
In both SEO positioning and SEM, you can know how much you're selling, what your conversion rate is, and even your cost of acquisition.
Increase traffic to your website
Through both paid and organic positioning, you bring visitors to your website — which makes them complementary.
When you research and order the right keywords for each landing page, you get many benefits both for SEO positioning and for SEM. Plus, if you use the same writing style for both, you'll gain in consistency, which is beneficial for users.
Where do the differences between natural and paid positioning lie?
It's worth keeping in mind that, although both can create synergies and serve the same purpose, the way they're carried out is completely different.
Let's analyze the main differences.
Speed to results
If you use paid digital marketing techniques, you can get results almost immediately, while organic positioning requires more time and effort to achieve them.
Paid positioning versus natural positioning
While organic positioning is earned by creating content, paid positioning is achieved by investing income.
Natural positioning is much more profitable
Another difference is the profitability you get from each: SEO positioning is much more economically beneficial than SEM.
Quality traffic versus the inability to segment traffic
When you set up a digital advertising campaign, you can segment, ensuring quality traffic reaches your website. By contrast, with SEO, you can't segment the audience you're looking for, although you can position yourself by keywords.
Disappearance versus permanence
While with an SEO strategy our site will stay in the same results, when we launch a SEM campaign we stop appearing when it ends.
As you can see, SEO and SEM positioning campaigns are complementary. One doesn't make sense without the other.
Up for boosting both? This way, no visit will slip by, and you'll land the top spots on the search engine giant. That's how you'll harvest the maximum performance from your business. Interaction, the most effective advertising and digital marketing agency in Costa Rica, guarantees it.
