Although they achieve similar results, there is a difference between Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). The main purpose of SEO is to prepare a website for marketing purposes with the goal of being found by as many potential customers as possible. It’s typically an organic process where high ranking and visibility are achieved through site optimization.

SEM requires an initial and constant investment for paid advertising via AdWords, PPC (pay-per-click) or other types of paid sponsorships. It’s a good option for new websites that are looking for immediate traffic and those wanting to develop a strong web presence as quickly as possible.

Think of SEM as putting up signs and billboards all over town to create a strong and immediate presence. Along with this strategy however, comes the necessity to refresh and replace the signs when they become dated or are no longer relevant to the current offerings of the company. That’s why SEM is a good “point in time” strategy, especially when used for generating immediate sales or to bolster the launch of a new product or service.

In certain situations, SEM can work well hand in hand with an effective SEO strategy. The key to making SEM work (as in maximizing your return on investment) is to spend advertising dollars as wisely as possible.

Finally, SEM works best (and differs somewhat from SEO) when you have a specific set of short-term goals. For example, wanting to increase sales by 20% over the next three months or to increase market awareness of a new product for a particular demographic or location.

Because we work with local companies and have an intimate knowledge of the inner workings and best practices of Search Engine Marketing, we’re your best choice when looking for SEM in North Carolina.