SEO And SEM

Search engine optimization and search engine marketing both are an intrinsic part of Internet marketing efforts. But there is some confusion as to which one is the better strategy in return on investment (ROI) terms. This article helps explain some of the doubts.

SEO vs. SEM – The ROI Myth Busted

Return on investment (ROI) is one of the deciding factors for any course of action involving an investment of resources. For quite some time now, a debate has been raging on whether search engine optimization (SEO) has better ROI than professional search engine marketing (SEM).

In fact, it has become a bit of a myth that it is easier to get good ROI through SEO than it is to get the same ROI through SEM. Two facts have helped evolve this myth – SEM involves click costs while SEO works through free traffic. Let’s see whether this myth holds any water.

Well, a closer look tells us that this myth doesn’t have any truth in it and there are several reasons for that. In this article though, we will deal with just one reason: the ‘landing page difference.'


In SEM, you decide the landing page your visitors will see. In SEO, a search engine spider decides on the landing page visitors will see. There's a contrast in control, and that distinction makes all the difference. That’s why serious search engine marketing services providers opt for full-blown SEM rather than just SEO.


Searchers, after all, are people with itchy back-button fingers. If they come to a site and don't think it's the best site for them, they'll return to the search engine results page - and click on your competitors' links - in a matter of seconds.


But if your landing page is optimized for the keywords the searchers choose, and the ad copy the searchers see, then you're able to tell a new visitor, right away, that he/she's come to the right place.

And no matter how fantastic your site is, that's a message that visitors want to hear. Since people don't just want to see a good landing page, they want to see a related landing page.


But only a great search engine marketing firm can optimize your landing page. A search spider won't.


In both SEO and SEM, you only hit ROI if your searchers convert. A search engine marketing services provider might require a higher initial expense than an SEO firm does (because SEM requires the management expense, plus the PPC cost; while SEO only costs the price of management alone) - but you're also likely to notice better conversions through SEM, because you're expected to get better landing pages through SEM. And it's only conversions that will get you ROI.


Are we saying that getting the best SEO possible isn't worthwhile?

Not!

The more real estate you take up in the search engine results page, the better. It will plant your brand in the psyche of the browsers making your website easier to recall when they would require services/products you offer.


So good SEO is vital to effective internet marketing! But saying that SEO will get better ROI than SEM - because organic traffic is free - ignores the most important element of SEM: control. And its control that makes all the difference between getting traffic, and getting traffic that converts.


And that makes a huge difference when it comes to ROI.