WHAT IS SEO AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
Whatever your focus in digital marketing may be, knowing at least the basics of SEO is crucial. According to NetMarketShare, Google controlled over 79% of all search traffic in the world in 2017. The other major search engines only accounted for 7% or less. Even while Google receives the lion's share of attention whenever the topic of search engines comes up in relation to search engine optimization, we must not forget that Bing, Baidu, and Yahoo are still formidable competitors (but barely)
According to Internet Live Stats, Google processes about 66,000 queries per second on a daily basis. (Please note that this is a snapshot in time; if you click the link, you will likely see a different number as the information is gathered in real time.) Because of all this competition, understanding SEO is crucial (if challenging) in the realm of digital marketing.
A digital marketing course will give you more insights into the topic.
HOW SEO WORKS?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the method used by search engines to evaluate the attractiveness of material via a process known as "crawling." When determining a website's ranking for organic traffic, search engines use a number of parameters (including keywords, tags, and link names).
Things that web crawlers check for are:
- Quality Content: With high-quality content, you can show search engines that your website and company are real. They use metrics like link popularity and keyword use to evaluate your site's worth.
- User Experience: Is there any unnecessary friction while using your site? How quickly does it load, and how simple is it to use? Can users easily accomplish their objectives (like completing a purchase)?
- Link Patterns: Do you have a strategy for building backlinks to high-quality content? Which websites are linking to you? The fundamentals of search engine optimization (SEO) are simple enough that anybody can understand them and use them to improve their digital advertising, marketing, and content creation. And if you figure out how to do it well, the increased traffic will pay off handsomely. However, mastering the ins and outs requires time and technical expertise; hence, it's usually recommended to think about employing an SEO specialist if you want your website to genuinely bring in conversions. You should also know that Google's process of recognizing and rewarding your site may take some time; if your website is spanking new, it may be some time before Google "notices" it.
Several reputed institutes now offer online digital marketing courses too.
WHAT IS SEM AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
SEM is an umbrella term for all forms of sponsored search marketing. This is the kind of ad that Google displays at the top of search results. Because of the importance of proper keyword use and placement, this is often a task that calls for specialized expertise.
Some promotional initiatives that make use of search engine optimization are examples:
- Paid, specialized advertisements
- Using well chosen keywords in your writing.
- Setting and sticking to a spending limit for advertising efforts.
By incorporating metrics like CTR and CPC into future advertising efforts, we can improve our effectiveness.
Bad SEM is out there, but done well, it may propel your site to the top of search engine results pages. Time spent developing specific audiences into your adverts is required.
When you use search engine optimization (SEO), your website will always come up first in search results, which is ideal for building brand awareness. It's also an excellent strategy for attracting the kind of visitors you want to your site. And since it involves sponsored advertisements, you can easily measure your return on investment (ROI) by keeping track of the number of clicks and impressions your ads get.
While SEM may provide great rewards, it does come with certain caveats (like Google AdSense). If you don't have much experience in online marketing or advertising, it's best to employ someone who does. They can maximize your return on investment.
HOW ARE SEO AND SEM COMPLEMENTARY?
Keywords play a crucial role in both search engine optimization and paid search engine marketing. Even though the two utilize distinct marketing approaches, they have a common interest in traffic patterns and how they connect to promotional efforts. People will use search engines to hunt for specific information; they will then either discover it in the organic results (SEO) or the sponsored results (PPC) (SEM).
Since the vast majority of consumers do online research prior to making a purchase, optimizing your site for search engines is essential.
Search engine optimization (SEO) focuses on increasing visibility in organic search results (i.e., results that are not paid for) whereas search engine marketing (SEM) emphasizes visibility in paid, highly specific search results. They may work well together, but only if the website is optimized for search engines from the ground up.
Effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) lays the groundwork for successful Search Engine Marketing (SEM), increasing your chances of attracting qualified visitors and boosting conversion rates. Once your site is optimized for search engines and you have sponsored advertising that are keyword-targeted correctly, you will have a better chance of ranking well in paid search results. However, you need solid SEO in place before Google would consider your site trustworthy.
If your website is very new, you may want to focus on your PPC campaign initially since it may take some time for SEO rankings to become established.
An online digital marketing course will give you learning flexibility.
