Many frequently mistakenly believe that Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization are the same thing because they both work to drive traffic to websites from search engines. Yet, there are some differences between the SEO & SEM
To understand it in simple language, see the SEO vs SEM Comparison Table given below:
Search Engine Optimization | Search Engine Marketing |
This is a method to bring up the position of the website on Search Engine. | This is an Online Marketing Technique for website promotion through Advertising and SEO. |
SEO is considered a part of SEM | SEM is a type of marketing in which to get benefits from Search Engines |
It may take time to get the benefit | Instant results can be obtained in this |
This results in organic promotion for the website. | Both organic and paid approaches are included in this. |
It costs nothing | It costs money |
The main difference between Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing (SEO vs SEM) is that Search Engine Optimization is used to bring Organic Search Results from Search Engine, while Search Engine Marketing is used to bring Organic and Paid from Search Engine. It is done to bring traffic in both ways.
To understand it in simple language, first you have to understand the result coming in Search Engines.
Whenever you do a keyword search in a search engine like Google, then the result that comes in front of you, some ads come on the top, where the ‘Ads’ tag is also attached. Those ads are run by paying money through those websites which are showing there. At the same time, the normal result comes down, this website is not paying any money to Search Engines to rank itself on the search engine, that is, it is getting Organic Traffic.
Of these, Search Engine Optimization refers only to those websites which are ranking in Search Engine without running Ads and getting Audience in an organic way. On the other hand, the websites which are ranking in the search engine by paying money or if they are running advertisements, they also mean Search Engine Marketing.


In simple language, the purpose of Search Engine Optimization is to get traffic from Search Engine organically whereas in Search Engine Marketing, it is to get visitors on the website by showing Ad of your website in Paid Area of Search Engine. Apart from this, SEO is also included in Search Engine Marketing, in which the website tries to bring traffic to the website in organic ways by investing money.
Conclusion
In today’s time, every person has access to the Internet and he also uses it well, so online marketing is one of the best options to make business profitable. Both SEO and SEM are better options to get Quality Audience. We have explained the ‘difference between SEO and SEM’ in this article, so now you can choose which one you have to pay more attention to.