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Which is Better Between SEO vs SEM for Gaining Organic Traffic to a Website

Published on 12.07.2024 by Tracey Chizoba Fletcher

In this information age, when someone wants to know something, the first thing they do is search for information on Google or any other search engine. That means many people are searching for information about many subjects, including the one you are blogging about. To gain traffic from search engines, you should use SEO, SEM, or both.

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) uses paid ads to appear in search results. On the other hand, SEO is the practice of optimizing your website for search engines. You can use both methods to position your site so that when people search for information in your niche, you can get ranked on the first page of the search engines. Since statistics indicate that search engine users never venture beyond the first page, they will likely click on your link, driving traffic to your site. In this article, we will compare SEO with SEM and recommend which is better for driving traffic.

How SEO Works

SEO aims to align your website content with the Google algorithm. While there are other search engines, such as Bing and Yahoo, many people focus on Google because it is the most popular, with over 83% of the market share. So, we will focus more on Google in this article.

How does Google determine which web pages to rank? The search engine giants consider several factors, but it will highly rank pages with:

  • High-quality content that responds to the search query. Google determines the quality of content by crawling your page and examining the number of pages linking to your site.
  • Web pages that show EEAT (expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness).
  • Fast-loading websites. Is it also mobile-friendly?
  • Easy to navigate for search engines and users. When people visit your site, do they easily find the information they are searching for, or do they simply bounce back to the SERPs? When they see your listing on the search results, do they click on it or simply ignore it?

Therefore, SEO involves ensuring that your website ticks all the above boxes. However, the above are only the basic ones, and there are hundreds of ranking factors. Again, Google continues updating their methodology, and there is no guarantee that what works today will work in the future.

The good news is that you don't need to understand everything to rank articles on the search engines. By understanding basic SEO tips and strategies, you can easily rank your site on Google and drive traffic to your site.

Top 10 SEO Steps to Drive Traffic to Your Site

To rank your site highly on the search engines, you need to follow the following basic SEO steps:

Keyword Research

Before optimizing your site for the search engine, you must realize that Google ranks websites using keywords. Keywords are the words and phrases people use to find content in your niche. 

For instance, someone searching for a massage service in Salt Lake City may use search terms such as:

  • Massage parlor in Salt Lake City.
  • Best massage parlor in Salt Lake City.
  • Massage therapist Salt Lake City.
  • Salt Lake City Massage therapy.

However, that also depends on their search intent. Let's assume the same person wants to learn how to do a massage. They can use keywords such as:

  • How to do a massage.
  • Thai massage therapy.

Now, you are researching the keywords people use to find content in your niche. If, for instance, you are a massage parlor in Salt Lake City and have used the above keywords in your content, Google will produce your site among the results. However, as noted earlier, it will also depend on whether you have well-optimized pages using the factors we discussed above. That is why the first step in SEO is finding the phrases people use to search for keywords in your niche.  

Remember that you don't have to pick the first keywords in your niche. There are also other factors that will affect the suitability of a keyword. These are:

Search Volume

Following our earlier example, let's assume that the first keyword you came across from your research is “salt lake masseuse”. It sounds like a good keyword. However, if you dig deeper using a keyword research tool like Ahref, you might realize that the keyword has a search volume of 10.

That means it has 10 monthly searches. In other words, if you optimize your site for the keyword, the maximum number of visitors you can get in a month is 10. It could be far less, as not all searchers will visit your site. So what are we driving at?

After finding prospective keywords, you also need to determine the number of monthly searches it has. Fortunately, you can use tools like Google Ads keywordPlanner to find the keyword's search volume. Alternatively, you can use third-party tools like Ahref, Moz, and Keyword Revealer to find the search volume.

Competition Level

Ideally, you must ensure the keyword has several hundreds or even thousands of monthly searches. Again, you might be tempted to pick a keyword with a high search volume. After all, if it has 50,000 monthly searches, your website will be crashing with traffic. Not that fast! Remember that big sites with huge marketing budgets and considered an authority in the niche are likely to target such a keyword.

As noted earlier, one of the factors Google considers when ranking sites is authoritativeness. If you are competing for the same keyword with an authority site, Google is likely to rank the authority site ahead of you because it considers it trustworthy. That is why the next factor to consider is the competition level.

In most cases, many sites will go after keywords with high search volume, so the competition will be stiff. If you are lucky or skilled in keyword research, you might get a high-volume keyword with low competition. In such a case, you will have hit a goldmine. Again, some niches are very competitive, while others are less competitive. The niche you are in will determine the competition level of a keyword.

Relevance

What if a keyword has high search volume and low competition but isn't relevant to your niche? Don't waste time with such a keyword unless you are reverse engineering to find a low-competition niche. After all, if you are a massage parlor, ranking for a keyword on beard oil may not add much value to your business unless it's related to your product range.

But when you rank for a keyword like a massage parlor in Salt Lake City, your business is shown to people interested in your services. In other words, you will get high-value traffic to your site that will likely convert. Therefore, ensure that you are ranking for keywords relevant to your business.

You need to start by understanding your prospective customers when doing keyword research. Consider their pain points and the language they use to find information, products, or services in your niche. There is a chance that they are already buying from your competitors; therefore, it can help to spy on them to see the keywords they use on their websites.

Take a key list of how your customers describe your products or services. After getting a broad term like massage, you can enter it using a keyword research tool to get other keyword ideas. If you already have a website, there is a chance you are already getting traffic to the site. In that case, you can look at your keyword data on Google Search Console to see which keywords drive traffic to your site.

On-Page Optimization

After finding your target keyword, it is time to start using it in your content. You must ensure that each site page targets a particular core term and the related keywords. When doing on-page SEO, you should understand several SEO key elements. These are:

Title Tag

Google does not recommend using keywords in a way that is meant to manipulate the search engine. However, since search engines might not be as effective in learning what a page is about, the use of keywords is still relevant. One of the areas where it helps to include the keyword is on the title tag.

Remember that the title tag isn't the headline on a page. That is usually the header 1. The title tag is visible on your browser. It's what searchers see in your page search results. Generally, Google will show your title tag between 55 and 60 characters. Where possible, ensure that your main keywords appear in this space. You can also add some secondary keywords to the space. 

Meta Description

You can also update the metadata descriptions in your site's HTML code. However, there is no guarantee that Google will show your site’s meta description. However, you can easily increase your site's clickthrough rate with a compelling meta description that makes users want to click on the link.

Remember, showing up in the search is only the first step. You still need the searchers to click on your link in the search results over that of other sites ranking in the top results. In the meta description, you will try to convince them that your site meets the search query.

Content Body

The body of your content is also very important for on-page SEO. To rank highly on the SERP, you must create content that answers the user's search queries. Google also favors certain kinds of content, including longer and unique content. 

Engagement

Google also favors content that increases engagement and offers a great user experience. To take advantage of this, you should create content that answers the user’s search query. By doing that, not only will they stay on your page for a long time, but they will also engage with it. Ensure you create content that loads quickly and avoid design elements affecting the user experience, such as pop-up ads.

Shareability

The quality of your page's content will affect its shareability. If you are only creating thousands of pages with thin content, it will be difficult for people to share such content. While not all your high-quality pages will be shared, they help leave a good impression on your site even when people aren't sharing them.

Alt Attribute

The search engine also considers how images are marked up when considering how to perceive a page. You use Alt attributes to provide more details concerning an image. Ensure that you also have a good description of the image. While using the keyword in this space can be good, you must be careful not to overcrowd it with keywords. If the keyword doesn't fit, avoid using it.

URL Structure

The structure of your URL can help in its tracking and shareability. If you use a short and memorable URL, it will be easier for people to copy it. Again, you should avoid cramming the URL with the keyword. Instead, aim for a shorter and more descriptive URL.

Schema and Markup

After implementing the above on-page SEO strategies, you need to assist Google to better understand your page. While the schema markup will not help your ranking, it will provide your listing with additional real estate. At times, when your competitors aren't using the schema markup, you can get some great results in the click-through rate.

Silos and Internal Linking 

Silos refers to the way the pages of your websites are organized. How your pages are organized and interlinked can affect their ranking on Google. This is because when other pages or sites link to your content, Google considers that to be a vote of confidence in the content. This also helps them understand more about the page and its content.

Search engines also consider anchor text, the actual text used in hyperlinks. By using descriptive text, you can help Google find out what the page is about. While using the keyword in this space can help with the ranking, you should be careful not to cram it here.

Off-page SEO Tactics

Here are the key elements of off-page SEO.

External Link Building

One of the ways that Google determines the quality of a website is by determining the number of backlinks. As noted earlier, external links also show the search engine that your site has valuable and relevant content. There are several methods you can use to get quality backlinks. These include:

  • Natural backlinks. When you create quality content, other websites can link to your websites as a resource for their readers. This is the most valued backlink, as it is natural and will boost your website's credibility, authority, and ranking. You should create compelling and shareable content to get these kinds of backlinks.
  • Manual link building. Another link-building method is contacting website owners to link to your website. You can request opportunities for guest posts, for which you can add a link to your website. You can reach out to influencers and market experts to collaborate with them.

When creating backlinks, you should remember that quality matters more than quantity. You should, therefore, focus on getting backlinks from high-quality and authoritative sites. When you master the art of link building, you gradually increase your site's authority and improve its ranking on search engines.

Social Media Marketing

Another important part of off-page SEO is social media marketing. There are several methods you can use social media in SEO. These include:

  • Boosting content. One way to increase the reach of your content and its engagement is by boosting it on social media platforms.
  • Building trust. You can increase your credibility by engaging with your audience on social media. This way, you can address their concerns and provide them with value.

Using SEM to Drive Traffic

SEM is a broader topic that includes all the details discussed above. However, it also includes paid ads, usually seen in the SERP results. When you visit the Google search results, you will see the paid ads at the top of the results with the tag sponsored. Other ads also showcase product images, their prices, and more. Some of the key components of SEM are:

PPC Keyword Research

Like in SEO, keyword research is an essential part of SEM since you must research the keyword you will target in your paid campaign. You will follow the same method used in  SEO to find keywords. However, you will now need to choose keywords related to your goal. For instance, if you run a massage parlor in Salt Lake City, you must target the city name in your keywords. That will ensure that your ad will appear first when someone in the location searches for the keyword.

PPC Bidding

SEM lets you choose how much you want to pay to bid for a keyword when someone clicks on it. That’s why it's known as Pay-per-Click (PPC). The most important part of PPC is setting an amount to maximize your return on investment. You must balance winning the bid to appear in the search results and avoiding overspending.

Audience Targeting

Audience targeting aims to set the criteria under which you want your ad to show. For instance, if you run a massage parlor in Salt Lake City, you can target people within a 10-kilometer radius. This will ensure that your ad isn't shown to someone in California who isn't likely to patronize your business.

Creating Your PPC Ad

The goal of a PPC ad should be to communicate your message quickly and effectively. This requires creating a catchy headline with a relevant description and a clear call-to-action. When creating your ad copy, check what your competitors are doing and learn from them. Consider if they are using an emotional hook and their target keywords. When you find a message that looks outstanding, consider using the same.

Ad Assets

While these were previously referred to as ad extensions, these elements can be added to your ad campaign. You can use them in different forms, such as the clickable call options. For instance, going by our earlier example, if you have a massage parlor, a location asset will provide people searching for the exact address with the same address. You can also add a call asset to provide searchers with a direct line for calling your business.

Cost of SEM vs. SEO: Which is More Affordable?

While you don't pay anything for SEO, it's not necessarily free. If you will do SEO correctly, you need to invest in website optimization, content production, backlinks and SEO tools. The amount you pay will depend on your individual business and goal. For instance, if you are a local business, you will likely spend less than a multinational business.

On the other hand, SEM will require you to spend all the expenses of SEO and ads. That means it's usually more expensive than SEO. However, you should remember that paid campaigns usually generate results faster than SEO.

SEO vs. SEM: Which of them is Better?

As we have already noted, you should not expect instant results with SEO. After implementing all the steps listed above, it can take you several months to see a rise in your ranking. On the other hand, PPC can provide instant results. Once your campaign is up and running, you will see your site listed on the SERPs almost immediately.

However, you should remember that quick results don't necessarily translate to success. Even if your ad receives instant clicks, you must refine it to achieve your intended goals. While SEO is a bit slow, the results can be long-lasting when it pays off.

An effective campaign should incorporate SEO and SEM to meet short-term and long-term goals. This will also enable you to cater to different search intents. Therefore, running SEO and SEM campaigns is advisable if you are serious about driving organic traffic to your site.