SEO and SEA, two terms you've probably seen passed by before, but what do they really mean and what's the difference? Both are important parts of digital marketing, but they both have their own characteristics and benefits. If you run your own website or an online business, it's important to know the differences between SEO and SEA.
SEO
We begin with SEO, or Search Engine Optimization. This is the practice of optimizing your Web site to rank higher in the organic search results of search engines such as Google. This can be done through a combination of technical and content optimization, link building and other tactics. The goal of SEO is to make your website more findable for searches relevant to your business or industry. The benefit of SEO is that it can generate free traffic to your Web site, but it often takes more time to see results.
SEA
Search Engine Advertising is the full name of SEA. This is advertising on search engines through paid advertisements. These can be text ads, as well as image and video ads. The goal of SEA is to drive more traffic to your website through paid ads, and then also generate more conversions. The advantage of SEA is that it can produce quick results and you can advertise very targeted based on keywords, location and demographics.
The main differences
The bealng key differences between SEO and SEA are:
- Cost: SEO is generally free, but it often takes more time to see results. SEA, on the other hand, is more direct and produces results faster, but it can be expensive if you don't know what you're doing well.
- Position in search results: SEO focuses on getting high rankings in organic search results, while SEA focuses on getting high rankings in paid search results.
- Sustainability: SEO results are generally more sustainable than SEA results. Once you have achieved a good position in organic search results, it is easier to stay in this position. With SEA, you have to keep paying to maintain your position.
- Targeting: SEA allows you to advertise more targeted based on keywords, location and demographics. SEO is less targeted and focuses mainly on optimizing your website as a whole.
SEO and SEA are both important for online marketing, but they both have different features and benefits. To get the best results, it may be a good idea to use both strategies, but it depends on your company's objective and budget.
Do you have questions about deploying SEO and SEA, or other questions about online marketing? Feel free to contact us and we'll be happy to help.