The internet houses around 2 billion live websites, but a significant percentage rarely attract any visitors because they don’t have effective enough search engine optimisation (SEO) or search engine marketing (SEM) strategies in place to enhance their visibility.
Search engines use complex algorithms to efficiently sort and rank the results displayed for every search query. Search engine algorithms look for a range of on-page and off-page elements, including page speed and backlinks, to determine a website’s relevancy, quality and authority.
The Difference Between SEO and SEM
SEO is the process of optimising a website with the goal of securing higher and more frequent ranking positions in search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO is an aspect of SEM, which also covers paid search advertising options, such as pay-per-click (PPC).
Why is SEO So Important?
Effective SEO will allow your website to secure consistent and meaningful levels of organic traffic. Securing the highest-ranking position for a key search term can deliver significant results because, as this Forbes article notes, the first five results for any given search term receive more than 67% of all clicks, with the next five competing for just over 3%.
You want as many people as possible to engage with your content and recognise your brand because this is what will help you to build a loyal audience and increase your leads, sales and conversions. Working in partnership with an experienced Belfast SEO agency could help you to identify new opportunities to enhance your visibility and grow your audience.
So Where Does SEM Fit In?
You’ve probably noticed the advertised content that sits at the top of the results pages for every search you perform. Businesses pay for their site to be displayed in this area for a set amount of time using Google Ads to target specific keywords.
Running a PPC campaign can be helpful in a range of different circumstances, particularly for new businesses wanting to enhance their visibility and grow their audience quickly. If you want to refine your approach to SEM and SEO Belfast agency Ryco Marketing work closely with their clients to develop laser-focused strategies designed to meet clearly defined objectives.
Businesses wanting to maintain a visible presence and increase their searchability must prioritise SEO and SEM to effectively implement powerful strategies that will deliver results.