Search engine marketing (SEM) is the overall process of combining the two processes of search engine optimisation (SEO) and pay-per-click advertising (PPC).

While the results of successful SEO and PPC appear on the same page of search engine results, the underlying processes to get each result there are quite different to each other.

SEO has strengths where PPC does not, and vice versa. Combining the strengths of each is why the two processes are so powerful when used together. In a perfect world, your new or existing web site would immediately get a lot of free/cheap, relevant search engine traffic.

Let's look at the strengths of each in attaining this perfect world scenario:

PPC = Fast
SEO = Much slower

Traffic to your web site from SEO takes anywhere from 3 to 18 months to ramp up, but PPC traffic can be gained in a matter of hours, days or weeks, depending on how extensive a campaign is setup.

SEO = Lower
PPC = Higher

The cost per web site visitor for PPC will tend to be higher than it is for SEO because you pay for every click on your PPC text ads, but you don't pay when one of your organic search engine results (left-hand, SEO-induced) is clicked on, although there is the time and effort involved with attaining the SEO rankings in the first place.

PPC = Very useful
SEO = Less useful

Owing to the fact you can pretty much bid on any search phrase you like with PPC, you are able to test different search phrases to determine which are the most effective for your business.

It is more difficult to precisely target search phrases with SEO, so PPC is very useful for making decisions on what the most effective search phrases for your business are, which you can then SEO your web site for.

SEO = High
PPC = Lower

Organic search engine results (left-hand, SEO-induced) get far more clicks from searchers than the PPC text ads (right-hand), owing to where they are on the page. More clicks equals more traffic, customers and profit!

Imagine what it is like once the SEO and PPC efforts start to mature and your web site is ranked high on the 1st page of Google with both a natural (left-hand, SEO-induced) search engine result and with a Google AdWords text ad (right-hand, PPC) for the same search phrase! This is quite possible and has been done for many of 1stPageProphets' own clients.

1stPageProphets has achieved excellent SEM results for our clients using its methodology PFSEM^TM. Please contact us now so we can help you understand how much time and effort it will require to get similar results for your own web site. Don't delay because our next month's new client work schedule is filling fast.