Search Engine Marketing (SEM) has become increasingly popular of late As the nature of search engine promotion has expanded, the tag "search engine optimization" hasn't seemed to cover what some companies and individuals feel they do. It is evident that while the search engine optimization industry focuses on free traffic, the search engine marketing includes click costs. This primary difference in the two has given rise to many presumptions.

One of the prevalent mistake assumptions being the belief that SEO is a more efficient tool to achieve high Return of Investment than SEM. Yet another of these is what we shall call the 'landing page' myth. In Search Engine Marketing, the owner gets to decide where the visitor's land. However, in Search Engine Optimization, the search is what determines the landing page visitors see. This is that difference that is the mother of all disparity No searcher spends more than a few seconds assessing the landing page. More often than not, a searcher lacks the patience to browse through axilliary pages and simply hits the back button. In a matter of clicks they will be on your competition's landing page.

It is therefore of vital importance to optimize the webpage landing in accordance to what a searcher may search for. This would convey to the searcher that he or she has come to the appropriate page. Every searcher ultimately wants to land on a relevant page and it is up to you to make the landing page as relevant as possible. Only a good professional Search Engine Marketing firm would be able to optimize your page accordingly. A search spider would achieve far from desired results in such a scenario.

It is only when the searcher is satisfied that the purpose of either SEO or of SEM is achieved. Money wise, a Search Engine Marketing firm requires more capital investment in the beginning than what is usually the norm at a Search Engine Optimization firm. Search Engine Marketing includes management and pay per click costs which makes it more expensive. On the other hand, Search Engine Optimization firms charge only for the management costs. However, investing in a professional Search Engine Marketing firms ensures more relevancy of landing page and therefore more returns. Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing are complementary to each other. At the end of the day, Search Engine Optimization can definitely get visitors to your page by giving you a brand image, better ranks and numerous other benefits. Nevertheless, only an investment in Search Engine Marketing makes the landing page worth the effort and worth a conversion by the visitor. A converted visitor is the entire difference in the equation between Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing.