SEM differs from SEO in the fact that SEM is a paid service and can grant near instant results whereas SEO is a more long-term, organic approach, and can take time to earn the higher search engine rankings you are after.

SEO can be viewed like a fruit tree. You must pick the type of tree you wish to plant, pick a location, nurture the tree over time to get it to a point where it will yield the fruit you desire. SEM is like a neon sign, as long as you are paying the power bill your customers will see you but as soon as you stop paying your power bill the lights go off. SEO, once achieved is going to be much more cost-effective and will offer long-term rewards.

Once you have achieved a favorable rank with a search engine it is much easier to keep (hold) that rank with minimal effort. Even if you do nothing for weeks or months you may maintain your ranking. SEM information can be altered quickly to meet the needs of a sudden change, a special event, or big sale. SEO information is planted, grown, and nurtured over time, much like the fruit tree.

Once grown it will produce valuable income but it cannot be changed to a different type of tree and it does not become fully grown overnight. Both SEM and SEO have their advantages and both are considered equally important as they target different consumer types and offer a different set of benefits to your business.

In terms of fish food, the difference is simple. To sell your fish food with SEM you will be charged a predetermined fee and be given instant ranking in the ‘paid’ section of the search engines. You should have plenty of fish food in-stock and ready to ship. You will sell fish food more quickly but your bottom line will take a hit.

With SEO your fish food will sell but it will take some time and effort to get customers to your site. Do not over-stock if the fish food has a limited shelf life. Once you have invested the time and effort to gain a favorable page rank, your SEO work will continue to bring customers to your site, possibly for years to come, and you will not be charged any fees. You fish food profits will shoot through the roof!

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my other articles that offer a layman’s explanation of SEO, SEM, Social Media, and Web Presence. You are also welcome to visit my personal website for more information.