In a nutshell: Search Engine Optimization (also known as SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (also known as SEM) are custom strategies implemented by your SEO/SEM provider that seek to increase the visibility of your web site through organic listings or paid listings within search engine result pages (also known as SERPs).

Search Engine Optimization is a strategy that provides natural/organic results in the leading search engines by implementing fundamental and strategic techniques on your web site whether it be optimization of keywords, Meta Tags, copy, link building and much more. Organic SEO is the “free” way of increasing your visibility in the search engine result market while also driving traffic to your web site.

Search Engine Marketing is the marketing counterpart of Search Engine Optimization. Search Engine Marketing, also known as SEM, is the practice of increasing a web site’s visibility via the use of paid advertising, targeted and contextual advertising, social media tools, e-mail marketing strategies, and cell phone and mobile advertising, just to name a few.

Basically, SEO and SEM are used by businesses to achieve the top spots in search engine results for specific key phrases so that they may be found by their target audience.