What is SEM?

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is the umbrella term for getting visibility on search engines — historically covering both paid search (PPC) and organic search (SEO), though today many people use SEM to mean paid search specifically. The idea is simple: be present when someone searches for what you offer, whether through an ad at the top of the page or an organic listing below it. A balanced SEM strategy uses paid search for immediate, controllable demand and SEO for durable, compounding traffic, with the two sharing keyword insight and landing pages.