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.