Search Engine Optimization (SEO) includes numerous tools and plug-ins that help (first) web crawlers and algorythems find your organization’s website, so that human web searchers can then find your site via Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc. Optimization means (in part) key words are placed in specific parts of the website’s code and banners to ensure that not only do search engines find your site, but they easily calculate the importance of certain terms and ideas so as to put your site ever higher on their list of relevant sites.
SEO is something we’ve often talked about on this blog, but marketing experts have been taking SEO to the next level over the last year or so to develop an overarching strategy of online marketing: Search Engine Marketing. But what is it and why should your business incorporate it into your outreach?
A solid definition of SEM is “the process of gaining traffic from search engines. While SEO is a part of this process, Search Engine Marketing encompasses many other tools including:
- Paid inclusion and trusted feed programs
- Pay-for-placement management (includes pay-per-click)
- Link popularity / reputation development”
Two of the three bullet point include the word ‘pay’, which might put off some − especially nonprofits willing to work with a consultant to develop SEO, but unprepared to pay for feeds or placement of its links. But ‘pay’ can be strikingly minimal and thus offer huge returns on investment. We found the following video from the agency ‘Neutralize’ in the United Kingdom to be an especially helpful introduction (With Brits coming in 1st and 2nd in the Tour de France yesterday, and the Olympics starting in London in a few days, it also seemed appropriate to turn to a British organization to introduce SEM).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6–NfGKbsA[/youtube]
For businesses, a larger SEM strategy should absolutely be part of your advertising and outreach plans. For nonprofits and charities, strategic investments in some well-targeted ads and markets could prove wonderfully beneficial in volunteer and donor engagement. Talk with your peers and consulting firm about how best to build SEO into meaningful and profitable Search Engine Marketing.
