Buzzwords come and go, but some are here to stay! Take for example SMM, SEM and SEO. Are they just a jumble of confusing letters, or are they important? What do these terms really mean and why is it important to the business owner?

SMM is short for “social media marketing” and is all about promotion. and Engagement with fans on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc.

SEO, “search engine optimization”, drives traffic to your website through specific strategies on your website intended to obtain a higher ranking in user searches through portals such as Google, Yahoo or Bing.

· SEM is an acronym for “search engine marketing” and has to do with getting website traffic to your site through SEO combinations as well as paid advertising efforts. This term is the broader term and includes SEO, but it is more than just SEO.

Why should you care?

1. Most online marketing companies specialize in one area over another. Know what your goals are before you hire a marketing company to help you engage customers. good kind of help

2. Please note that the definitions above are very general, but there is an important distinction between SMM and SEO/SEM. The first (SMM) focuses on interactions and relationship building, and the second two (SEO/SEM) focus on driving traffic to a website. There is a big difference in approach. You may need both, but seriously consider your goals here.

3. If you lean towards or include SMM, then you have to remember that you will need to spend time and energy on new and regular content. Whether you create all of your posts and conversations yourself, or outsource this task, there will need to be daily attention to this effort on their social media platforms. Social media managers tend to be cheaper to hire than SEM/SEO firms, but the return on SMM can seem less profitable because it always takes more time to build relationships, and relationship building doesn’t always translate into immediately dirty.

4. If you lean towards or include SEM/SEO, remember that the algorithms for how you get search engine results change regularly, almost daily. That means you should expect this to be an ongoing commitment, not a one-time solution. Being found on the first page of Google, for example, is a daily battle. It’s not about relationships or conversations. It’s all about links, relentless keyword research, updates, and tweaks. The benefits tend to be higher for driving traffic to your website, but that adds an expectation that your website is continually updated and monitored for the best results.

5. Finally, no matter where you put your emphasis, sales are the result of how attractive you are as a company or product. Marketing of any kind can only produce visibility and build a reputation. Ultimately, sales come from customer service, product quality, and the need you fill for your customers. SEM, SEO and SMM can only help you to be accountable and to be found. The rest is up to you!