SEO and SEA – are they the same thing?

Easily confused, SEO and SEA techniques couldn’t be more different. Although the main form of interaction is in Google’s search area, both have very different criteria and presentation techniques. Find out about the main differences.

SEO – Search Engine Optimization

SEO is a set of techniques (ideally free, meaning you don’t invest money on it) that aims to optimize your website for better organic results on Google. This technique is based on the use of the most relevant keywords that characterize your product/brand, on each of the pages of the website/blog.

These keywords help Google identify the subject of the website and categorize it, giving it more or less priority according to the relevance of the content, but also help the user to recognize what he was looking for is in that content.

SEO turns out to have two aspects: one is content for the user and the other focuses on the performance and effectiveness of the website as a platform.

There are no quick miracles in SEO. It takes time for a website to gain notoriety. Find out more about how Google works here.

SEO on Page

It is important to keep e in mind the main areas to optimize directly on the website page:

  • Page title: you must a) write with precision the theme of the page; b) present the main keyword of the content (if possible, with other variations); and c) put your brand at the end of the title.
  • Meta description: it is the fragment of text which appears on the results page.. The goal is to show the user what the page is about, and convince them that it is worth clicking on the link to read the content. This way, filling the Meta Description with attractive and convincing text can greatly increase the click-through rate when your website appears among the results.
  • URL (page address): the URL needs to be descriptive and contain the desired keyword.
  • Images: you should take into account the following aspects regarding the images on the website: the name of the file, the alternative text (alt-text), and the size of the file.
  • Headings: title hierarchy (H1, H2, H3, and H4)
  • Simple texts: description of the products/services with the best keywords
  • Internal Link Building: the creation of internal links, linking pages to certain strategic anchor texts; improve user navigation; facilitate the knowledge of news pages for search engines; relate pages that cover similar topics;
  • Sitemap.XML and HTML: this helps Google recognize the structure of website pages

SEA – Search Engine Advertising

SEA it’s a technique that uses ads, also based on the most relevant keywords, on platforms such as Google Adwords (Google Search/Display, YouTube and Partner Network), Facebook/Instagram Ads, and LinkedIn Ads. These ads are paid primarily by the PPC (Pay Per Click) methodology in which the advertiser pays each time a user clicks on their ad.

SEA works on a similar principle to bidding (auction). That is, the more the advertiser is willing to pay per click, the more likely your ad will appear first in the paid result.

 

 

Advantages and Disadvantages

 

Advantages Disadvantages
SEO
  • Excellent for long-term outreach/positioning
  • Organic search results attract more attention and, therefore, are more likely to be clicked;
  • No monthly payments or fixed investment;
  • It conveys greater credibility because the positioning was given to the value and importance of the website content.
  • Getting into the position you want can take some time;
  • High level of competition (depends on the área);
  • It is not advisable for actions where immediate feedback is sought, such as promotions or campaigns;
  • Although there is no need for direct payment, it implies an investment of time and specific know-how.
SEA
  • It is immediate. Excellent for short-term outreach (promotions);
  • A more informed user knows that through sponsored links, he will be able to find exactly what he is looking for;
  • Full control over what appears in the ad and the possibility of the text being changed at any time.
  • It implies a monthly investment;
  • Arouses less attention from users – visually, the eye is more focused on organic search results;
  • Many regular users are averse to sponsored links;
  • High competition in keywords, as some are already widely used;
  • Implies a very High investment (greater investment to improve the position).

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