How to boost your results with a combination of SEO and SEM in your digital strategy

If you have an online business and haven't thought about your visibility on Google, it's like being at a party and no one can see you. How do you expect people to find you if you don't appear in search results? This is where two powerful tools come into play: SEO and SEM.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the magic that helps your website get along with Google without having to pay for it. It involves optimizing your content, your site structure, and everything else Google loves so it can find you and reward you with good rankings in organic search results. On the other hand, SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is like the older brother who doesn't have time to wait: pay for ads to get your website to the top of the rankings quickly.

The key isn't choosing one over the other, but combining them. SEO brings you long-term benefits, while SEM gives you that instant boost you need. Together, they can do wonders for your visibility, traffic, and conversions.

In this article, we'll explore how you can make these two complement each other so your online presence stands out. Because ignoring them isn't an option!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What is SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)?
• What is SEM (Search Engine Marketing)?
• SEO + SEM: Boosting results
• Best practices and recommendations for an SEO and SEM strategy
• Case study: Mirador Torre Glorias
• SEO & SEM Trends

What is SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)?

SEO is the set of strategies and techniques that help your website appear at the top of search results on search engines like Google, Bing, or (yes, it still exists) Yahoo. The idea isn't just to attract more visitors, but to ensure those visitors are from people who are genuinely interested in what you offer.

But it's not just about convincing algorithms—it also involves improving the user experience and following search engine recommendations so that your site is not only visible, but also useful and relevant.

Key factors for optimising an SEO strategy

• Keywords: Identify and use keywords relevant to the content of the website.

• Quality content: Create useful, informative and relevant content for users.

• Site structure: Optimise website architecture for intuitive navigation and easy indexing by search engines.

• Inbound links (backlinks): Obtain quality links from other websites pointing to your own.

• Loading speed: Optimise website performance for fast loading times.

• HTML tags: Properly use title tags, meta descriptions and headings to improve content understanding by search engines.

• User experience (UX): Prioritise a satisfactory user experience, including responsive design, intuitive navigation and accessible content.

Effective strategies to improve organic search engine ranking

• Keyword research: Identify relevant and high search volume keywords to target content.

• Quality content creation: Develop valuable, original content that meets users' needs and answers their search queries.

• On-page optimisation: Optimise elements such as titles, meta descriptions, headings and URL structure to reflect target keywords and improve indexing.

• Link building: Obtain quality links from relevant and authoritative websites to improve domain authority.

• Technical optimisation: Improve loading speed, correct crawl errors, implement structured data markup and ensure the site is accessible to search engines.

• Tracking and analysis: Use web analytics tools to monitor SEO performance and adjust strategy as needed to improve organic search results.

   

What is SEM (Search Engine Marketing)?

On the other hand, SEM (Search Engine Marketing) involves the promotion of a website by improving its visibility in search engines through paid advertising. Unlike SEO, where traffic is generated organically, SEM strategies use paid ads to drive traffic to the website. Ads appear in search engine results when users make queries related to the keywords selected by the advertiser.

Techniques to Maximize SEM Campaign Performance

• Keyword Selection: Identify and choose relevant, high-performing keywords to target ads effectively.

• Segmentation and Targeting: Use advanced targeting criteria, such as geographic location, demographics, interests, and online behavior, to reach specific audiences.

• Creating Effective Ads: Develop engaging and persuasive ads that capture users' attention and encourage them to click.

• Budget Optimization: Manage the budget efficiently by adjusting bids and allocating funds to the most profitable campaigns.

• Testing and Analysis: Conduct A/B testing to compare different ad elements and optimize performance, as well as use analytics tools to monitor and measure campaign succes.

 

SEO + SEM: Boosting results

You already know the differences between SEO and SEM and some techniques to get the most out of them. Now, let's see how you can combine these online marketing strategies to improve the visibility and performance of your campaigns.

We present a list of synergies between both approaches to help you achieve better results in online visibility, traffic, and conversions.

1. Shared Keyword Research

   Use keyword research for SEO in your SEM campaigns. Select the most relevant and effective keywords for both efforts.

2. Landing Page Optimization 

   Make sure your ad landing pages are optimized for your selected keywords. This will improve your page quality and quality scores on advertising platforms.

3. Improving user experience

   Ensure your landing pages are relevant, fast, and easy for visitors to use. A good user experience is essential for both SEO and SEM.

4. Relevant and quality content

   Use content created for SEO in your SEM campaigns. Relevant, high-quality content can increase the effectiveness of your ads and contribute to a better quality score.

5. Focus on site authority

   Site authority, built through SEO strategies, can also benefit your SEM campaigns. Search engines and advertising platforms favor websites with good authority.

6. Integration with ad extensions

   Some ad extensions, such as structured site extensions, can benefit from important information for local SEO strategies, such as addresses and phone numbers.

7. Conversion tracking

   Set up conversion tracking for both your SEM campaigns and your SEO efforts. This will provide you with valuable data on overall performance and areas for improvement.

8. Shared A/B testing

   Conduct A/B tests on both your landing pages and your ads. Test results can provide valuable insights for both strategies.

It's key to keep in mind that while SEO and SEM can make a great team, each plays its own game with distinct metrics, objectives, and strategies. The magic happens when you intelligently combine them to build a stronger and more effective online presence.

Of course, it's not about leaving everything on autopilot. Search engine algorithms and advertising platforms change more frequently than social media trends, so constantly monitoring and adjusting your strategies is the best way to stay ahead of the game.

Best practices and recommendations for an SEO and SEM strategy

Tips for effective integration of SEO and SEM

• Keyword coordination: Identify keywords that work well for both SEO and SEM, and use them consistently across both strategies to maximize visibility.
• Share data and learnings: Encourage collaboration between SEO and SEM teams to exchange insights on keyword performance, market trends, and effective strategies.
• Messaging and creative integration: Align SEM ad content with keywords and SEO-optimized website content to deliver a consistent user experience.
• Use retargeting: Implement retargeting campaigns to re-engage users who have visited your site through organic or paid search.

Useful tools and resources for managing a combined strategy

• Google Analytics: Use this tool to track the performance of organic and paid traffic, as well as gain valuable insights into user behavior.
• Google Search Console: Monitor site indexing, keyword performance, and crawling errors that may affect SEO.
• Keyword research tools: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, SE Ranking, Surfer SEO, Neuronwriter, or Ahrefs to identify new keyword opportunities and assess the competition.
• Ad management platforms: Use platforms like Google Ads or Bing Ads, among others, to create, manage, and optimize paid search advertising campaigns.
• Microsoft advertising: Bing's advertising platform.

Ethical considerations and best practices in the use of SEO and SEM

• Advertising Transparency: Ensure paid ads are clearly labeled as such to avoid confusion with organic content.

• Comply with search engine guidelines: Avoid unfair or deceptive practices that may result in search engine penalties.

• Prioritize user experience: Always keep the user as the main focus, offering relevant content and intuitive navigation both on the website and in ads.

• Stay up-to-date: Stay on top of changes in search engine algorithms and SEO and SEM best practices to adapt quickly and maintain an effective and ethical strategy.

The strategic combination of SEO and SEM represents an approach to improving online visibility, increasing qualified traffic, and boosting the success of a digital strategy. 

By integrating SEO and SEM, businesses can leverage the unique strengths of each approach. SEO provides long-term visibility and established organic traffic, while SEM offers immediate and controlled visibility through paid advertising. Combining these two elements allows businesses to maximize their search engine presence, capture a wider variety of search queries, and reach a broader audience at all stages of the buying cycle.

Ethical considerations and best practices in the use of SEO and SEM

• Advertising Transparency: Ensure paid ads are clearly labeled as such to avoid confusion with organic content.
• Comply with search engine guidelines: Avoid unfair or deceptive practices that may result in search engine penalties.
• Prioritize user experience: Always keep the user as the main focus, offering relevant content and intuitive navigation both on the website and in ads.
• Stay up-to-date: Stay on top of changes in search engine algorithms and SEO and SEM best practices to adapt quickly and maintain an effective and ethical strategy.
  
  

Case Study: Integrating a SEM and SEO Strategy for Mirador Torre Glorias

By integrating SEO and SEM strategies, we can illustrate their application with a specific success story: the Torre Glòries Viewpoint in Barcelona. A comprehensive digital marketing strategy was implemented with the goal of increasing visitor numbers, improving international conversions, and strengthening brand recognition in a highly competitive market. 

The strategy focused on several key areas:

• Organic Content Strategy : We balanced the creation of organic content highlighting the unique experiences offered by the Mirador with more commercial content geared toward ticket sales. Content was customized for each platform (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), and community engagement was encouraged through the integration of user-generated content (UGC).
  
• Creativity : A creative campaign was designed under the strategic message "Barcelona starts here," maintaining visual consistency across all content. The messages were tailored to each audience (local and international) and each stage of the conversion funnel.
  
• Paid Media : A paid marketing strategy was developed that encompassed social media, SEM (Search Engine Marketing), and programmatic advertising to maximize conversions and brand awareness. Campaigns were segmented for local and international audiences, both at source and destination, focusing on increasing ticket sales and visibility.
  
• Data : Advanced measurement solutions were implemented to maximize campaign performance, ensuring accurate tracking and complying with privacy regulations.
  

The results of this strategy were significant:

• Ticket Sales : 20% increase in sales and visitors, with 140% more web traffic from ads.
  
• Web conversion : 5% increase in web conversion in international markets.
  
• Impressions generated : 80 million on Paid Media campaigns and over 8 million on TikTok in less than a quarter.
  
• Social Media Reach and Engagement : 154% increase in profile views, 115% increase in total social media engagement, and 41% increase in organic content impressions.
  
• Campaign Optimization : Significant improvement in audience targeting accuracy, contributing to increased conversions through Performance Max and Store Visit campaigns.
  
• Metrics analysis : Significant improvement in performance data for all campaigns, which is strategic for decision-making and maximizing conversions.
  

This comprehensive strategy allowed the Mirador Torre Glòries to consolidate its position as one of Barcelona's main cultural and tourist attractions, achieving significant growth in visibility, conversion, and engagement. 

SEO and SEM Trends 2025

Artificial intelligence and automation in action

By 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) will play a crucial role in optimizing SEO and SEM strategies. 

• SEO Automation: Tools that autonomously adjust strategies based on changes in algorithms and user behavior could continuously optimize website content to improve its ranking.
• Predictive analytics: Systems that anticipate user behavior to optimize SEM campaigns, adjusting bids and ads in real time to maximize conversions.
• Extreme Personalization: Presenting search results and website content tailored to individual user preferences, improving the user experience and increasing conversion rates.

User Experience (UX) and SXO

SEO will further merge with user experience (UX), focusing on:

• Optimization for voice searches and conversational queries, making it easier for users to find information about the Mirador using voice commands.
• Creating content that directly answers frequently asked questions, such as schedules, prices, and directions, improving user satisfaction.
• Improving the overall site experience by ensuring that navigation is intuitive and relevant information is easily accessible, which will contribute to increasing conversion rates from visitors to ticket buyers.

Advanced SEM strategies

SEM campaigns will benefit from:

• Greater automation in campaign management, enabling real-time ad adjustments through machine learning to maximize the efficiency of ad spending.
• Advanced targeting and enhanced remarketing options , targeting specific ads to users who have shown interest in the Mirador but have not yet made a purchase.
• Performance Max and Store Visit campaigns , increasing audience targeting accuracy and maximizing conversions.

Diversification and data

• Strategies beyond Google: Expand your presence on other search engines and platforms, such as Bing and social media, to reach a broader audience.
• Data-driven SEO: Use data analytics to inform and optimize strategies, identifying which keywords generate the most traffic and which convert best.
• Brand Authority and Brand Authority: Focus on expertise, authority, trustworthiness, and transparency to improve credibility. These are key elements for Google and users to trust your brand. As generative search engines (such as Google SGE or ChatGPT) gain prominence, the GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) trend comes into play. Adapt your content and content strategies to AI-powered search engines. 

This is where Adsmurai Brand Trackers play a strategic role. By measuring brand perception and its impact in different digital environments, it allows you to adjust strategies to improve authority and ensure that generative engines present accurate and reliable information about the brand.

By integrating SEO and SEM, businesses can leverage the unique strengths of each approach. SEO provides long-term visibility and established organic traffic, while SEM offers immediate and controlled visibility through paid advertising.