SEO - Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a set of ongoing best practices used for your website and blog to help you get found online via the top search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. These techniques help improve a website's SERP, or Search Engine Result Page. There are two types of SEO: on-page and off-page.
On-page includes using keywords correctly throughout your web pages, including title tags, H1 through H4 tags, URL structure, alt tags on images, among a host of other practices. Think of the Google 'snippet' when you search for something either by typing in the long-tail keyword or speaking it directly to Google or Siri.
Off-page SEO is just that: best practices that are external to your website and blog. These include back-links (other relevant companies with good Google credibility linking back to your web-pages). Think of these as 'votes' received for your content being so remarkable. This 'voting' happens when another website links your content in their own blog, using it as a source, giving your content further credibility. Naturally off-page SEO is much harder to achieve because you are relying upon outside sources. One great example of off-page SEO is when a manufacturer rep posts a blog on their website about your factory and brand(s), and you then reference that article in your own blog. And visa v, right? Factories and reps should be working hand-in-hand along with dealers, consultants, and even end-users to share content that is all in their own best interest. This is how you can really 'win' on the web.
SEM - Search Engine Marketing
Search engine marketing is the process of driving traffic to your website using paid online advertising. In other words, you pay Google for Google AdWords, ideally your content comes up first driving more awareness and traffic.
SMM - Social Media Marketing
Inherently, social media marketing (SMM) is part of on-page SEO because of link building. Have you Googled your name lately? Take a look at the first few results. Do you see a link to your LinkedIn profile? Twitter? This applies to businesses, as well. Being on these social platforms helps your company, and your brand(s), get found easier.
The goal of SMM is to drive quality traffic to your website, landing pages, and blogs, to get them to engage with you, and ultimately, drive revenue with a trackable ROI. Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. YouTube. Google+. Instagram. And now Snapchat.
The key to engagement is: 1) identifying which platform your buyers are actually on, and 2) fully understanding your buyers (or followers) and providing them personalized remarkable content. For example, if you are bar and beverage manufacturer targeting bartenders, your content strategy should help bartenders. This information will help you to better educate customers, make you a thought leader in the industry, and keep your brand at top-of-mind awareness. At the end of the day, you are creating your cultural voice online with social media marketing.
An SMM strategy can also include paid advertising across social platforms.
