The difference between SEO and SEA

You've probably heard of the terms SEO and SEA. Both are related to online marketing and both aim to improve your Google ranking over time. However, there are significant differences between these two concepts. Below, we'll explain this to you in detail.

SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, also known as search engine optimization. When you work on your SEO, you ensure that your website becomes more discoverable for organic search results—results for which you haven't paid. For example, when you search for something on Google, there are always ads at the top. Below are the organic search results. Naturally, everyone wants to be in the first position in organic search results. After all, this is where most people click after googling something. The techniques used for this are called search engine optimization. There are many different ways to work on your search engine optimization.

How does SEO work?

You apply search engine optimization to appear as high as possible in the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). In other words, the SERP is the list of results displayed when you search for something on Google. There are several ways to appear higher in the search results, including good content, link building, and having a good, fast, and accessible website. This will make you more discoverable, leading to increased awareness, more leads, higher revenue, lower advertising costs, and perhaps even loyal customers. We cannot ignore that SEO is essential for your organization. Keep in mind that SEO is a long-term process, and you may not see immediate results, while SEA can deliver results in the short term.

SEA

SEA stands for Search Engine Advertising. These are the ads you see first when you search for something on Google. This is often indicated by the word 'Advertisement' above the search result. For SEA, you have to pay to be seen first on Google. This is an easy way, and you reach your target audience, but the prices of such an ad can add up significantly. Especially when a particular keyword is associated with high search volume or if there is a lot of competition.

How does SEA work?

Google Ads is Google's advertising system. In this system, you can bid on certain keywords you want to be seen for. This system works on a cost-per-click basis: every time a visitor clicks on your ad, you pay a fixed amount. As mentioned earlier, you can pay a lot of money for this. However, you do determine your budget beforehand, and once this budget is reached because your ad has been clicked on so often, the ad will disappear automatically.

SEO vs. SEA

The main difference between SEO and SEA is that you have to pay for SEA. These paid ads will always appear at the top of the SERP. If you want to appear high in the SERP thanks to SEO, you need to invest a lot of time compared to SEA. SEO is, however, a long-term solution, whereas SEA is not. The paid ads will disappear quickly. This makes it difficult to build a lasting result. To answer the question of whether SEO or SEA is better, it actually depends on your goal. Do you want to see quick results and do you have enough budget? Then SEA can be a useful tool. Would you rather be seen in Google for a longer time and do you have enough time available? Perhaps SEO is something for you.

There are also countless companies that choose both SEO and SEA. Through search engine optimization, you will rank higher on Google in the long term, but thanks to paid ads, you will get a significant boost in visitors to your website. And that can yield a lot.