What is an SEO, SEM and how important are they for an organization? Explain briefly.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization): SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process applied to attract search engine spiders and enhance its value to visitors. Search Engine Optimization is an online marketing technique that improves a site's ranking for targeted keywords and phrases within a database of search engines. SEO is aimed at improving web pages so that the web pages rank higher in search engines for targeted keywords and phrases to generate more revenue from the website.

SEM (Search Engine Marketing): SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is the process of marketing a website via search engines, using paid inclusion, PPC ads and other marketing methods. This is a practice of marketing a website on the internet, including paid and organic advertising. SEM is also known as Search Marketing.

The main difference between SEO and SEM:
SEO and SEM are Two different things. SEO is primarily concerned with optimizing website for natural or organic listings and directories to improve natural search results. But SEM includes additional services like PPC marketing or paid inclusion and paid placement. It involves target marketing and advertising in order to get traffic to the website. SEM is a part of SEO.

Also, many SEM companies, individuals or firm guarantee your site will get top 10 rankings within a short period of time. This is impossible. No one can guarantee that the targeted keywords will get top 10 ranking in major search engines (like: Google, Yahoo, MSN etc...). Beware of guarantees. No company can guarantee this. The search engines (like: Google, Yahoo, MSN etc...) do not guarantee specific ranking even when you pay them directly.