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SEO and SMM: How to Understand the Difference

seo vs smm

Here are two terms you often read online, and yet nobody ever really tells you what they mean. Articles will drop them into the text and assume that you know what they mean. Some people will Google their definition, but will still be left with more questions than answers. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and SMM stands for Social Media Marketing. Here is an explanation of what they are and how they differ.

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What exactly is SEO?

There are a set of rules and guidelines that Google and the other search engines have laid out. The guidelines are things you should do if you would like your website to rank higher on the search engines results pages. The rules are things that you have to follow if you do not want to end up being suspended from the search engines results pages. You can perform off-page and on-page SEO, but your on-page SEO is the only one you have direct control over.

What exactly is SMM?

Social media marketing involves disseminating (Spread) information around the incredibly large social media audience in order to promote a service, product or business. However, it has expanded a little into being a great market research tool, and a questions and answer forum. Primarily SMM represents a part of your marketing campaign that involves influencing and engaging the people who use social media.

Why do we have SEO?

If we did not have any guidelines then people could only guess as to what makes a website index worthy. The variety in websites would increase massively, but it would mean that search engines could ignore potentially good websites. If there were no SEO rules then people could manipulate the guidelines to reach the top of Google’s search engine results page without ever offering any useful service to their viewers.

Why do we have SMM?

Social media has a lot of users. This includes a very large group of people who are all potential customers. SMM is a way of engaging them with the hopes of gaining their support or gaining them as customers. SMM may also help a webmaster to manipulate the SEO value that social media now contains.

Can SEO be applied to SMM?

Yes, it can. Social media marketing can involve things such as keywords, which will relate SMM campaigns back to the websites that they are supporting. Things such as links and widgets can be placed on social media profiles and on websites to the mutual benefit of both.

Can SMM be applied to SEO?

Yes, it can. Google announced that things such as social media markers and mentions will now be taken into account when it comes to SEO. If a social media profile links to you, or talks about your site, then it will all add to your search engine optimization. Plus, if you add things such as Facebook “Like” widgets to your web pages and people click them, then it will also add to your websites SEO.

Can a website function without SEO and SMM?

They can function very well, but you will have to find another way of gaining traffic without the help of a search engine or social media website. It is not impossible, as there are a lot of ways of gaining traffic on the Internet. It is just that search engines and social media are very effective methods that are also free (which is a bonus).

Can you make money with SEO?

You can use SEO to get more traffic from search engines, but what you do with that traffic when it gets to your website is going to determine how much money you make. Search engines make getting traffic a lot easier, but do not give you any help in making your viewers stay on your page. On the other hand, it is difficult to get traffic to come from social media onto your website, but whist on social media you can spend your time getting into your potential customers good books before they are exposed to your websites marketing efforts.

Can you make money with SMM?

Just as with SEO, you can gain more traffic through social media marketing, but what you do with the traffic when it gets to your website is going to determine how much money you make. You can use social media marketing to soften your audience up, so that you sales copy on your website is more effective.

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30 thoughts on “SEO and SMM: How to Understand the Difference”

  1. H Sonia and welcome to Babanature’s blog!

    I know that when I was a newbie and people threw out initials of stuff I would get very frustrated. I didn’t want to ask what they meant because then I would think they must think I’m an idiot. But until we learn the terminology of the internet language we just don’t know.

    You explained these so well so I’m sure all newbie’s will definitely appreciate this.

    Thank you both and enjoy what’s left of this week.

    ~Adrienne

    1. Hello Adrienne,
      This post is really great for newbie coming to the blogging world and wanting to learn more… Between you and me; i never knew about SMM till i saw this post 😉 But SEO is the name every blogger and webmaster must know in their early stage, right? Thanks for your comment and do have a fabulous weekend.

  2. Hi Sonia and Babanature,

    Thanks very much for this post – I must admit, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what SMM stood for, so thanks very much for this explanation. All these acronyms are very confusing!

    Sue

    1. Hello Sue,
      Right? i really haven’t come across the name SMM before But it was nice knowing what it means and knowing more about it. Thanks for stopping by sue and do have a blessed weekend

  3. Great job on explaining the difference between these two abbreviations because I was like Adrienne. I had no idea what these words meant until I patrolled the internet more, but many people will appreciate you for telling them early in the game.

    Great article.

  4. Hi Sonia and Babanature,

    Great Post. I have to admit that I knew what SEO stands for but I never knew what SMM is until I read this post. So, thanks for the clarification.

    Thanks for sharing your expertise with the terminology and abbreviations.

    Be Blessed,

    Neamat

  5. Wonderfully explained Sonia, and nice to here again Babanature 🙂

    Though I do know about SEO, I had absolutely no idea about SMM and all that it can do to us. So, I guess being present on the social medias does have it’s plus points too after all! I guess I should show this to my hubby 🙂

    Thanks for sharing this informative post with all of us 🙂

    1. Hello Herleena,
      Nice to see you here once again. Thank God Sonia helps us to differentiate and explain further about SMM, i enjoyed the read and glad you do too. Thanks for stopping by and dropping such wonderful comment 😉 do have a lovely weekend

  6. hello,
    Love this article very much. you really did explained it to the core and i loved it. You’ve given we newbie’s a way to learn even more.

  7. Hi Sonia,
    Good to meet you here on Babanature’s blog! Internet terminology can get so confusing when people first start. Especially the difference between SEO and SMM! These are abbreviations we use so much when communicating with one another.

    When we first start blogging, there is so much confusion about this. I still to this day sometimes have to think twice when it comes to SMM.

    Thanks so much to lessen the confusion!

    Donna Merrill

  8. Whats up my man,
    Hi Sonia,
    That’s a very awesome differentiation. To be candid, I know what social media marketing is, but i wouldn’t have known that you’re referring to it when i saw SMM on your title.

    Thanks a lot for letting us know the difference Sonia.

    And to my man Babanature, thanks for allowing her to lecture us on this, and you both have a blissful weekend.

  9. Hi Babanature,
    Very Informative Post!! Realized what tips i need to think Before posting a post on Blogs 🙂 Thanks For Sharing 🙂

  10. Hey Sonia,
    I read your for the first time and i must admit that this article of yours is completely true. Today SEO & SMM are the best way to promote your product, service or business globally in order to achieve your goals.
    SEO & SMM are not the same but they are like railway tracks which goes parallel towards your goals.
    Good work.

  11. This post is very helpful I have just started an online food delivery in Erbil so there was a need for SEO and SMM for my business I think this post clear my point so Thank You Sonia.

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