Search Engine Optimization is the process through which the quality and quantity of website traffic for a website or web page is improved. It mainly targets unpaid traffic rather than paid traffic. SEO handles the works of a search engine. It is performed as maximum visitors visit the sites through search engines itself. It is also used as a crucial strategy for Internet Marketing. One of the world’s leading online marketing agencies named AIAD helped us to compile the list of the most important differences between SEO and Internet marketing.

Internet Marketing is the element of marketing that uses the internet and online-based digital technologies and devices to promote products. SEO is one of the major elements of Internet Marketing. With the help of SEO, Internet Marketing is taking a high stature in the world of commerce. But there are some differences between SEO and Internet Marketing. Let us see them.

Source: Search Engine Land

SEO aims at Search Engines, whereas Internet Marketing aims at people:

SEO practically makes it easier for websites, webpages, and content to be visible in the Search Engines. So, SEO helps in putting accurate keywords and meta-descriptions for attracting more people. Thus, it ensures that the SEO contents can be appropriately identified and ranked by search engines. The keywords and meta-descriptions obtained via SEO play vital roles in ranking websites. The more people come across these keywords, the more they will visit the websites.

Internet Marketing deals with direct interaction with people. It is designed for providing useful information and amiable help to real people. The advertising contents, product contents, and social strategies are designed by Internet Marketing without any algorithm. These things provide reliable and practical help to people. Internet Marketing does not depend on algorithms, unlike SEO. This form of marketing allows us to go through the most important messages and information for our prospective customers.

Source: by Arsalan Masood

SEO is a tool, but Internet Marketing is a procedure:

For the total optimization of an online platform, SEO techniques are used. These SEO methods are also used to make the platform more visible search engines. Inclusion of targeted keywords, meta-info, hyperlinks, and various SEO services also help in the process. Internet Marketing needs SEO as a key to open up the gateway of development. SEO thus indulges the online activities of every internet server into more effect spontaneously. So basically, SEO is the tool used in Internet Marketing to make it effective.

Internet Marketing is itself a whole process in which products and companies attain wide fame and acclamations from customers. It is done by producing SEO-friendly content, displaying products with pay-per-click, and email campaigning. All these are some of the ways of Internet Marketing. SEO is an integral part of the big procedure of Internet Marketing. It can be put into these activities but should not be incorporated into them so that it becomes a point of them.

Source: Simplilearn

SEO conveys free organic traffic, but Internet Marketing conveys paid traffic:

SEO always targets free organic traffic. It makes the online platform rise upwards in SEO rankings by using specifically trending keywords. The higher the rankings get, the higher free organic traffic is. Such traffic is available in search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. Meta-information is also quite fruitful as keywords. SEO uses meta-descriptions along with keywords to acquire high rankings. It also does not require availing ads for getting organic traffic.

Internet Marketing targets mainly paid traffic. So, Internet Marketing focuses on PPC advertising like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc. In this marketing, there are also other tools used as per the company’s budget. Internet Marketing is majorly based on social media advertising. Social media circulates the ads very quickly. The more advertisements are compelling; the more Internet Marketing will get traffic. You can check out Online Marketing Gurus to seek help in advertising.

Source: Search Engine Journal

SEO is a pervasive element, while Internet Marketing is a general element:

SEO is a tool that is present in quite a lot of processes in Internet Marketing. It is a subset of all activities that are performed in a marketing campaign. So, undoubtedly, it is a pervasive item, which is widely used in the marketing field. For instance, proper keyword usage can bring good rankings and aggravate the chances of visibility of blogs and content marketing materials. The correct use of meta-information offers the same kind of advantages.

Internet Marketing covers all kinds of aspects which are connected with it. It also deals with all the customer outreach programs like SEO rankings, paid to advertise, and social media marketing.  So, Internet Marketing is a general procedure that includes SEO services as one of its procedural components. Seeing the aspects from this perspective, one can maintain the right balance between SEO and Internet Marketing of his/ her company. So, the scope of the activities of SEO and Internet Marketing is a major difference between them.

Source: I Won The Internet

SEO is less costly, but Internet Marketing is more expensive:

SEO is basically either cost-effective or free for various companies. Researching and including the most eligible keywords for higher rankings is part of the standard and affordable SEO services. When the optimized websites come at the top of a search list, then unpaid, organic traffic will increase. Basically, working with SEO can give you a high yield with minimum investment. Depending on whether one does writing in-house or outsource it, SEO services will be either free or cost very low.

Internet Marketing charges payments according to the importance and amount of the activities. Apart from that, the advertisements of companies on Google, Facebook are all paid ads. This kind of marketing also manages ad campaigns that are entirely based on the budget of that particular company. A company of repute and success usually opt for internet marketing agencies such as Bizop. Geo-targeted advertising provides local reach at a small amount of price of the large-scale advertising campaigns.

Source: WebniMe

Conclusion:

Though SEO is a part of Internet Marketing, the fundamental differences make them superior to various aspects from one another. SEO is better than Internet Marketing at some points and vice-versa. But still, the combination of SEO and Internet Marketing creates the setup of an online platform beautifully.

Along with SEO, there are other components of Internet Marketing like SEM, Video Marketing, Email Marketing, Blogging, Website marketing, and Contextual advertising. All these tactics help to elevate the domain of Internet Marketing to the zenith.