SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on improving organic (unpaid) rankings in search results through content and website optimization. SEM (Search Engine Marketing) involves paid advertising like Google Ads to appear at the top of search results. Both drive traffic, but SEO is long-term while SEM delivers instant visibility.
Example:
If you Google “best coffee shop in Dubai,” the top results may include both paid ads (SEM) and blog posts with optimized keywords (SEO).