Search engine optimization (SEO) as defined on wikipedia.org is:
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines via the “natural” or un-paid (“organic” or “algorithmic”) search results. In general, the earlier (or higher on the page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine’s users. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search, academic search, news search and industry-specific vertical search engines. (read the full article)
Search engine optimizaation (SEM) as defined on wikipedia.org is:
Search engine marketing, (SEM), is a form of Internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs) through the use of paid placement, contextual advertising, and paid inclusion. Search engine optimization (SEO) “optimizes” website content to achieve a higher ranking in search results, for example, by incorporating specific keywords or links associated with the website. Depending on the context, SEM can be an umbrella term for various means of marketing a website including SEO, or it may contrast with SEO, focusing on just paid components. (read the full article)
When developing a new website, site-image included SEO using client-provided keywords and real-world search testing. Well-written content and well-placed keywords are of primary importance to good SEO. (Read more posts about SEO.) We also recommend Google Analytics for all websites so our clients can monitor their traffic and conversion results and then request keyword and text changes to improve search rankings.
For clients with serious search ranking needs, we recommend hiring a search engine marketing firm; site-image does not recommend any particular firm, however.