For the SEM San Diego Meetup, the definition and expert discussions will include Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques and more general issues related to Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and social media as well as techniques for branding and web design (including landing pages).

The concept behind Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is quite simple: when a consumer or business person searches the Web through either a text box or by clicking through a directory hierarchy, they are in “hunt mode.” This mode is unique because it indicates that the person is looking for information, usually of a direct or indirect commercial nature. Marketers understand that this “hunt mode” means that the searcher may very well be somewhere in the buying cycle, researching a product or service to try and satisfy an immediate need or future need. That makes search engine results some of the best sources of targeted traffic, whether that traffic originates from “organic” unpaid search listings or paid advertising listings.

SEO has strengths where PPC does not, and vice versa. Combining the strengths of each is why the two processes are so powerful when used together. In a perfect world, a new or existing web site would immediately get a lot of free/cheap, relevant search engine traffic.