Acronyms: SEM, SEO, SEA, SMO, SMA, SXO, CRO

In the world of web marketing and SEO, there are many acronyms. What are the SEO definitions and concepts behind these terms that you often come across: SEM, SEO, SEA, SMO, SMA, SXO, CRO. Whether you are a newbie or have already tackled these themes, a little update never hurts.

What is SEM?

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is the general discipline that aims to improve the visibility of a site, a company or a person on search engines.

SEM therefore includes natural referencing (SEO) and paid referencing via agencies such as Google Ads (SEA), hence the formula SEM = SEA + SEO.

Even though there are other search engines and alternatives to Google, it remains the number one search engine in the world. SEM strategies therefore focus on him.

What is SEO: Search Engine Optimization?

The term SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or natural referencing is the discipline of optimizing a website in order to position it on a multitude of searches carried out by Internet users on a search engine, mainly Google.

SEO aims to position the pages of a site in the organic results of the search engine (non-advertising results).

The optimization of natural referencing involves the implementation of actions that aim to stick as closely as possible to the requirements of search engine algorithms and to obtain the best possible ranking on the queries of targeted Internet users.

The 3 pillars of SEO are: technique, content and popularity.

What is SEA: Search Engine Advertising?

SEA (Search Engine Advertising) or paid referencing refers to the advertising solutions offered by search engines such as Google and Bing via their respective agencies, Google Ads and Bin Ads.

These advertising agencies are generally based on an auction system for which advertisers pay a variable sum for each click by Internet users on the advertisements. Bids vary greatly depending on the sector of activity and the competition.

The goal of an SEA service provider is to build and manage advertising campaigns in order to optimize their components and obtain qualified traffic with the best possible return on investment.

SEA therefore perfectly complements SEO to obtain maximum visibility on search engines.

SMO : Social Media Optimization

Optimization for social media or social referencing (social media optimization or SMO) is the process of increasing the awareness of a product, a brand or an event by using a certain number of social media and communities to generate viral advertising.

Messages conveyed through the SMO can be tailored to specific groups of individuals, allowing social media managers to provide different offers based on demographic and geographic profiles.

The main actions of an SMO strategy are:

• Create shareable content: Determine the content the target audience prefers to share on the various social media platforms.
• Make sharing easy: Integrate buttons and other widgets to encourage sharing, recommending or bookmarking your posts.
• Reward engagement: Reward engagement through a promotional or content offer.
• Share content proactively: distribute content in different formats on appropriate platforms.
• Encourage sharing: create all kinds of actions to encourage communities to share messages and relay information.
• Recruit influencers: be ambassadors for the brand and its online reputation.

What is SMA: Social Media Advertising?

SMA, or social media advertising is a component of digital marketing where paid advertising campaigns are conducted on social media platforms to reach target audiences.

Ads that appear on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and other social media sites promote a brand, product or service.

Advertisers pay to display their ads on social media network pages which are based on different payment models.

One of the main benefits of social media advertising is that advertisers can take advantage of user demographic information and target their ads appropriately.

Advertisers can target users with hundreds of parameters , ranging from demographics (such as age, gender, income, education level, and marital status) to browsing preferences and social behavior.

The networks offer advanced targeting options to increase personalization and relevance.

Advanced targeting includes:

• Interest: Targeting people who are interested in your industry, product or competitor
• Behavioral/Connection: Target people with a link to your page, your application, your group, your event…
• Custom Audiences: Targeting by uploading your list of email addresses, phone numbers, user IDs or user names in the network and targeting them on Twitter or Facebook.
• Similarity: Acquire new customers by targeting people similar to your current users and customers.

What is SXO: Search Experience Optimization?

SXO , search experience optimization , focuses on the overall search experience for the user. SXO is the use of various techniques to optimize the user experience, from search to conversion.

The user must be able to find relevant and targeted results for their search, easily navigate to and understand the product, service or information provided on the page, and achieve the objective of their search. Their experience has been optimized, in every sense of the word, for the user, for the search engine.

Research has evolved. The prioritization of user experience by search engines requires a user-centric approach to SEO, one centered around how a customer experiences your website.

Optimizing the search experience goes through these principles:

• Ease of use: the website must respect all the fundamental principles of navigation and accessibility.
• Relevance: a relevant and creative content strategy is necessary in order to capture search engine users.
• Authority: Create authoritative content in your industry.
• Collaboration: optimizing the search experience is an integrative approach that requires collaborative work with all professions (developers, graphic designers, analytics, SEO, SEA, etc.).
• Data: Optimizing the search experience requires constant tracking of metrics and KPIs, and a willingness to adjust strategy over time.

What is CRO: Conversion Rate Optimization?

CRO stands for Conversion Rate Optimization . It is a process that aims to increase the percentage of website visitors who take the desired action: fill out a form, become a customer, call a number…

The CRO process involves understanding how users interact with your site, what actions they take, and what blockers prevent them from achieving their intended goals.

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is an important part of online marketing strategies. In a competitive environment, CRO is the art of capturing the attention of visitors and driving them closer to the desired goal.

It is crucial for all marketers who want to maximize revenue from SEO, SEA, and all other forms of online traffic acquisition. It also allows marketers to track and stay abreast of ever-changing customer preferences and motivations.

A good conversion rate is one that increases steadily. The starting point doesn't really matter as long as the evolution is positive and constant.

Although there is no standard approach to CRO, certain activities most often form the heart of the optimization process . Some of these activities are A/B testing, heat mapping, session recordings, website surveys, website personalization, emotional content writing…