The difference between Google AdWords and search engine marketing depends on the context in which search engine marketing is used.
SEM marketing is a general term for any form of digital marketing that advertises a business and its web services, resulting in increased visibility. This includes organic search engine marketing and paid SEM.
But as time went on, around 2006, the term SEM became more widely known and accepted as the standard term for ‘paid search’.
Some bloggers still use the traditional and generic definition of SEM to avoid uncertainty. Please pay attention to the context in which the term is used.
When a user uses search engine marketing in a “paid search” context, it’s like Google AdWords.
Google AdWords falls under “paid” search engine marketing.
