It’s okay. Non-digital people are confused about what SEO is about. We’re here to clarify it now.
They may work hand-in-hand to optimize a website and to get good flow of web traffic, engagement, or conversions/sales but SEM focuses on the paid ads. It’s different in a sense like how a cook is different from a patissier. Both creates food but one is savory and the latter is sweet. So SEO has its own logic, goals, and processes compared to SEM.
2. SEO is not Web Development.
SEO specialists may have idea or partial knowledge of basic HTML or CSS but they aren’t primarily focused on web design and development or coding which is why we have professionals called “web designers” and “web developers.” They are focused on execution of better UI/UX of the website with partial suggestion/guidance from SEO.
It may seem like it but it’s a science. It also is a journey. With SEM, ads appear immediately because it involves “payment” to Google. But with SEO, it takes time. Trust the progress.