If you’re not showing up on Google, you’re missing out on 68% of all online experiences.
That’s right—almost 7 out of 10 people start their journey with a search engine. And if your site isn’t optimized for SEO, they’ll never find you.
That’s why SEO (Search Engine Optimization) isn’t just “nice to have”—it’s the difference between crickets and customers from the organic search traffic.
But before you start to worry: SEO isn’t magic. It’s not luck. And it’s definitely not about stuffing keywords everywhere.
It’s a repeatable system. A set of proven steps that help search engines understand your content, rank it higher, and put it in front of the right people.
In this article, we’ll break down:
- What SEO actually is (without the jargon)
- How search engines like Google really rank websites
- The biggest levers you can pull to boost your rankings
Let’s get started!
What is the meaning of the acronym SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, the practice of optimizing websites to rank higher on Google, Bing and other search engines. It’s how businesses increase visibility, attract more visitors, and grow without paying for ads.
There are two other terms you should know:
- SEM = Search Engine Marketing (getting traffic through search engines)
- PPC = Pay-Per-Click advertising (buying ads on Google or other platforms)
SEM = SEO + PPC → This means SEM includes both organic (SEO) and paid (PPC) traffic marketing approaches.
So, at its core, SEO is about making your site easier for both search engines and users to understand. This includes making your site easy to navigate, improving its speed, and building authority through backlinks (getting others to link to your web).
SEO helps search engines find your content and users enjoy it.
When done right, it’s a win-win for everyone.
What is Search Engine Optimization in Marketing?
SEO is all about improving your website so it shows up higher in search results on search engines.
When your site ranks higher, more people will click on it. However, getting there isn’t instant. SEO experts work hard on everything from the technical details to the content you see and even what happens off your site to make sure the site is getting noticed.
And sometimes, they even step into the shoes of UX (user experience) advisors—because an intuitive website is just as important as having correctly sized images!
Visually, people will not notice when you resize your images from 4k to 1080p, but they will experience an improvement of at least 10% on loading times site.if you optimize every image on your
By stacking one improvement upon another, you can gradually achieve near-perfect performance, which will be rewarded by both Google and your visitors.
What are the three types of SEO in Marketing?
SEO is not just one thing—it’s a combination of different strategies working together. To make it simple, we have divided it into four main types for you: on-page, off-page, technical, and local SEO.
On-page SEO (What’s on Your Website)
On-page SEO focuses on everything inside your website, like content (text, images, videos), keywords that are relevant to what you do, and how user-friendly your pages are. Think of it as making sure your website has the best information, is to the point, and is easy to read—for both visitors and search engines.
Off-page SEO (Your Site’s Reputation)
Off-page SEO is all about what happens outside your website, like other websites linking to you (backlinks) and social media activity.
The quality of backlinks matters more than just quantity—getting links from well-respected, high-authority websites signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy. However, even a handful of backlinks from moderately credible sources can still boost your rankings.
Example: Imagine you run a bakery, and a popular food blog writes an article saying, “This bakery makes the best sourdough in town—check them out!” with a link to your website. That’s a backlink—and search engines take it as a vote of confidence, helping your site rank higher.
Technical SEO (How Your Site Runs)
Technical SEO deals with the behind-the-scenes setup of your site—like how fast it loads, how mobile-friendly it is, and how easy it is for search engines to crawl and understand. Even if your content is amazing, a slow or confusing site can hold you back.
Example: Your website takes 10 seconds to load because of uncompressed high-resolution images. A visitor might get frustrated and leave before even seeing your products or services. By optimizing images, reducing unnecessary code, and using a fast hosting provider, you should aim to load in under 3 seconds—keeping visitors happy and improving your search rankings.
When all three types of SEO work together, your website becomes easier to find, faster to use, and more likely to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), which is the ultimate goal of SEO.
Local SEO (For Local Businesses)
Local SEO is a separate discipline focused on helping businesses appear in local searches and Google Maps. It’s essential for brick-and-mortar stores and service-based businesses targeting nearby customers.
Key factors include optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP), maintaining NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone), earning local backlinks, and gathering customer reviews. While not one of the core three (On-page, Off-page, Technical), Local SEO is crucial for businesses that rely on local customers.
How do search engines work? What is the purpose of SEO?
Search engines are like super-organized digital librarians. When you search for something, they work behind the scenes to find the best pages that match your query. Here’s how they do it:
Step 1: Search Engine Crawling
Search engines use bots (also called spiders or crawlers) to scan the internet for new content. These bots visit websites, follow the links they find, and discover new pages. It’s like a digital road trip where bots are driving from link to link, gathering content.
Step 2: Search Engine Indexing
Once a bot finds a webpage, it needs to figure out what it’s about. During indexing, search engines read the content on the page (like text, alt text of images and videos) and organize it in a massive digital library.
The search engine is essentially making a huge list of everything on the web and categorizing it to be found later.
Step 3: Search Engine Ranking
Processing Search Queries: When you type something into a search engine, it looks through its index and pulls out the most relevant pages based on your search.
Today’s search engines don’t just rely on matching keywords like they used to—they actually try to understand what you’re really asking.
Whether it’s a question or a product you want to buy, they aim to correctly interpret the intent behind your query and show results that are most likely to satisfy your needs.
The Actual Ranking: Next, the search engine ranks the pages and shows them on a search engine results page that is unique for you. It looks at factors like:
- How many times relevant keywords appear
- How fast the page loads
- Whether the page is mobile-friendly
- How many other sites link to it (backlinks) and more…
But there’s more happening. Search engines also consider your past behavior—things like your search history, cookies, language preferences, and even your location.
For example, if you’ve searched for a particular brand before or if you’re searching from a specific city, the search engine will factor that in to show you results that are more tailored to you.
The goal? To show you the best, most useful results—personalized and relevant to your needs—at the top of the page.
Displaying Results & Back-Testing: Search engines don’t just stop there. They also perform tests to see how well less-known pages do when ranked higher.
Sometimes, they will show these pages among the regular winners to see if users engage with them, as a way to make sure they’re offering the best experience possible. If these pages perform well, they might get a permanent spot higher up, and their authority will increase.
In the end, search engines are constantly tweaking their algorithms to make sure they are showing you the most relevant, useful content.
The Best Beginner Strategy For SEO Is: Not Messing Things Up!
Here’s the thing: Don’t overcomplicate SEO, and don’t think you can outsmart Google. It’s Google. They’ve got a whole army of brilliant minds making sure people can’t game the system.
So, if you try to pull some shady tricks (also known as black-hat SEO techniques), you’re not beating Google—you’re just wasting your time. Instead, focus on doing the basics right. Here’s what really matters:
- Make sure both people and crawlers can use your site. If it’s confusing or hard to navigate, you’re done. Keep it simple, clean, and easy.
- Offer actual value. Don’t just fill your site with endless sales pages. Create content that actually helps people, whether it’s blog posts, guides, or solutions to their problems.
- Don’t game the system. Seriously, Google’s got thousands of highly-skilled people making sure you can’t cheat the algorithm. Instead, outrank the slackers—there are plenty of low-quality websites still getting traffic that you can beat by simply doing a better job. Focus on real value and quality, and you’ll be just fine.
Remember, Google is basically all-knowing—so if you’re doing things the right way, you’ll rise to the top. No need to get fancy with shortcuts.
Now that you’ve got the basics down, you’re probably wondering, “What’s next?”
Let’s dive into some actionable SEO strategies to take your website to the next level. This isn’t everything, but it’s enough to get you started and make meaningful SEO gains.
And of course, if you’d rather let the experts handle it, we’re here to help with tailored SEO services to take your website to the next level.
Here are the key strategies to get you further in the game:
Keyword research (Noting Down What the Teacher Wants to Hear)
Most people get this wrong. They either:
- Go after keywords that are way too competitive, so they never rank
- Choose random keywords with no real search intent, so they get traffic that doesn’t convert
- Try to rank for everything, spreading themselves too thin and getting nowhere
Your biggest chance to see the first results from SEO comes from picking the right keywords and really focusing on them.
Low Competition Keywords
Forget about going head-to-head with industry giants. You’re not going to outrank Nike for “best running shoes” or beat Semrush for “SEO tips”.
But what you can do is find the gaps they’re missing. That means targeting long-tail, low-competition keywords that still bring in real traffic.
Find them by using a keyword tool (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Ubersuggest, Google Keyword Planner)
Look for keywords with:
- Low difficulty scores (so you can actually rank)
- Decent keyword search volume (so you’re not writing for crickets)
- Clear intent (so the traffic actually converts)
Now, check the SERPs—if the top results are weak, you’ve found an opportunity
Example: Instead of trying to rank for “best protein powder” (which is impossible), go for “best protein powder for women over 40” or “best lactose-free protein powder for muscle gain.”
Less competition, higher demand, faster rankings.
Integrating Keywords Naturally
If you’re still thinking about “keyword stuffing,” stop. That hasn’t worked since 2010.
Instead, you want to:
- Use your keyword in the key places—title, URL, first 100 words, H1, and H2s
- Mix in natural variations (Google understands synonyms)
- Write like a human (because your readers are humans)
DON’T:
“If you’re looking for the best budget gaming laptop, this is the best budget gaming laptop review. We tested the best budget gaming laptops, and here’s our best budget gaming laptop pick.”
DO This:
“Need a gaming laptop that won’t break the bank? We tested the top budget-friendly models and found the best options for performance, graphics, and battery life.”
See the difference? One sounds like a desperate SEO play. The other actually helps the reader.
Competitor Analysis (Studying the Smart Kids’ Answers)
If you want to beat the competition, you need to start studying them. Instead of just guessing what works, reverse-engineer their strategies to see exactly how they’re getting results.
Think of it like sitting next to the smartest kid in class. You’re not copying their answers, but you’re definitely paying attention to how they approach the problems. That’s the competitive edge you need.
So, the real questions you need to be asking are:
- What are they doing that others aren’t?
- And what are they NOT doing that YOU CAN?
Let’s be real—some competitors are ranking not because their SEO is amazing, but because they have influence. Maybe their founder is a well-known podcaster. Maybe they’ve built a strong brand presence that Google trusts. But when you actually read their on-site content?
It’s… underwhelming.
And that’s where you win.
Because sometimes, even the biggest players drop the ball:
- They make big claims but forget to back them up with data.
- Their explanations are vague and hard to follow.
- Their content rides on reputation rather than real value.
This is your signal: Find what’s missing, then deliver it better.
Blog Creation (Offering Notes for Reputation or Chocolate)
Want to create blog content that actually gets read, shared, and ranked? Here’s how:
Solve Specific Problems
Every blog post should answer a burning question or solve a real problem your audience faces over and over. If your content doesn’t help, it won’t get traction. Simple.
How do you find these questions?
You can use tools like AnswerThePublic, Google’s People Also Ask section, Reddit threads in your niche or just listening to your customers or clients. You need to know what people are struggling with. Then, create content that provides clear, actionable solutions.
Balance Evergreen and Trending Topics
Not all blog posts are created equal. Some bring traffic for years (evergreen content), while others capitalize on trends and get short bursts of attention.
A winning strategy? Balance both.
- Evergreen content like “What is Local SEO” builds long-term authority and brings in consistent traffic over time. (This should be around 80% of your content volume.)
- Trending topics like “What is Marketing 4.0” give you a quick boost and make your blog feel fresh. (20% of your content volume.)
Mixing the two ensures you’re always ahead of the curve, pulling in new audiences with trending topics while making them come for advice to you with timeless, high-value content.
SEO Audits (Checking Your Inbox For Homework)
Think of an SEO audit like checking your inbox after a long weekend—you might not love it, but it’s the only way to find what needs attention.
A proper audit helps you spot technical issues, content gaps, and ranking opportunities that could be holding your site back. Here’s how to do it:
#1: Check for Technical Issues
Start with Google Search Console and Ahrefs Site Audit (or Screaming Frog) to look for:
- Indexing issues
- Broken links
- Slow page speeds
- Mobile-friendliness problems
If search engines can’t crawl or index your site properly, rankings won’t happen—no matter how great your content is.
#2: Analyze Your Content
Not all content is created equal. Use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to see:
- Which pages are getting traffic (and which aren’t)
- What keywords you’re actually ranking for
- Pages with high impressions but low clicks (CTR optimization opportunity!)
Then, update, merge, or delete underperforming content to keep your site fresh and relevant.
#3: Monitor Your Backlinks
Use Ahrefs, Moz, or Majestic to audit your backlink profile. Look for:
- Spammy links that could be hurting your rankings (disavow them in Google Search Console)
- High-authority links you can build on
- Competitor backlinks you might be able to replicate
Backlinks are still one of the strongest ranking factors, so keeping your profile clean and strong is a must.
#4: Fix and Repeat
SEO audits aren’t a one-and-done thing. Set a reminder to check in every quarter to stay ahead of any issues and keep your rankings growing.
Ready to Rank? Let’s Optimize Your Website Together!
We’ve covered a lot, from the importance of on-page SEO and off-page SEO to the technical aspects. It’s all about making your site easier to understand for both search engines and users, so you can get the visibility you deserve.
But let’s be real—SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, persistence, and the right strategy. You’ve got a lot on your plate already, so why not let the experts handle it? Whether it’s performing a detailed SEO audit, diving into keyword research, or optimizing your site for Local SEO, we’ve got your back.
If you’re ready to see real results and make your site work for you, reach out today. We’ll help you get the rankings, traffic, and growth your business deserves. Let’s do this!
FAQs
Social media doesn’t directly impact SEO rankings, but it helps by promoting your content and increasing brand visibility. More shares, engagement, and mentions can lead to more backlinks, which do boost SEO.
SEO is a long-term strategy. While some improvements (like technical fixes) can have immediate effects, most SEO efforts take 3-6 months before you start seeing significant results. Competitive industries may take longer.
Local SEO focuses on optimizing your website to appear in local search results. It’s crucial for businesses that want to attract customers in specific geographic areas. Some key elements include:
- Optimizing your Google My Business profile so your business shows up in Google Maps and local search results.
- Getting local reviews to build trust and increase visibility.
Local backlinks from other reputable businesses or organizations in your area.
Local SEO helps you stand out in your community and be found by customers nearby, whether they’re searching for services or products in your area.
