Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When someone searches for something related to your business, you want your site to appear near the top, without paying for ads.
How Search Engines Work
- Crawling: Bots discover pages by following links
- Indexing: Pages are analyzed and stored in the search engine's database
- Ranking: When someone searches, algorithms determine which pages best answer the query
Types of SEO
On-Page SEO
Optimizations on your website:
- Content quality: Useful, comprehensive, original content
- Keywords: Terms your audience searches for, naturally incorporated
- Title tags and meta descriptions: Compelling, keyword-rich
- Headers (H1, H2, H3): Structured hierarchy
- Internal linking: Connect related content
- URL structure: Clean, descriptive URLs
- Image optimization: Alt text, compressed files
Technical SEO
The foundation that helps search engines crawl and index:
- Site speed: Fast loading pages
- Mobile-friendliness: Responsive design
- HTTPS: Secure connection
- XML sitemaps: Guide search engines to your content
- Structured data: Help search engines understand content
- Core Web Vitals: Google's UX metrics
Off-Page SEO
Signals from outside your site:
- Backlinks: Other sites linking to you
- Brand mentions: Even without links
- Social signals: Engagement and sharing
- Local listings: Google Business Profile, directories
SEO Metrics That Matter
- Organic traffic: Visitors from search
- Keyword rankings: Where you appear for target terms
- Click-through rate (CTR): Percentage who click your result
- Bounce rate: Percentage who leave immediately
- Domain authority: Overall site strength
SEO is a Long Game
SEO takes months to show results. It requires consistent effort: publishing content, earning links, fixing technical issues. But the payoff is sustainable, compounding traffic without ongoing ad spend.
Common SEO Mistakes
- Keyword stuffing
- Buying links
- Duplicate content
- Ignoring mobile users
- Neglecting page speed
- No clear site structure