Search Engine Optimization

What Is SEO

In addition to increasing visibility in search results, effective search engine optimization (SEO) aims to enhance the relevance and credibility of a website’s content. By optimizing various on-page and off-page elements such as keywords, meta tags, backlinks, and site structure, SEO not only attracts visitors but also ensures that those visitors find valuable and authoritative information that meets their needs. Ultimately, the goal of SEO is not just to drive traffic, but to drive qualified traffic that is more likely to engage with the website, convert into customers or clients, and foster long-term relationships with the brand or organization.

How is SEO different from SEM and PPC?

SEM, or Search Engine Marketing, refers to the broader strategy of marketing a website by increasing its visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) through both paid advertising and organic optimization efforts. While SEO focuses on optimizing a website to improve its organic search rankings, SEM encompasses both SEO and paid advertising methods like Pay-Per-Click (PPC).

PPC, or Pay-Per-Click advertising, is a model of internet marketing where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. These ads typically appear at the top or bottom of search engine results pages, marked as “sponsored” or “ad.” PPC campaigns allow advertisers to target specific keywords related to their products or services, and they have control over their budget, audience targeting, ad copy, and more. PPC is often used in conjunction with SEO as part of a comprehensive SEM strategy to drive targeted traffic to a website and achieve specific marketing objectives, such as increasing sales, leads, or brand awareness.

SEO vs. SEM

SEM stands for search engine marketing – or, as it is more commonly known, search marketing.

Indeed, search marketing is a subset of digital marketing that focuses specifically on gaining visibility and driving traffic from search engines. It encompasses a comprehensive approach that combines both organic (unpaid) and paid search strategies to achieve these goals.

In simpler terms, search marketing involves leveraging various techniques and tactics to improve a website’s ranking and visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). This includes optimizing the website’s content, structure, and technical elements for better organic search performance (SEO), as well as running targeted paid advertising campaigns (PPC) to appear prominently in search results for specific keywords.

By utilizing both SEO and PPC in tandem, businesses can maximize their online presence, attract qualified traffic, and ultimately achieve their marketing objectives, whether it’s generating leads, driving sales, or increasing brand awareness. The synergy between organic and paid search efforts allows for a more holistic and effective approach to reaching and engaging with potential customers through search engines.

So how do SEO and SEM differ?

Technically they aren’t different – SEO is simply one-half of SEM:

SEO = driving organic traffic from search engines.
SEM = driving organic and paid traffic from search engines.

Now, this is where things get a bit confusing.

Indeed, the terminology surrounding search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can sometimes cause confusion, as people often use SEM interchangeably with PPC. However, it’s essential to recognize that SEO is a critical component of SEM, alongside PPC.

To illustrate this relationship, consider SEM as a coin. On one side of the coin is SEO, which involves optimizing a website to improve its organic search visibility and ranking. On the flip side of the coin is PPC, which involves paid advertising where advertisers bid on keywords to display their ads in search engine results.

While SEM encompasses both SEO and PPC, they serve different purposes and offer distinct advantages:

SEO focuses on improving organic search rankings and attracting unpaid traffic to a website. It involves optimizing various elements of a website to enhance its relevance, authority, and user experience in the eyes of search engines.

PPC, on the other hand, involves paying for advertising space within search engine results pages. Advertisers bid on keywords relevant to their business, and their ads are displayed prominently in search results when users search for those keywords. Advertisers pay only when users click on their ads, hence the term pay-per-click.

Both SEO and PPC are valuable tools in a comprehensive search marketing strategy. While SEO offers long-term benefits and sustained organic traffic growth, PPC provides immediate visibility and control over ad placement, targeting, and budget allocation.

Understanding the relationship between SEO, PPC, and SEM as a whole is crucial for developing effective search marketing campaigns that drive traffic, increase visibility, and achieve marketing objectives.

SEO vs. PPC

PPC stands for pay-per-click – a type of digital marketing where advertisers are charged whenever one of their ads gets clicked on.

This bidding process allows advertisers to compete for ad placement based on the relevance and competitiveness of the chosen keywords or phrases, ensuring that their ads are displayed to users actively seeking information or solutions related to their offerings.

Exactly, the analogy of search marketing being like a coin with SEO on one side and PPC on the other is apt. SEO represents the organic, unpaid efforts to improve a website’s visibility and ranking in search engine results, while PPC involves paid advertising to instantly gain visibility for specific keywords or phrases. Both sides of the coin contribute to a comprehensive search marketing strategy, with each offering unique advantages and opportunities to attract and engage with potential customers.

Absolutely, it’s crucial to recognize that SEO and PPC are not competing strategies but rather complementary channels in a comprehensive search marketing approach. Instead of viewing it as a choice between SEO or PPC, businesses should aim to leverage both strategies synergistically to maximize their online visibility, attract diverse audiences, and achieve their marketing goals effectively.

Here on Search Engine Land, we maintain a clear distinction between SEM and PPC. SEM encompasses a broader scope, incorporating both organic (SEO) and paid (PPC) search strategies. While PPC specifically refers to paid advertising within search engine results pages, SEM encompasses the entire spectrum of search marketing activities, including both paid and organic efforts.

Whenever we mention “SEM,” it will be because we’re referring to both SEO (organic search) and PPC (paid search).

If you’re curious about the history behind how “SEM” came to mean “PPC” at the exclusion of SEO, you can dig deeper into these articles:

Why is SEO important?

SEO is a critical marketing channel. First, and foremost: organic search delivers 53% of all website traffic.

Indeed, the forecasted growth of the global SEO industry to $122.11 billion by 2028 underscores the significant impact and value of SEO in driving tangible business outcomes. Regardless of their size or industry, brands, businesses, and organizations increasingly recognize the crucial role SEO plays in enhancing online visibility, attracting qualified traffic, and ultimately generating measurable results, such as increased website traffic, leads, sales, and brand recognition. This steady growth reflects the enduring importance of SEO as a cornerstone of digital marketing strategies worldwide.

Search engines serve as the starting point for numerous online activities, whether it’s exploring new destinations, seeking information, conducting research, or making purchasing decisions. The ubiquity of search engines means that they play a central role in guiding users through their online journeys, providing access to a vast array of resources, products, and services with just a few keystrokes. As such, optimizing visibility and relevance in search results is paramount for businesses and organizations seeking to connect with and serve their target audiences effectively in today’s digital landscape.

This fragmentation of search extends beyond traditional web search engines like Google and Bing. Users now turn to a variety of platforms and channels to find information, products, and services. Social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok have become popular search destinations, offering a wealth of user-generated content and product reviews. Additionally, retailer websites like Amazon serve as search engines in their own right, as users directly search for products and reviews within their vast catalogs. As a result, businesses must adapt their search marketing strategies to encompass this diverse landscape, ensuring visibility and engagement across multiple platforms and channels where their target audience is active.

The preference for starting product searches on Amazon highlights the platform’s growing influence as a go-to destination for online shopping. This trend underscores the importance for businesses to not only optimize their presence on traditional search engines like Google but also to strategically position themselves within Amazon’s ecosystem to capture the attention of potential customers. Additionally, it emphasizes the evolving landscape of e-commerce and the need for brands to adapt their marketing strategies to meet consumers where they are actively searching and shopping.

* 32% start on Walmart.com.
* 20% start on YouTube.
* 19% start on Facebook.
* 15% start on Instagram.
* 11% start on TikTok.

Indeed, trillions of searches are conducted annually, highlighting the immense scale and significance of search as a primary gateway to online information, products, and services. Given that search engines serve as the primary source of traffic for many websites, it’s imperative for brands and businesses to prioritize being “search engine friendly” across all platforms and channels where potential customers may seek them out. This entails implementing effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to enhance visibility, relevance, and accessibility in search results, ensuring that users can easily discover and engage with their brand or business online.

What this all means is that improving your visibility, and ranking higher in search results than your competition, can positively impact your bottom line,

SEO is also incredibly important because the search engine results pages (or SERPs) are super competitive – filled with search features (and PPC ads). SERP features include:

* Knowledge panels.
* Featured snippets.
* Maps.
* Images.
* Videos.
* Top stories (news).
* People Also Ask.
* Carousels.

Unlike paid campaigns or social media traffic, which can be temporary or fluctuate in effectiveness, good SEO work has the advantage of sustainability. Once a website’s content is optimized and its authority is established, it can continue to attract organic traffic over time without ongoing investment in advertising or promotion. This sustainability ensures a consistent flow of qualified traffic to the website, providing long-term value and stability for brands and businesses seeking to maintain a strong online presence and drive sustainable growth.

SEO is the foundation of holistic marketing, where everything your company does matters. Once you understand what your users want, you can then implement that knowledge across your:

* Campaigns (paid and organic).
* Website content.
* Social media properties.

In other words, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) serves as a vital conduit for directing the desired traffic to your online platform, thereby facilitating the attainment of critical business objectives such as conversions, visits, and sales. Additionally, SEO plays a pivotal role in fostering trustworthiness and authority for a website. Achieving a high ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs) not only enhances visibility but also signifies credibility in the eyes of users and search engines alike. Consequently, by optimizing for SEO, businesses can effectively align with Google’s criteria for rewarding authoritative and trustworthy sites with improved rankings, thereby reinforcing their online presence and competitiveness.

Types of SEO

There are three types of SEO:

* Technical SEO: Enhancing the technical infrastructure of a website to improve its performance and search engine visibility.

* On-site SEO: Creating website content that caters to both user needs and search engine algorithms to maximize visibility and engagement.

* Off-site SEO: Building brand assets and cultivating expertise, authority, and trustworthiness not only enhance brand awareness and recognition but also drive demand generation.

While you retain full control over content and technical optimizations, off-site factors like backlinks and platform changes are integral to the SEO success equation, despite lacking direct control, highlighting the multifaceted nature of effective SEO strategies.

In the game of SEO, envision technical optimization as your defensive strategy, fortifying your website’s structure and performance. Content optimization acts as your offensive play, driving visibility and engagement. Off-site optimization serves as your fan engagement strategy, attracting and retaining a loyal audience to support your SEO efforts.

Technical optimization

Optimizing the technical elements of a website is crucial and fundamental for SEO success.

The foundation of effective SEO lies in website architecture that enables easy crawling and indexing by search engines, as emphasized by Gary Illyes of Google.

Achieving optimal discoverability for all content requires attention to technical elements such as URL structure, intuitive navigation systems, strategic internal linking, and adherence to best practices for meta tags and sitemaps, among others.

In technical SEO, optimizing for user experience is paramount, with a focus on factors like fast page loading times, adherence to Core Web Vitals, mobile responsiveness, HTTPS security, and user-friendly design, all of which contribute to improved search engine rankings.

Structured data, also known as schema markup, is a crucial aspect of technical optimization. Integrating this code into your website enhances search engine comprehension of your content, leading to improved visibility and appearance in search results.

In addition to website architecture, factors such as web hosting services, CMS (content management system), and site security significantly influence SEO performance and outcomes.

Content optimization

In SEO, content optimization serves two main audiences: human users and search engines. This entails optimizing visible on-page content for human readers and underlying code elements for search engine algorithms.

Consistently aiming to deliver valuable, top-tier content remains the ultimate objective, achieved by comprehending audience preferences, utilizing data insights, and adhering to Google’s guidance and recommendations.

When optimizing content for people, you should make sure it:

* Covers relevant topics with which you have experience or expertise.
* Includes keywords people would use to find the content.
* Is unique or original.
* Is well-written and free of grammatical and spelling errors.
* Is up to date, containing accurate information.
* Includes multimedia (e.g., images, videos).
* Is better than your SERP competitors.
* Is readable – structured to make it easy for people to understand the information you’re sharing (think: subheadings, paragraph length, use bolding/italics, ordered/unordered lists, reading level, etc.).

For search engines, some key content elements to optimize for are:

* Title tags
* Meta description
* Header tags (H1-H6)
* Image alt text
* Open graph and Twitter Cards metadata

Off-site optimization

Numerous activities, while not strictly categorized as SEO, can still complement and indirectly bolster SEO success through their alignment and contribution to overall digital marketing strategies.

Link building, a cornerstone of off-site SEO, yields significant benefits such as enhanced rankings and increased traffic by garnering diverse, high-quality links from relevant, authoritative, and trusted websites, emphasizing the importance of link quality over quantity in achieving optimization goals.

And how do you get those links? There are a variety of website promotion methods that synergize with SEO efforts. These include:

* Brand building and brand marketing: Strategies aimed at elevating recognition and reputation involve leveraging various channels such as social media, content marketing, influencer partnerships, and online reviews to cultivate a positive brand image and foster trust among consumers.

* PR: Utilizing public relations strategies to secure organic, editorial backlinks for enhanced SEO performance.

* Content marketing: Popular content forms for enhancing SEO and brand visibility encompass videos, ebooks, research studies, podcasts (including guest appearances), and guest posting.

* Social media marketing and optimization: Secure your brand’s handle across pertinent platforms, optimize it comprehensively, and consistently share relevant content to bolster your online presence and engagement.

* Listing management: Maximizing visibility and credibility entails claiming, verifying, and optimizing information across various platforms where your company or website may be listed, including directories, review sites, and wikis.

* Ratings and reviews: Obtaining feedback, monitoring it consistently, and promptly responding are essential aspects of maintaining a positive online reputation and customer satisfaction.

Off-site SEO involves actions that primarily influence rankings through factors external to the website’s technical structure.

Maximizing your brand’s visibility demands extending beyond traditional SEO, prompting the evolution of terms like “search experience optimization” or “search everywhere optimization” to reflect the holistic approach of being discoverable across all relevant platforms and channels.

SEO specialties

SEO subgenres demand distinct tactics and confront unique challenges, diverging from conventional SEO practices.

Five such SEO specialties include:

* Ecommerce SEO: Further SEO elements encompass optimizing category and product pages, refining faceted navigation, structuring internal linking, enhancing product images, leveraging product reviews, implementing schema markup, and more to bolster search visibility and user experience.

* Enterprise SEO: Enterprise-level SEO often involves managing vast websites with over a million pages or catering to organizations with significant revenue, leading to complexities in implementation and coordination among various stakeholders, including development teams.

* International SEO: Global SEO involves optimizing multiregional or multilingual websites and targeting international search engines like Baidu or Naver to reach diverse audiences effectively.

* Local SEO: The aim is to enhance local organic search visibility through strategic management of reviews, business listings, and other optimization techniques.

* News SEO: In the realm of news content, rapid indexing and strategic implementation of paywalls, section pages, and news-specific structured data are imperative for maximizing visibility on platforms like Google Discover, Google’s Top Stories, and Google News.

How does SEO work?

If you found this page via Google search, you likely searched Google for [what is seo] or [seo].

This guide is featured on Search Engine Land, a highly reputable website renowned for its extensive expertise and longstanding dedication to covering SEO developments since 2006.

Originally published in 2010, our “what is SEO” page has earned a whopping 324,203 links.

Through various factors, this guide has established a strong reputation with search engines, securing its consistent Position 1 ranking by demonstrating authority and trustworthiness in the field of SEO.

But let’s look at SEO more broadly. As a whole, SEO really works through a combination of:

* People : The SEO manager or team oversees the execution of strategic, tactical, and operational SEO tasks.

* Processes : Efficiency is optimized through strategic actions aimed at streamlining processes and workflows.

* Technology : Utilize a combination of platforms and tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, and Screaming Frog to analyze and optimize SEO performance.

* Activities : The end product, or output.

Understanding and implementing key factors such as content relevance, backlinks, mobile-friendliness, and user experience are pivotal in driving effective SEO outcomes.

Six critical areas, in combination, make SEO work:

1. Understanding how search engines work

To maximize your business’s visibility in search results, familiarize yourself with search engine algorithms and optimize your online presence with relevant keywords, quality content, and effective metadata. Consistent monitoring and adaptation to algorithm updates are crucial for sustained success.

When talking about traditional web search engines like Google, there are four separate stages of search:

* Crawling : Search engines utilize crawlers to navigate the web, discovering pages through link traversal and sitemap indexing, facilitating comprehensive indexing of online content.

* Rendering : Search engines render web pages by processing HTML, JavaScript, and CSS to generate a visual representation for indexing and displaying search results.

* Indexing : Search engine indexing involves analyzing both the content and metadata of web pages to determine their relevance and quality for inclusion in the search engine’s database, though not all pages are guaranteed to be indexed.

* Ranking : Modern search engine algorithms utilize a diverse array of signals to assess the relevance and quality of web pages, ensuring optimal matches for user queries.

But optimizing for Google search is different from optimizing for search other platforms like YouTube or Amazon.

Each social media platform has its own unique algorithmic considerations that prioritize different user behaviors and content attributes to determine visibility and reach.

This integration of machine learning in search engines further blurs the distinction between specific factors leading to performance outcomes, complicating the analysis of causality.

2. Researching

Research is a key part of SEO. Some forms of research that will improve SEO performance include:

* Audience research : Understanding your target audience involves delving into their demographics, such as age, gender, income, and location, as well as their psychographics, including their interests, values, and behaviors. Identifying their pain points helps tailor solutions to their needs, while addressing their questions fosters engagement and trust.

* Keyword research : This process is commonly known as keyword research and is essential for effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.

* Competitor research : Analyzing competitors’ strategies helps uncover their strengths, weaknesses, and the types of content they prioritize for benchmarking and improvement.

* Brand/business/client research : Their goals often include increased website traffic, brand visibility, lead generation, and ultimately, conversion optimization, all of which SEO can facilitate through improved search engine rankings and visibility.

* Website research : SEO audits such as technical, content, link profile, and E-A-T assessments can pinpoint areas for improvement and enhance a website’s performance in organic search results.

* SERP analysis : Understanding search intent aids in tailoring content to meet user needs and improve its likelihood of ranking well in search engine results pages (SERPs).

3. Planning

An SEO strategy is your long-term action plan. You need to set goals – and a plan for how you will reach them.

Your SEO strategy should maintain a consistent focus on your ultimate goal, adapting tactics as needed to navigate the evolving landscape of search engine algorithms and user behavior.

Your SEO plan may include things such as:

* Setting goals (e.g., OKRs, SMART) and expectations (i.e., timelines/milestones).

* Defining and aligning meaningful KPIs and metrics.

* Deciding how projects will be created and implemented (internal, external or a mix).

* Coordinating and communicating with internal and external stakeholders.

* Choosing and implementing tools/technology.

* Hiring, training and structuring a team.

* Setting a budget.

* Measuring and reporting on results.

* Documenting the strategy and process.

4. Creating and implementing

Once all the research is done, it’s time to turn ideas into action. That means:

* Creating new content : Utilize data-driven insights from keyword research to guide your content team in creating relevant and engaging content that aligns with user intent and search demand.

* Recommending or implementing changes or enhancements to existing pages : These steps contribute to enhancing the overall visibility and relevance of web pages, improving their ranking potential on search engine results pages (SERPs).

* Removing old, outdated or low-quality content : Identifying and optimizing underperforming content can involve auditing and refining pages lacking in organic visibility, engagement, or conversion rates to align with SEO objectives.

5. Monitoring and maintaining

You need to know when something goes wrong or breaks on your website. Monitoring is critical.

Monitoring tools and protocols, such as website uptime monitors and link checkers, are vital for promptly identifying and addressing any critical issues that may arise on your website.

6. Analyzing, assessing and reporting on performance

If you don’t measure SEO, you can’t improve it. To make data-driven decisions about SEO, you’ll need to use:

* Website analytics : Utilize these tools to gather valuable insights on website traffic, search queries, and site performance for informed decision-making in digital marketing efforts.

* Tools and platforms : Flexibility in selecting either comprehensive platforms or specific SEO tools allows customization based on individual needs, while bespoke tool development offers tailored solutions for unique requirements.

After you’ve collected the data, you’ll need to report on progress. You can create reports using software or manually.

Performance reporting should align with the website’s goals and audience engagement patterns, ensuring insights are actionable and relevant.

SEO is ongoing

Continuous monitoring, adaptation, and optimization are vital to maintain and improve SEO performance in the ever-evolving digital landscape, necessitating ongoing efforts to stay competitive and relevant. Implementing agile strategies and staying abreast of industry trends can help sustain long-term SEO success.