What is SEO or Search Engine Optimization?
If you’re involved in managing a website or running a business, you’ve likely come across the marketing term Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. If your website doesn’t appear in search engines like Google or Bing, it means potential customers won’t be able to easily find your products or services online. SEO is one way to solve this discoverability problem.
What exactly is SEO marketing and how can you use it to improve your online visibility? This beginner’s guide provides an overview to get you started.
What is SEO?
SEO, short for Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of improving the quantity and quality of organic traffic to your website from search engines. The term “organic” refers to free or non-advertised results. When a website ranks high on search engine results pages (SERPs)—such as Google or Bing—it receives more organic traffic.
When a business asks “how do we get found on Google” or “how will our customers find us online,” there are two primary digital marketing strategies available: SEO and PPC (pay-per-click ads). Both methods aim to attract site visitors, but the choice of SEO or PPC depends on your business goals, budget, and desired timeline for results.
PPC is a paid advertising model (such as Google ads). It provides immediate visibility in search results, but it requires an ongoing budget—when you stop paying, your site may no longer be visible.
SEO takes longer to achieve results, but it yields long-term free visibility for your business—steps you take today can benefit you for years to come.
According to Search Engine Journal, 49% of marketers say that organic search provides a higher return on investment (ROI) than any other digital marketing effort.
Some people narrowly define SEO simply as “increasing ranking,” but a holistic SEO approach emphasizes creating a valuable user experience that improves both visibility and engagement. This strategy involves not only optimizing for search engines but also focusing on high-quality content and site usability, integrating both technical improvements and thoughtful content marketing to build long-term brand authority.
Advantages of SEO Marketing
The goal of SEO is to make your website more visible when a user enters a relevant search query. Properly optimized websites attract targeted traffic, meaning visitors who are actively looking for your services or products. For example, if you own a bakery in Austin, your website should display when someone searches “Austin bakeries.”
Beyond increased visibility and traffic, website optimization offers other benefits:
Cost-Effective Marketing: Once you rank high in search results, there is no cost per click or impression, unlike paid advertising.
Higher Credibility and Trust: Users often consider websites that display higher on search results to be more trustworthy.
Better User Experience: SEO involves optimizing the entire user experience on a website, from the content to the navigation.
Long-Term Strategy: Once you achieve high rankings, it can be sustainable with ongoing effort, unlike paid ads which stop the moment you stop paying.
Competitive Advantage: Ranking higher than your competitors in search results can make you the first choice for potential customers.
Increased Engagement and Conversion: SEO strategies involve not just attracting users to your site but also engaging them which can improve conversion rates.
What Google Wants
Google still holds more than 80% of the global search market share, so SEO is often associated with optimizing for Google.
Google strives to deliver a valuable search experience by providing relevant and timely results. For instance, if someone searches “Mailchimp tutorial,” Google wants to show the most useful information—ideally, the official Mailchimp guide will be the top result. This is considered a successful user experience from Google’s perspective because the user receives the most pertinent information to their search.
Effective SEO requires aligning your website’s content and technical aspects with Google’s goal of user satisfaction. This balance helps to boost your rankings while also improving the user experience, leading to better visibility and traffic for your website.
SEO Tips for Beginners
SEO should be a core consideration when designing or redesigning a website. By integrating SEO into your web design process, you’ll be better positioned to attract and retain clients from the start.
Learn SEO: Even if you plan to hire digital marketers, you need to understand the basics. See our recommendations for how to learn SEO.
High-Quality: Always write quality, helpful content aimed at site visitors rather than search engines. Ignore advice on such things as “SEO word count” and other common SEO misconceptions.
Free Tools: Set up free SEO tools to track your digital marketing performance.
Get Local: If you’re a local business, explore local SEO strategies, double check your Google My Business optimization and key information on your contact page.
Platforms: Learn how to update SEO settings on your specific content management system (CMS). Search for a Wordpress, Wix, Webflow, Drupal, Shopify or Squarespace SEO checklist.
Get Help: Yes, it is feasible to handle SEO on your own, but it is also strongly encouraged to seek help as you get started. Many SEO agencies only offer ongoing support—regularly tracking and analyzing a website’s performance—but some consultants offer as-needed SEO support. Related resources:
Looking Ahead
As technology continues to evolve, SEO and digital marketing will also adapt. Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), voice search, mobile technology, and personalized search experiences will significantly impact SEO strategies. By understanding these trends, adapting, and taking a holistic search experience optimization (SXO) approach, your small business can stay ahead of the competition.
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