SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s the practice of improving your website so that it ranks higher in search engine results, like those on Google, Bing, or Yahoo. The goal of SEO is to increase organic traffic — the visitors who find your site through unpaid search results.
In simple terms, SEO helps your website show up when people search for topics related to your business.
For example, if you run a bakery in New York, good SEO can help your site appear when someone searches “best bakery in NYC.”
Why SEO matters
SEO is important because:
- Most people click on the first few search results
- It brings in free, ongoing traffic
- It helps build credibility and trust
- It’s essential for local businesses and online stores
- It improves your user experience by making your website faster, clearer, and easier to navigate
The 3 main types of SEO
SEO covers a few different areas. Here are the main types:
| Type of SEO | What it focuses on |
|---|---|
| On-page SEO | Optimizing your content and HTML elements like titles, headings, and keywords |
| Off-page SEO | Building backlinks and external signals that increase your website’s authority |
| Technical SEO | Making sure your site is easy for search engines to crawl, index, and load quickly |
Common SEO techniques
Here are some basic things people do to improve SEO:
- Use keywords that people search for in your titles and content
- Write helpful, high-quality content
- Get links from other reputable websites
- Make sure your website loads fast
- Optimize for mobile devices
- Use descriptive title tags and meta descriptions
Simple HTML example of a title tag
<title>Best Bakery in NYC | Sweet Crumbs</title>
This tag appears in the browser tab and tells both users and search engines what the page is about. Including keywords like “Best Bakery in NYC” can help improve search rankings.
How long does SEO take?
SEO is not instant. It often takes weeks or months to see significant results, especially if your site is new. But the long-term benefits can be powerful and sustainable.
In summary, SEO is all about making your website more visible on search engines like Google. It includes optimizing your content, getting backlinks, and ensuring your site works smoothly. When done right, SEO brings more visitors to your site — without paying for ads.