What Is Search Engine Optimization?
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of increasing awareness about – and traffic to – a particular website by making sure it appears among the top unpaid organic search results on search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo. While there is a common misperception that it is a stand-alone marketing tactic, SEO is accomplished by many tactics working together and is central to an effective inbound marketing strategy. While social media, email, banner ads, and other marketing tools generate website visits, SEO visibility is particularly important because search engines are the primary way users navigate the internet. It automatically increases your audience in a relevant, targeted way – they self-identify as someone interested in your product or service.
How Does Search Engine Optimization Work?
Search engines want to provide the best service for their users, thus delivering results that are not only high quality but also relevant to what the searcher is looking for after a successful search. To do this, search engines will regularly scan, or crawl, different websites to better understand what the site is about. Similarly, the search engines will scan the site to determine how easy it is to navigate and read, rewarding user-friendly sites with higher rankings on SERPs. SEO is the process that organizations go through to make sure that their site ranks high in search engines for relevant keywords and phrases.
Search engine optimization is effective because it:
• Continues to evolve to keep pace with mobile and local search engine optimization
• Simplifies searches for customers interested in your product or service
•Is a cost-effective way to keep your brand competitive with similarly situated companies
By improving your SEO, you can work to expand your visibility on search engines. This helps you reach and engage more potential customers. By creating more engaging and effective SEO-focused content, you can increase your chances of bringing in more targeted organic traffic.