Glossary · Marketing
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Definition
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving your website so it appears higher in unpaid search results for the terms your customers are searching.
Why it matters
SEO takes time, but the traffic is free once you rank and keeps arriving month after month. It involves creating helpful content, using the words customers search, improving site speed, and earning links from other sites.
A plumber who publishes pages for "water heater repair" and related services in his city might rank on page one after six months and receive 300 visits a month. If 4 percent of visitors call and he books half of those at $350, that is about 6 jobs and $2,100 monthly from a handful of pages.
Be wary of anyone who guarantees a number one ranking. Results vary and search engines change how they rank over time.
Common mistakes
- !Expecting results in a few weeks and abandoning the effort too soon.
- !Stuffing pages with keywords instead of writing for readers.
Frequently asked questions
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving your website so it appears higher in unpaid search results for the terms your customers are searching.
What mistakes do beginners make with SEO?
Expecting results in a few weeks and abandoning the effort too soon. Stuffing pages with keywords instead of writing for readers.
Related terms