SEO Explained

Source: Dev.to

SEO Overview

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. In simple terms, it is the process of improving your website so that it appears higher in search results when people look for things related to your business or interests on Google, Bing, and other search engines.

Think of the internet like a giant library with billions of books, but no librarians. SEO is the system that helps the “library” (Google) decide which book to hand a reader first.

How SEO Works

Search engines use bots to crawl the web, jumping from page to page, collecting information, and putting it in an index. When you search for something, an algorithm analyzes that index to show you the most relevant and high‑quality results.

SEO Pillars

On‑Page SEO (The Content)

This is what you control on your own pages. It involves:

• Keywords – Using the words and phrases people actually type into search bars.
• Content Quality – Writing helpful, accurate, and engaging articles.
• HTML Tags – Optimizing your titles, headers (H1, H2), and image descriptions so bots understand what the page is about.

Off‑Page SEO (The Reputation)

This is about building the authority of your site. The most important part here is backlinks. If many reputable websites link to your site, Google sees you as a trustworthy expert—a “vote of confidence” from the rest of the internet.

Technical SEO (The Foundation)

This focuses on the backend of your website to ensure bots can read it and users have a good experience.

• Site Speed – Does the page load quickly?
• Mobile Friendliness – Does it look good on a phone?
• Security – Does the site use HTTPS?

Why is SEO Important?

• Visibility – Most people never click past the first page of Google. If your business is on page three, you are essentially invisible.
• Free Traffic – Unlike ads, you don’t pay every time someone clicks on an organic search result.
• Trust – Users tend to trust organic results more than the “Sponsored” ads at the top.
• Sustainability – A well‑optimized page can bring in visitors for years without extra cost.

A Simple Example

Imagine you own a bakery in New York.

• Without SEO: Your website might just say “Welcome to our shop.” Google doesn’t know what you sell or where you are.
• With SEO: Your website includes phrases like “Best sourdough bread in New York” and “Handmade pastries Manhattan.” You have a fast website and a link from a local food blogger. Now, when someone searches “best bread near me,” Google knows to show them your bakery.