SEO stands for “search engine optimization” and is the process of optimizing a website to help search engines understand its content and help users find it. The goal of SEO is to get a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), receive more traffic, and rank on the first page of Google results for search terms that are relevant to the target audience.
SEO involves optimizing a website’s technical configuration, content relevance, and link popularity. It can be a great way for small businesses to get people to their website for free, especially if they don’t have a lot of money to spend on advertising. For example, if a donut shop in Amsterdam wants people to visit their website when they Google “donuts Amsterdam,” SEO can help make that happen.
Some say that SEO is not about cheating Google, but rather convincing Google to rank a page by showing the value it provides for users. However, some unethical SEOs have been accused of manipulating search engine results, creating shadow domains, and other practices. Before hiring an SEO, you can consider things like:
- Whether you’re committed to implementing the recommended changes
- Getting a technical and search audit for your site
