Search engine optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is about making websites and other forms of online presence appear higher in search results when someone searches for a term.[1] The search term is called a keyword.[2] The results of the search are displayed in the search engine's results pages (SERPS) such as those given by Google, Bing, Yahoo! and others. Other terms used to describe search engine optimization are internet marketing and search engine marketing.[3]
Core Principles
[change | change source]SEO is performed because a website will receive more visitors from a search engine when it ranks higher on the SERP. These visitors can then be converted into customers. The process is often broken down into several core areas.
On-page SEO
[change | change source]On-page SEO refers to the practice of optimizing elements on the website itself. This includes:[4][5]
- Content Quality and Relevance: Creating useful, comprehensive content that answers a user's query and demonstrates expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T)[6].
- Keyword Optimization: Researching and using relevant keywords in titles, headings, and body text so that search engines can understand the page's topic.
- HTML Elements: Optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags (<h1>, <h2>, etc.) to provide clear signals about the page's structure.
Technical SEO
[change | change source]Technical SEO refers to non-content elements of a site that affect its performance and crawlability. Key aspects include:
- Site Speed and Core Web Vitals: Ensuring web pages load quickly and provide a good user experience.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Making sure the website is easy to use on mobile devices.
- Crawlability and Indexing: Using tools like robots.txt and sitemaps to help search engine crawlers find and index the site's content.
Off-page SEO
[change | change source]Everything SEO-related that doesn't take place on a website is considered off-page SEO. Among other things, backlinks, social media, and local citations are all aspects of off-page SEO.
Importance of SEO
[change | change source]SEO is a crucial part of marketing campaigns run by businesses to reach customers online. Companies hire SEO agencies to do the work for them because of the expertise required.[7]
"White Hat," "Gray Hat," and "Black Hat" SEO Techniques
[change | change source]If an SEO method is approved by search engines to rank their website, it is called a "white hat technique". If the method is not approved, it is called a "black hat technique". Search engines penalize sites using black hat techniques by ranking them lower, or by not showing them on search results at all.[8] However, some techniques fall in between these two categories, known as "gray hat techniques." These methods are not explicitly approved by search engines but are not strictly prohibited either. While they may offer short-term ranking benefits, they carry the risk of penalties if search engine guidelines change.
Evolution: The Impact of Generative AI
[change | change source]Since the early 2020s, the integration of large language models (LLMs) into search engines has created a fundamental shift, leading to the emergence of a complementary discipline to traditional SEO.
This new field is sometimes referred to as Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) or Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). Its primary goal is not to win a click from a list of links, but to have a brand's information or data used and cited within an AI-generated answer[9]. This scenario referral to a zero-click result - the successful resolution of a web query when the user gets their desired result immediately
This evolution impacts all core areas of optimization:
- Impact on On-page SEO: There is a greater emphasis on creating machine-readable content through structured data (like Schema.org markup). This helps AI models understand entities, facts, and relationships on a page, increasing the likelihood of being included in a synthesized answer.[10]
- Impact on Technical SEO: Crawlability now extends to AI-specific crawlers like GPTBot (OpenAI) and Google-Extended. Webmasters must ensure their content is accessible to these bots for training and data ingestion purposes.[11]
- Impact on Off-page SEO: The concept of authority is expanding. Beyond backlinks, search engines now evaluate expertise and authoritativeness through a wider range of signals, often described by the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) framework. This is crucial for being seen as a credible source by AI systems.[12]
As a result, modern SEO is becoming a hybrid discipline, requiring strategies for both traditional search rankings and visibility within generative AI answers.
Other websites
[change | change source]References
[change | change source]- ↑ "search-engine-optimization noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com". www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ↑ "keyword noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com". www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ↑ "Keywords: Definition - Google Ads Help". support.google.com. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ↑ "Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide". Google Search Central. 2025-01-01. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Thakkar, Mit M (2025-06-02). "The Ultimate On-Page SEO Checklist for 2025". Searchonic. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Google E-E-A-T: What It Is & How It Affects SEO". Semrush Blog. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ↑ Steimle, Josh. "How Long Does SEO Take To Start Working?". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ↑ 528shares; 9.8kreads (2020-05-04). "White Hat vs. Black Hat vs. Gray Hat SEO: What's the Difference?". Search Engine Journal. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Binder, Adam. "Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): The Future Of Search Is Here". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ↑ "Google Search's Guidance on Generative AI Content on Your Website | Google Search Central | Documentation". Google for Developers. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ↑ "OpenAI Platform". platform.openai.com. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ↑ Southern, Matt G. (2024-04-24). "Google E-E-A-T: What Is It & How To Demonstrate It For SEO". Search Engine Journal. Retrieved 2025-10-31.