Definition of SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) includes technical and content measures that increase the visibility and rankings of a website in organic search results. Part of SEM alongside SEA; On-page/Off-page, goal: reach and conversions.

Search engine optimization, abbreviated as SEO, refers, according to the definition, to all content-related or technical measures to improve the rankings of a website or its visibility in the search results of search engines like Google.

SEO as part of search engine marketing

SEO forms part of search engine marketing in its definition. The other part consists of search engine advertising, or SEA. Both methods share the reliance on keywords for their respective campaigns. However, while SEA can achieve short-term successes on Google through ad placements on the web, SEO aims to land in the organic search results. The effect of search engine optimization is delayed in outcome.

SEO goals

The main goal of search engine optimization is, of course, to achieve top positions in search engine results. When searching for a specific keyword, the aim is to land high up. Depending on the type of website, there may be additional goals:

Increase in range
Increase a shop's sales
Acquire new customers
Increase brand awareness
Increase conversions (sales, newsletter sign-up, service registration, etc.)

What belongs to SEO?

Search engine optimization can be divided into the two major areas of on-page and off-page SEO. On-page measures are those that can be implemented directly on the page, whereas off-page SEO encompasses all measures outside the website.

On-page measures

These measures include

Content Optimization: Unique content created for searchers and not for the search engine. Relevant content with appropriate keywords should be used here. Content also includes images and videos as well as their alt descriptions, and the optimization of meta-data also plays a role here.
Technical optimization: Optimizations to the server, the content management system, or the source code are understood to fall under this
Internal linking: There should be a link between the contents of the page.

Offpage measures

These measures include

Link building: Through a link strategy, external links should be used to increase domain popularity and trust.
Social Signals: The use of social media is intended to increase online visibility.

The following sub-areas are now increasingly found in the field of search engine optimization:

Conversion Optimization
Cart optimization
Image SEO
Local SEO
Mobile SEO

Meaning today

For a long time, search engine optimization was quite neglected. For a long time, many people understood it primarily as the manipulation of search results through keyword stuffing. But as we have seen, the field of SEO is incredibly broad today. It also requires specialists who take care of optimizing a site.

However, the primary focus is no longer optimization for the search engine, but for the user. They must be offered high-quality content that meets their needs. Google has continuously adjusted its algorithm over the years, so spam websites no longer rank high in the search engine. Due to these constant changes, experts are also needed to regularly check the sites for updates and adapt content if necessary. In search engine marketing, all areas should work together to benefit from their experiences.