Why SEO Is Important and How It Works
Understanding the foundation of search engine optimization and why it matters for every website owner
Understanding the foundation of search engine optimization and why it matters for every website owner
Before we dive in: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to the practice of improving a website’s visibility in search engine results when users look for information, products, or services online.
Imagine you're in the market for a new air fryer. You open your laptop and type "air fryers" into Google. In just a second, a list of results pops up. In today's tech-heavy world, we're used to getting answers fast with little awareness of what is happening behind the scenes. This is where SEO comes into play.
Behind the scenes, search engines like Google are constantly scanning and sorting through millions of web pages. They look at the words on the page (called keywords), how quickly a site loads, how trustworthy it seems, and many other signals. Based on what they find, Google decides which pages deserve to show up at the top.
SEO is not something you can set up once and forget about. It requires ongoing updates and improvements to stay competitive as search engines and customer behaviors continue to change.
The top results are often sponsored content (PPC advertising) where companies pay Google for placement. Below these are organic results that earned their spot through strong SEO.
These unpaid listings use strategies like choosing the right keywords, creating helpful content, and building trust with users and other websites to rank higher.
Most people click the first few results they see. Strong SEO helps businesses show up at the right moment when customers are ready to act, without needing a huge advertising budget.
Let's revisit the air fryer example. After you search, you are immediately met with a list of options, many of which are marked as sponsored content. Unlike commercials on TV, this is exactly the type of content you are looking for. The difference is that the company chose to pay for their spot rather than leaving it up to the search engine to decide.
But right below the ads are the organic search results, which are the unpaid listings that earned their spot by using strong SEO techniques. Businesses use strategies like choosing the right keywords, or "best air fryer for small kitchens" or "affordable air fryers," creating helpful content like blogs or product guides, and building trust with users and other websites.
In today's digital world, strong SEO is critical for visibility and growth. It's what gets businesses noticed without needing a huge advertising budget. After all, no one wants to scroll through hundreds of pages to find what they need. Most people click the first few results they see. Convenience matters, and good SEO is what helps businesses show up at the right moment when customers are ready to act.
Think about it: when was the last time you clicked past the first page of Google? Most people trust what they see first, without ever questioning why it's there. That's what makes strong SEO so important for anyone who wants to get found and stay relevant.
Next time you open your laptop and search for something, take a second to notice what shows up first. Almost everything you see, whether it's a paid ad or an organic result, is there because of a strategy. Good SEO has the power to guide your choices without you even realizing it.
It's not just valuable for businesses trying to get noticed—it's just as valuable for anyone who wants to better understand how the internet really works and recognize when marketing tactics are being used to influence what they see.
Now that you understand why SEO matters, it's time to learn the terminology. Get comfortable with the key terms and concepts used across the SEO world.
Start With the Basics →