SEO (search engine optimisation) is the work that helps search engines find, understand and show your pages to people looking for what you offer. Google describes it in its SEO Starter Guide as helping search engines understand your content, and helping users decide whether to visit your site.
The work follows the three stages Google describes in its guide to how Google Search works: crawling, indexing and serving results. According to that guide, Google does not accept payment to crawl a site more often or rank it higher.
What does SEO consist of?
- Technical: pages that are reachable, crawlable and indexable, with a clear structure.
- Content: pages that answer your customers’ questions, in the words they use.
- References: other websites that link to you or mention you.
Example
Suppose a locksmith in Arnhem has a single page listing all services. With SEO, the locksmith creates separate pages for emergency lockouts, lock replacement and burglary prevention, each with a clear title, its own explanation and internal links between them.
Common mistake
Repeating keywords as often as possible. Google calls this keyword stuffing and counts it as a violation of its spam policies. Write for the reader and use the words they would type themselves.
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