What is SEO?

Around two thirds of all online experiences begin with a search engine. Around 90 percent of the queries there end up on the first page. These figures clearly show why every company should take advantage of the Search engine optimization (SEO) should use.

In this article, we explain how SEO works and then go into the most important benefits and measures.

What is SEO? SEO compactly explained

The abbreviation "SEO" stands for Search Engine Optimization. In German: search engine optimization.

SEO managers take various measures to improve the position in the search results of search engines (such as Google).

Over time, different tools have been developed that can contribute to effective search engine optimization. They all share the goal of improving the ranking of a Website want to improve. A higher ranking can be decisive for the desired traffic or the generation of leads, and means a valuable advantage over the competition.

SEO is in turn divided into two important sub-areas to which different instruments are assigned:

1. onpage optimization

The so-called on-page optimization includes all measures that are carried out directly on the page to be advertised. This includes the following aspects:

• Keywords
• Meta tags
• Links
• Contents
• HTML
• Loading times

In this area, it is crucial that texts and meta tags are filled out correctly and contain the most important keywords. Writing the page in clean HTML code also falls within the remit of on-page optimization.

Elements such as the content or the navigation bar are aimed equally at the requirements of the search engine and the real user. The latter must not be lost sight of despite all the important technical aspects of search engine optimization. Texts with real added value for the reader, for example, increase the time spent on the website and contribute to a strong ranking.

2. offpage optimization

The counterpart to on-page optimization are all measures that contribute to improving the ranking outside of the website. The following measures fall within the scope of off-page optimization:

• Link building
• Social Signals
• HR, brand management and reputation

In recent years, link building has become one of the most important tasks in search engine optimization. The aim is to obtain high-quality backlinks from thematically relevant pages that point back to the page being promoted. This suggests to the search engine algorithm that the website is particularly relevant, which in turn improves the ranking. The generation of high-quality links can therefore be seen as the core of optimization.

Why SEO is so important

More and more companies are devoting significant resources to active search engine optimization. Ultimately, there are various advantages to including this project in the marketing mix. We would like to take a closer look at the most important points below:

Gain new customers

A website created with great care can only fulfill its purpose if it achieves the necessary visibility. Ranking on the second page of search results may not be enough.

SEO is suitable for significantly increasing traffic, i.e. the influx of new users. In combination with a sensible site structure, this will automatically lead to more leads. The increase in customers can in turn set a positive cycle in motion that increases and preserves the effects.

Qualified visitors

Not every visitor is equally important for a successful website. The stronger the inclination towards the intended action, the more important a single click becomes. By integrating the most important keywords, SEO is able to tailor the target group accordingly.

This offers the opportunity to reach those people who already have a strong interest in the products or services. In this way, optimization contributes to better conversion and greater economic potential.

Cost efficiency

Due to the fact that SEO attracts more users with an inherent interest in the site, it is a highly cost-effective measure. This can be an important criterion, especially for small and medium-sized companies with a clearly limited advertising budget.

Lasting effects

In contrast to search engine advertising (SEA for short), SEO can achieve lasting effects. It can take a few weeks or even months for the measures taken to have an effect. However, once this stage has been reached, SEO remains much cheaper than constantly paying expensive advertising fees. Displaywhich only remain active for a few weeks.

Increase in brand awareness

Furthermore, SEO is able to significantly strengthen brand awareness. Users automatically associate a ranking among the first search results with a particular reliability and authenticity and transfer this to the entire company. All SEO tools used with the deliberate aim of improving rankings are ultimately not perceived as intrusive advertising, but as an organic expression of high quality.

How search engine optimization works

So far, it has become clear how closely SEO is linked to the search engine. The first thing that comes into play here is the top dog Google, whose international market share is around 75 percent. In Germany, Google's share is even over 90 percent. In this country, it is therefore perfectly sufficient to tailor the measures to this provider. For international projects, however, other search engines are sometimes relevant:

• Baidu (China)
• Yahoo! (Japan)
• Yandex (Russia)
• Seznam (Czech Republic)

Google aims to present the pages for a search query in order of relevance to the user. A complex algorithm is used for this, which takes more than 200 different factors into account. How this works in detail remains a mystery. However, based on experience, SEO experts are able to rank many factors according to their importance.

The dynamics of optimization

Successful SEO measures always move with the times. This is because ongoing adjustments to the algorithm bring with them a strong dynamic. Whereas a few years ago, cleverly placed keywords were the dominant factor, social signals and link building have recently gained in importance. In this way, the topicality of a concept is decisive for its chances of success.

SEO vs. SEA

SEO is often mentioned in the same sentence as search engine advertising (SEA). While both areas share the goal of increasing traffic, there are clear differences between them. SEA primarily comprises paid Google Ads, which are purchased for a certain period of time. They then appear color-coded above the organic search results.

As a result, SEA has a clear advertising character for the user, which cannot be conducive to high acceptance. The costs incurred per day through a presence on the first Google page are also far higher than the prices for sustainable SEO approaches. Search Engine Advertisement is therefore particularly suitable for achieving an increased volume of visitors at certain times, such as the launch of a new product.

Efficient optimization with the help of an agency

Many SEO guides promise the possibility of using the tools yourself. Working with an agency usually offers a better price/performance ratio. The experts draw up a plan tailored to the requirements and continuously evaluate data during the process. With this know-how, it is possible to approach the project in a particularly targeted manner and achieve the goal of greater visibility with a high degree of efficiency.