“Today, Google’s algorithms consider hundreds of ranking factors, making SEO a complex and ever-evolving field. It is no longer just about manipulating search rankings but rather about providing users with the best possible experience.” - Dhevee Sridharan, The Evolution of SEO
What is SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a catch-all term for any activity that makes your website show up higher in Google’s search results. Google takes a lot into account when it decides the rankings (more on this later), so SEO gets pretty complicated, pretty quickly.
SEO activity can be ‘on-page’ - things that happen on your website, like adding keywords, writing blogs, and speeding up your site - or ‘off-page’ - things that take place outside your website, like getting Google reviews or having other websites link to yours.
Understanding SEO starts with a simple question: What does Google want?
Google wants you to keep using Google.
For that to happen, people need to have a good experience when they click on a link that Google has recommended. As what people expect (or demand) from the Internet has changed, Google’s search ranking algorithm has changed in response, so Google can always recommend websites that are most likely to meet someone’s needs… and keep them Googling.
A little bit of search history
In the beginning, keywords were king. Simply including the same word in your website, over and over and over, was enough to propel you to the top of the search results when someone Googled that word.
But then users began demanding more, and Google responded.
Keywords alone were no longer enough; to make it to the top of the search results, websites now had to be user-friendly and quick to load.
And then mobile phones became the biggest source of internet traffic, and Google responded.
Keywords and usability still mattered, but to make it to the top of the search results, websites now had to be mobile-responsive.
Next, users got sick of spammy content… and again, Google responded.
Usability and mobile friendliness still mattered, but over-using keywords became something Google actively penalised. Instead, to make it to the top of the search results, websites now had to include high-quality, helpful content.
A constantly changing environment
The examples above are just a tiny handful of the changes that SEO marketers have had to respond to. Since 2015, Google has made over 60 major updates to its algorithm, and minor changes are made on an ongoing basis. Every time Google moves the goalposts, SEO techniques and best practices evolve to meet the new requirements.
If that wasn’t enough, your competitors have websites too! If you’re ignoring your SEO and they’re actively working on theirs, they’ll eventually overtake you in the search rankings, no matter how well your website was originally set up.
All of this means that SEO isn’t something you can do once and rely on forever. It’s an ongoing process that’s constantly evolving. Without regular optimisation, your website will start to slip down the rankings, eventually disappearing into the wasteland of the Page 2 results.
One more thing: SEO is a marathon, not a sprint
Because SEO is a collection of ongoing improvements, it takes time to show results. It’s usually around 3-6 months before you notice any significant changes to your website rankings.
It’s a good idea to be wary of companies that promise to “get you to the top of Google” in a short timeframe. They’re likely to pick an obscure search term with very little competition and gear your SEO towards this, rather than focusing on keywords that will benefit your business.
