What is SEO? A Simple Guide for Website Owners

SEO helps your website build organic traffic, via search engine rankings

We’ve shared a lot of SEO tips and strategies – from writing high-quality content to building backlinks. But if you’re just starting out, let’s go back to basics. If you’ve heard people talk about “ranking on Google” or “getting more organic traffic,” they’re talking about SEO. But what exactly is it – and why should you care?

What Does SEO Mean?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s the process of improving your website so it can show up higher in search engine results (like Google, Bing, and others). The better your SEO, the more likely people are to find your site when they search for topics related to your business.

For example, if you run a photography business in Chicago, good SEO helps your website appear when someone searches for “Chicago wedding photographer.”

Why SEO Matters

People trust search engines. When your website appears near the top of search results, it gives you more visibility, more clicks, and more credibility. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to drive traffic – because you’re not paying for ads, you’re earning your spot organically.

How SEO Works (In a Nutshell)

SEO includes a combination of strategies:

  • Keywords: Using the right words and phrases that people search for.
  • Content: Creating useful, relevant content that answers people’s questions.
  • Technical Optimization: Making sure your site loads fast, works well on mobile, and is easy to navigate.
  • Backlinks: Getting other websites to link to yours (this builds trust with search engines).
  • User Experience: Google pays attention to how people interact with your site – are they staying or bouncing?

What SEO Means for Your Website Builder

Not all website builders make it easy to optimize for search engines. That’s why it’s important to choose a builder that gives you flexible control over your content, code, and structure – without locking you into limited templates or rigid systems.

Want to learn more about which platform gives you the best SEO tools and flexibility?

👉 Check out our blog post: What’s the Best Website Builder for SEO?

Also Related: Can You Increase Organic Traffic Without Building Backlinks? Yes – Here’s How

Mastering Website Optimization: Your Ultimate Guide to Drive, Retain, and Convert Traffic

What are the best practices for optimizing a website’s structure and navigation?

What Your Website Visitors Are Secretly Telling You (Through Their Clicks & Bounces)

Are you ready to design & build your own website? Learn more about UltimateWB! We also offer web design packages if you would like your website designed and built for you.

Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.

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