How does Google SEO work, and what are its main types?
Google SEO involves optimizing a website to gain greater visibility and traffic in Google search results. It can be understood in two parts: how Google discovers, indexes, and ranks web pages, and which aspects of a website can be improved. According to Semrush’s 2024 introductory overview, the main types are on-page SEO, off-page SEO, technical SEO, and local SEO. These categories help organize the work; they are not a formula that guarantees higher rankings.
How search results are produced: discovery, indexing, and ranking
SEO is not just about adding keywords to articles. Several stages lie between a page being discovered and appearing in the results for a particular search:
- Discovery:Google uses crawlers to discover web pages, primarily by following links.
- Indexing:Google analyzes web pages and stores eligible pages in its database. Being discovered and being indexed are therefore not the same thing.
- Ranking:When a user submits a query, Google finds matching results in its database and orders them according to how suitable its systems judge them to be.
The aim of optimization is to bring a website more closely into line with the requirements for high-quality search results. However, doing so may increase visibility; it does not guarantee any particular ranking.
What do the four main types of SEO improve?
- On-page SEO:Improves the content of individual pages for their corresponding queries, including matching search intent, placing keywords appropriately, and using a clear structure. For example, when planning an article, first identify the problem readers want to solve, then organize the sections, rather than focusing only on which words to include.
- Off-page SEO:Focuses on building a website’s authority and credibility. The material lists practices such as obtaining links from other websites, guest posting, and product or company reviews. These are areas of work, not actions that can be assumed to improve rankings every time.
- Technical SEO:Improves a website’s technical aspects to make it easier for Google to discover and index its pages. Website speed, structure, and mobile-friendliness all fall within this category.
- Local SEO:Improves a business’s online presence for location-related searches. Collecting and responding to reviews are important tasks mentioned in the material. The focus is on location-related search needs, rather than just general article content.
For beginners, start by connecting the process to the work
Semrush’s introductory learning material recommends understanding how search engines work before exploring specific practices in depth. When organizing the work, start by asking: Are you addressing whether the content answers the query, whether pages are easy to discover and index, or the website’s credibility and location information? Identifying which part of the process a problem belongs to provides a clearer foundation than simply memorizing a list of SEO techniques.
Google SEO: perspectives from across the web
How should beginners practice after learning SEO concepts?
One suggestion is to alternate between theory and practice: start with on-site fundamentals to understand how a website works internally, then gradually move into off-site work. A forum participant also cautions against blindly trusting tools or so-called gurus, encouraging independent learning and practice instead. This is one person’s suggested learning sequence, not a rule that every website must follow.
How can small businesses organize their SEO work?
In a 2020 article for small businesses, Semrush proposed a phased plan: establish the foundations first, then create service pages and improve the website’s structure, followed by addressing technical issues and links, with ongoing measurement and updates. Businesses with physical locations can consider location-specific pages. This is an example to help manage the work, not an indication that the same timeline suits every business.
What advice is there for building external links?
A forum participant recommends getting on-site optimization and content in order first, then building foundational links and niche-relevant links, with press releases as another option to try. These are the participant’s suggested practices, not official Google rules. The material also does not establish that any of these practices will necessarily improve rankings. Whether to use them should still depend on the website’s content and practical needs.
References
- Why my website is not ranking when I'm doing link-building since June 2020?www.warriorforum.com — Discusses: What advice is there for building external links?
- How to Learn SEO: A Complete Roadmap for Beginnerswww.semrush.com · 2021-05-26T16:52:00Z — Source used in the article above.
- What Is Google SEO? A Beginner’s Guide to Ranking Higherwww.semrush.com · 2024-02-15T12:07:00Z — Source used in the article above.
- How to get the best ranking improvement from SEO workwww.warriorforum.com — Discusses: How should beginners practice after learning SEO concepts?
- Small Business SEO: What It Is & How to Get Startedwww.semrush.com · 2020-07-23T07:46:00Z — Discusses: How can small businesses organize their SEO work?
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