What Is SEO And How Does It Work? [Guide]

For outsiders, it often seems like magic. Websites inexplicably take off and soar overhead. What seems like an unsolvable mystery to the public has in fact been an important tool in online marketing for a long time.
Because SEO is not rocket science at all.

It is rather the logical answer to the changed user behavior of the last few years. Because yellow pages & Co. have long been a thing of the past. Instead, thanks to our smartphones, we use a search engine to search for the desired information anytime, anywhere.

This opens up completely new opportunities for companies. Because those who are at the top of the search results from Google & Co. will be noticed and clicked and thus have the chance to win potential customers. On the other hand, those who only appear on page 3 or later are usually at a disadvantage.

But what is SEO anyway? How does it work and what factors influence search engine opinion? With this article, we give you a look behind the scenes of the great SEO magic show. You’ll see, it’s actually quite simple – the rabbit was hidden in the false bottom of the cylinder the whole time…

What does SEO mean?

SEO is a sub-discipline of search engine marketing. This is about optimizing your own websites for search engines. This marketing discipline includes all measures that serve to increase the unpaid visibility (organic traffic) of a website for users of a search engine.

Search results in organic search for the query “Plus size hiking boots”.

So it works only with the aim of ending up as far ahead as possible in the organic search results (SERPs, Search Engine Result Pages). The focus here and in many other countries is clearly on Google because the search engine has by far the largest market share. In some countries such as China, the situation looks different.

In addition to the normal text search, SEO can also be operated with a view to image or video searches. Because such media can also be optimized in such a way that they can be seen as far forward as possible.

The difference between SEA

SEA is the second sub-discipline of search engine marketing. While SEO focuses on organic search results, SEA (Search Engine Advertising) aims at the paid ads at the top of the search results.

The search engine ads (SEA) for the search query “buy shoes “.

Here bids are made and a certain price is paid per click on the website. The big difference to SEO is simply said that with search engine optimization you have to earn a good ranking (earned media), while with SEA you buy it with a media budget (paid media).

What goals can be achieved with SEO?

Basically, search engine optimization only serves one purpose: It ensures more visibility in the search results and thus more clicks and traffic to the website.

Of course, SEO also indirectly contributes to other goals. Because the increased visibility and the resulting traffic can contribute to overriding objectives such as image, expert status, or trust. An increase in the conversion rate is also possible with the appropriate structure.

However, one should never forget that it’s about visibility at its core. No more and no less. If you want a quick increase in the conversion rate and want to sell in a targeted manner, you should probably look into other options (landing pages + advertisements, etc.).

How does search engine optimization work?

In total, experts assume that there are over 200 factors that influence the ranking of a website. The wording is deliberately kept vague because Google does not provide a clear checklist. There are always indications of what Google considers relevant, but many insights are derived from well-functioning practice.

The basis for search engine optimization from keywords. These are the terms and phrases that searchers type into Google. These can be collected in keyword analysis and sorted by search volume etc. The aim of companies is to make a suitable offer in the form of content for the respective keywords, i.e. to offer a possible solution to the search query.

The search intention plays a major role, i.e. what exactly is meant by a keyword. A search query like “Wandern Koblenz” has a different target than a query like “Wanderschuhe Koblenz”. The first request is for regional information about hiking trails, the second request is for purchase in the region.

In total there are different starting points for SEO, both on and off the website. Search engine optimization should always be understood as a process that must be constantly continued. Because the trust of Google has to be earned (earned media). In addition, you are in constant competition with other companies, you may have to react to algorithm changes or keep the information up to date …

Which factors decide the ranking?

In practice it can be four sub-areas that affect the ranking:

Content: The pure quality of the content plays a big role when it comes to a ranking by Google. There are several points to consider if you want to write successful SEO texts. Basically, it’s about preparing a topic as comprehensively and appealingly as possible, so that the text ideally represents a better offer to the search engine than that of the competition.

References: So-called backlinks, i.e. links and mentions of other sites, are a strong signal to Google. This is because your site is used as a source of knowledge, which of course speaks for the quality of the content. Attention: It also plays a role from which page the link comes. Bought collective link lists have a rather negative effect. Again, you have to earn the links.

User signals: Google wants to keep users happy. You should have the best possible user experience when using the search engine. Therefore, user signals play a major role in ranking search results. Relevant is e.g. B. the time spent on the website, the bounce rate (i.e. whether the person leaves the website and possibly returns to the search engine), or further clicks on the website. The search engine sees all of this as a sign of a good or bad result.

Page Experience: In a big offensive, Google has itself finally the Page Experience written on the flag. This includes factors such as page speed, core web vitals, mobile optimization, or security aspects. So, all in all, it is about whether the website is pleasant and safe to use.

Please consider this list: These are findings derived from practice and information from Google. There are no guarantees and no panacea that works in any case. Instead, SEO is often about implementing things to the best of your knowledge and belief, looking at them over a certain period of time, and optimizing them if necessary.

OnPage SEO vs. OffPage SEO

The various factors are generally divided into two categories: Those that on the website itself are made (OnPage) and those that take place away from the website (OffPage).

The on-page measures include the content itself and the technology of the website. In the off-page area, on the other hand, it is about collecting mentions, backlinks, and cross-references. The on-page area can be significantly more influenced by your own optimizations than the off-page area.

Technical SEO vs. Editorial SEO

If you look at OnPage-SEO, you can split this area back into two sections. On the one hand, there is the editorial work, on the other the technology.

Recalling the four factors for rankings, editorial SEO is all about content, and technical SEO is about Page Experience. But only both together contribute to the positive influence of the user signals.

Because what brings z. E.g. a website with good content, but loads so slowly that you get frustrated before the content is rendered? On the other hand, no matter how fast and secure a website is – if the content is weak, users will leave.

Technology and content can therefore be edited and viewed separately, but a meaningful result that satisfies users can only be achieved hand in hand.

What SEO is not and cannot do

There is no promise for number 1 on Google. Any company that promises something like this is to be regarded as dubious. This is simply because we never know 100% what Google is doing. We have a good guess from experience and information, but the last few percentage points also have a lot to do with luck.

So you should never use SEO with the Claim to have to come in the first place. Placement on the first page is always to be seen as an immense success.

Furthermore, SEO is not a Sales Tool. There is no way to generate a certain number of inquiries per month in this way. Because whether the increased organic traffic ultimately leads to conversions depends on many other factors. So always consider search engine optimization as a way for more visibility. No more and no less.

Search engine optimization can also not perform short-term miracles. It often takes months for optimization measures to take effect. Accordingly, patience and perseverance are required. If you are looking for quick results, you should rather go through advertisements. SEO, on the other hand, is the patient way, but it promises sustainable growth.

In addition, a large number of SEO myths and misconceptions have persisted: from keyword density to text length and marketing importance. Since the Google algorithm is constantly changing, you should always make sure that the information is still up to date.

How to start with SEO?

In general, the perfect time to start with search engine optimization is always right now. Because it is a lengthy process. So it’s better to start early rather than late. Depending on the initial situation, different approaches are recommended:

Website launch or relaunch: Such a restart is the perfect moment for SEO. Plan appropriate measures directly. So pay attention to the technical aspects, create an extensive keyword analysis and build the structure of your website and the content on this basis. In addition to this basic framework, you create a content plan that you implement step by step after the website is published.

Website already online: Even a website that has already been published can be easily optimized. Here it is worthwhile to analyze both the technical and the content side, e.g. B. via content audit or SEO check. In this way, you collect the status quo and can check exactly where optimizations appear necessary. You then draw up a clear plan and work through it step by step. In the worst case, such a review can also show that a relaunch is a more sensible choice. Of course, this involves a lot of work – but it’s worth it.

Conclusion: search engine optimization

So you could now take a look behind the scenes at search engine optimization. And as you can see, there are logical explanations for all the magic and sorcery that the audience sees in the auditorium. Because SEO is not a trick, but the precise analysis of data, a good deal of technology, and the preparation of optimized content that is as substantial and easy to consume as possible.

The biggest trick is, as so often, that there is no trick at all. Instead, there remains a logical explanation and thus the possibility to try it yourself. You will see: If you practice and invest enough, the rabbit will come out of the cylinder by itself. All you need is patience…