The guide
What is SEO?
SEO is how you help search engines find your site and show it to the right people. Here is how it works, in plain words.
By Kean Carl Donato · Published
Short answer: SEO (search engine optimization) is the work of making your website easy for search engines to find, understand and trust, so it can appear when people search for what you offer.
How SEO works
Google describes search in three stages. First it crawls: automated programs follow links and read your pages. Then it indexes: it stores and organises what it found. Finally it serves results: when someone searches, it picks the pages it thinks best match the question.
SEO is the work of helping each stage go well. A page that cannot be crawled will not be indexed, and a page that is not indexed cannot appear in results. No one can promise a ranking, because search engines decide, and results change.
The main types of SEO
- Technical SEO. The behind-the-scenes work that lets search engines reach and understand your site: robots.txt, sitemaps, site structure, speed, canonical tags and structured data. See what an SEO audit checks.
- On-page SEO. What is on each page: the title, headings, text, images and internal links, written around what people actually search for.
- Off-page SEO. Signals from outside your site, mainly links from other trusted sites and your reputation.
- Local SEO. Helping nearby customers find a business that serves a place. Read what local SEO is.
A simple example
Imagine a salon in Quezon City with a good website but one page for everything. Customers searching for a haircut or hair color nearby find other salons first. The salon gives each service its own page with a clear title and short answers to common questions, adds its opening hours and address, makes the pages load quickly on a phone, and checks in Google Search Console that the pages are indexed. Nothing here is a trick. It makes the site easier to find and easier to use. This is an illustration, not a client result.
SEO, AEO and GEO
People now also get answers from snippets and AI assistants. AEO (answer engine optimization) and GEO (generative engine optimization) build on SEO so your content can be quoted in those answers. All three depend on a fast, crawlable, clearly structured site. My SEO vs GEO vs AEO guide explains the difference.
How long does SEO take?
Fixing indexing problems can show results within days to weeks, once search engines recrawl your pages. Ranking and traffic changes usually take months and depend on competition and content. Be careful with anyone who promises a fixed timeline or a guaranteed first place.
Common SEO mistakes
- Blocking search engines by accident with robots.txt or a noindex tag.
- One page that tries to cover every service.
- Slow pages on mobile.
- Copying text from other sites, or stuffing keywords.
- Paying for links or fake reviews, which break Google’s rules.
Where to start
Run through the SEO checklist for small business. If your pages are not appearing at all, read why your site isn’t showing on Google. If you would like help, see my services or contact me.
Frequently asked questions
What is SEO?
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the work of making a website easy for search engines to find, understand and trust, so it can appear when people search for what the business offers.
How does SEO work?
Search engines crawl pages by following links, index what they find, and then choose which pages to show for each search. SEO helps each of those steps go well, through technical health, clear content and trust signals.
What is an example of SEO?
Giving each service its own page with a clear title, adding opening hours and address, making pages fast on mobile and checking in Google Search Console that they are indexed are all examples of SEO.
Is SEO free?
Search engines do not charge for organic results, but SEO takes time or money: your own time, or a specialist’s fees. Free tools such as Google Search Console help you start.
How long does SEO take?
Indexing fixes can be picked up within days to weeks, once search engines recrawl the pages. Ranking and traffic changes usually take months and depend on competition. Nobody can promise a timeline.
Is SEO still worth it with AI answers?
Yes. AI tools and search features draw on pages that are crawlable, clear and trustworthy, which is what SEO builds. Nobody can guarantee a place in AI answers, so focus on what you control.
More from the guide.
Want help with your own site?
Tell me about your business and I will tell you where I would start.