SEO stands for search engine optimization. SEO is the process associated with actions and mechanisms to help a site or content rank higher in online search.
The main difference between SEO and paid advertising is that SEO involves "organic" ranking, which means we don't pay to be in that space. Search engine optimization means highlighting a piece of content online and optimizing it so that search engines like Google will show it at the top of the page when someone searches for an associated term.
When it comes to broader SEO, there are two equally important paths: On-page SEO and off-page SEO.
On-page SEO is about building content to improve your rankings. This means incorporating keywords into pages and content, writing high-quality content regularly, ensuring that the metatags and titles are keyword-rich and well-written, among other factors.
off-page is the optimization that takes place outside the site itself, such as backlinks. This part of the equation involves building relationships and creating content that people want to share. While it requires effort, it is essential to successful SEO.
It is a fundamental part of digital marketing because people perform millions of online searches every day, often with the commercial intent of finding information about products and services. Search is often the primary source of digital traffic for brands and complements other marketing channels. Greater visibility and higher ranking in search results than the competition can thus have a material impact on the bottom line.
However, search results have evolved in recent years to provide users with more direct answers and information, more likely to keep them on the results page rather than directing them to other sites.
In short, the is the foundation of a holistic marketing ecosystem. By understanding what website users want, you can implement that knowledge into campaigns (paid and organic).