Supportsoft Glossary

Increasing Visibility on Search Engines

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a collection of strategies for improving a website's ranking on search engines and making it easier for users to find. Through SEO, websites can reach more users based on how they match search engines' defined variables (DVs) or quality variables (QVs). In doing so, the goal of SEO is to bring more organic traffic to the website, significantly increasing the visibility of a site for all search engines.

SEO consists of three major parts: on-page optimisation (content, keywords and meta tags), technical optimisation (site speed, site structure and mobile-friendliness) and off-page factors (backlinks, trust factors and brand quality). These three areas of SEO work together to create an ideal environment in which search engines can learn about a specific site offering. Once a site has been properly optimised for all three pieces of the SEO puzzle, search engines will know which sites are worth ranking high in the search results.

SEO is an ongoing process that must continue as algorithms and competitors change and user behaviour and expectations change over time. Businesses that have established an effective SEO strategy can take advantage of the long-term advantages provided by SEO, e.g., creating authority within the market via high levels of quality leads, thereby minimising the need to expend time, energy and resources to pay for ads. For that reason, SEO is one of the most fundamental components of any organisation looking to achieve long-term online business growth.