Today, most people use search engines to find information, products, or services online. If your website doesn’t show up when people search for something related to your business, you could be missing out on a lot of traffic and potential customers.
Here’s why SEO matters:
How Does SEO Work?
SEO involves making changes to your website and content to help search engines understand what your site is about. Here are the key elements:
1. Keywords
These are the words or phrases people type into search engines. For this article, our main keyword is: “what is SEO in digital marketing?”
Using the right keywords in your content helps search engines know what your page is about. But don’t overdo it — a keyword density of 1% (around 10 times in a 1,000-word article) is ideal.
2. On-Page SEO
This includes all the changes you make on your website to improve rankings. Important on-page SEO factors:
- Title tags (like this blog’s title)
- Meta descriptions
- Headings (H1, H2, H3…)
- Keyword usage
- Alt text on images
- Internal links (linking to other pages on your site)
- URL structure (clean and readable URLs)
3. Off-Page SEO
This refers to actions taken outside your website to impact your rankings, like:
- Backlinks (links from other websites to yours)
- Social sharing
- Brand mentions
4. Technical SEO
This is more about how your website is built and includes:
- Site speed
- Mobile-friendliness
- SSL certificate (HTTPS)
- Sitemap and indexing
You don’t need to be a tech expert, but these things help search engines crawl and index your site more easily.
Types of SEO
There are different types of SEO used in digital marketing:
1. On-Page SEO
As explained above, this involves optimizing your actual website content.
2. Off-Page SEO
Getting other websites to link to yours, which increases your credibility.
3. Technical SEO
Making sure your site’s backend is working smoothly for search engines.
4. Local SEO
Optimizing for local searches like “bakery near me” or “plumber in New York”. Great for small businesses.
Best SEO Practices for Beginners (2025)
If you’re just getting started with SEO in digital marketing, here are some simple tips:
Do Keyword Research
Use free tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to find keywords related to your topic.
Write Quality Content
Google loves helpful, original content. Make sure your content solves the user’s problem.
Use Headings Properly
Break your content into sections using H2, H3 tags for better readability and structure.
Optimize Images
Add alt text to images so search engines know what the image is about.
Make It Mobile-Friendly
Most users browse on their phones. Use a responsive design that looks good on all devices.
Improve Page Speed
A slow website can hurt rankings. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to check your speed.
Internal Linking
Link to other helpful pages on your website to keep users engaged and help Google crawl your site.
How Long Does SEO Take?
SEO is not a one-time task. It’s a long-term strategy. It might take 3 to 6 months to start seeing results, but the benefits are worth it. Once your content ranks well, it can keep bringing traffic for months or even years without spending money on ads.
SEO vs. Paid Ads – What’s the Difference?
| SEO (Organic) | Paid Ads (PPC) |
| Free traffic | You pay for each click |
| Long-term results | Instant traffic, but stops when the budget ends |
| Builds trust | Seen as ads by users |
| Slower to show results | Immediate visibility |
For most businesses, a combination of SEO and paid marketing works best.
Final Thoughts: Start Small, Learn as You Go
So, what is SEO in digital marketing? It’s a powerful way to get your website seen by more people — without paying for ads. It may sound technical at first, but with a little learning and practice, anyone can start using SEO to grow online.
If you’re new to this, start small. Focus on writing helpful content, using the right keywords, and making your site user-friendly. Over time, you’ll get better — and so will your website traffic!
FAQs About SEO in Digital Marketing
1. Is SEO hard to learn?
Not really. With some time and effort, anyone can learn the basics of SEO. Many free resources are available online.
2. Do I need to hire an SEO expert?
If you have the budget, hiring an expert can speed up results. But as a beginner, you can definitely start on your own.
3. Is SEO still relevant in 2025?
Yes! SEO continues to be one of the most effective ways to get free traffic and grow your online presence.