SEO Is Search Engine Optimization

Sometimes, people and businesses throw around acronyms just to sound cool. They do not actually know what the acronyms mean, but by using them, they sound intelligent. Because nobody else knows what those acronyms mean, and no one wants to look dumb, no one asks for clarification. It is like the emperor and his new clothes. The smartest of those who won’t ask about the acronym will go to the Internet and see of the acronym exists there. One question that every business on the web should ask is “What is SEO?” 

Search Engine Optimization

Every search engine has its own algorithm that it uses to sort the millions of websites out there. That algorithm is designed to give those who are doing the searching websites that are relevant to the search terms that they put in the search engine.

Early SEO efforts consisted of embedding words at zero point font or with a color the same as the background in order to fool the search engines into putting that page at the top. Even if the word had nothing to do with the website, it would show up as one or two in the search and get hits, which would convert into sales enough that it was worth it, especially since people would get mad at the search engine for returning terrible results.

Now the algorithms are much more sophisticated. They include backlinks, hits, and all sorts of things that people can only guess at because the algorithms are secret. In fact, most search engines count it against a page if a term is used too often. So it isn’t just what is on a page, but what isn’t. 

Why Is It Important? 

So what is SEO? SEO is the way that your company gets its website to the top of the search page without having to pay for it. People may click on the top one or two, but being on the second page of a search is rarely helpful. If people are not clicking on your website, you are losing sales opportunities. Virtual real estate is becoming more important than tangible land.