What is SEO? A Friendly Guide to Getting Found

If you’ve ever wondered why some websites pop up on the first page of Google and others are buried, you’re asking the right question: what is SEO? Think of SEO—search engine optimization—as the art and science of helping search engines understand your content so real people can find it. I’ll walk you through the basics in plain language, share practical examples, and point you to useful resources if you want to dig deeper.

Why SEO matters (especially for your career)

Whether you’re building a personal blog, growing a small business, or carving out a career in digital marketing, SEO matters. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to get organic (non-paid) traffic to your site. For people in the Carrere category or anyone looking to pivot into tech, mastering SEO can open doors—freelance gigs, in-house roles, or agency work.

SEO broken down: the three pillars

SEO can feel huge, but it really sits on three main pillars. Treat each like a part of a house: if one pillar is weak, the whole thing suffers.

1. On-page SEO

This is all the stuff you control on your pages: titles, headings, content quality, keyword usage, and images (with alt text). Imagine writing a blog post about baking sourdough—on-page SEO makes sure you use clear headings like “How to start a sourdough starter” so both people and search engines understand the page.

2. Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO is about reputation and trust. Backlinks from other reputable sites act like votes saying, “This content is valuable.” Good tactics here include guest posts, partnerships, and being active in communities related to your niche.

3. Technical SEO

Technical SEO is the foundation: site speed, mobile-friendliness, secure connections (HTTPS), proper use of structured data, and crawlability. It’s less glamorous, but a slow, buggy site will struggle no matter how great your content is.

How search engines actually work (in a friendly nutshell)

Search engines like Google crawl the web, index pages, and rank them based on hundreds of signals. Those signals include relevance (how well the content matches the search), authority (backlinks and reputation), and user experience (page speed, mobile usability). If you want the official best practices, Google’s own documentation is a reliable place to start: Google Search Central.

Practical SEO steps you can take today

No fancy tools required—just a few steady habits:

• Write for people first. Use clear headings and answer real questions your audience has.
• Do basic keyword research. Use simple terms your audience would type. Free tools or even Google’s suggestions can help.
• Optimize titles and meta descriptions to be descriptive and inviting.
• Improve page speed: compress images, use a good host, and enable caching.
• Get a few quality backlinks—reach out to relevant blogs or collaborate on content.

Common SEO myths (and the truth)

There are a lot of myths floating around. Here are a few I hear all the time:

Myth: SEO is all about keywords

Truth: Keywords are important, but context and intent matter more. Search engines now interpret meaning, so create content that truly answers users’ needs.

Myth: You need to rank #1 immediately

Truth: SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Small, consistent improvements lead to growth over time.

Tools and resources to learn more

If you want a friendly, structured intro, Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO is a great read. For hands-on practice, set up a small site or blog, track a few keywords, and monitor changes. I learned a ton just by experimenting—publishing posts, tweaking titles, and watching what moved the needle.

Real-life example: a mini case study

A friend of mine started a local photography blog with three posts and no SEO knowledge. Over six months, by optimizing titles, adding alt text to images, and asking local partners for backlinks, she grew her organic traffic by 300%. The content didn’t change dramatically—she just made it easier for search engines and people to understand what the pages were about.

SEO and your career in Carrere

Want to make SEO part of your professional toolbox? Start small: learn the basics, practice on your own site, and document results. Employers love candidates who can show measurable improvements. If you’re building a portfolio, include before-and-after screenshots, traffic graphs, and a short write-up of the steps you took.

Final thoughts

SEO isn’t magic. It’s a set of techniques rooted in understanding users and making your site easy to find and use. Start with good content, keep the technical basics tidy, and be patient. Over time, the cumulative effect of small improvements pays off.

If you want more practical tips or a checklist to get started, check out the resources above or explore other posts in the site. And if you have a specific question—say, about on-page optimization or keyword ideas—ask me and I’ll help you brainstorm.