SEO FAQs: meaning, how it works, and key concepts
If you work with a website, run an online business, or are simply curious about how Google works, there’s one thing that comes up again and again: the same SEO questions.
It doesn’t matter whether I’m talking to entrepreneurs, small business owners, writers, or people who are just starting out online. The doubts are almost always the same.
That’s exactly why this article exists.
👉 This isn’t theory pulled from a textbook.
👉 It’s a collection of the questions people ask me over and over about SEO, explained without unnecessary jargon, with clear examples and in the right order, so everything actually makes sense.
Let’s take it step by step.
What does SEO mean?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.
In simple terms, SEO is everything you do to help a website appear in Google when someone searches for something related to your business, your content, or your services.
What is SEO?
SEO is the set of strategies and actions that help a website rank better in Google’s organic search results (the ones that aren’t ads).
When someone searches for something and clicks on a result that doesn’t say “Ad,” that’s SEO traffic.
And no—showing up there isn’t accidental.
What is SEO and what is it used for?
SEO has one very clear purpose:
👉 to help people find you without paying for every single click.
Good SEO allows you to:
- attract qualified traffic
- build long-term visibility
- gain trust
- increase sales over time
It’s not magic. It’s strategy, consistency, and doing things properly.
How does SEO work?
Think of Google as a massive automated library. The process works roughly like this:
- Crawling: Google discovers new or updated pages
- Indexing: Google stores those pages in its index
- Ranking: Google decides which pages appear first
SEO is about making Google’s job easier and showing it that your content deserves to rank at the top.
What is a spider in SEO?
A spider (or bot) is the software Google uses to crawl websites.
It visits your site, reads the content, follows links, and tries to understand what each page is about.
If your site is slow or poorly structured, the spider gets lost—and that hurts your SEO.
What is SEO ranking?
SEO ranking simply refers to the position your page holds in Google for a specific search.
Being in position #1 is not the same as being in position #25.
Most clicks go to the top results.
What are keywords in SEO?
Keywords are the words and phrases people type into Google.
SEO isn’t about repeating keywords endlessly. It’s about:
- understanding what people are actually looking for
- creating content that matches that intent
- using real, natural language
When you do this well, Google understands it—and rewards it.
What are meta keywords?
Meta keywords mattered many years ago, but today they have no impact on rankings.
Google no longer uses them as a ranking factor.
People still ask about them, which is why it’s worth clearing this up.
What is a referring domain?
A referring domain is an external website that links to your site.
It’s not just about how many links you have, but where they come from.
One good link from a relevant website can be more valuable than dozens of low-quality ones.
What is technical SEO?
Technical SEO focuses on how well your website works behind the scenes:
- page speed
- proper indexing
- clear structure
- user experience
If the technical foundation is weak, content alone won’t be enough.
What is local SEO?
Local SEO helps a business appear when someone searches for services in a specific area.
For example:
“dentist in London” or “restaurant near me”.
This is where things like:
- Google Business Profile
- reviews
- location
- consistent business information
really matter.
What is organic SEO?
Organic SEO refers to traffic that comes naturally from Google, without paid ads.
It’s the most stable and profitable type of traffic long term—but it requires time and patience.
What is paid SEO?
Many people search for “paid SEO,” thinking they can pay Google to rank higher. In reality, what they’re referring to is SEM or Google Ads.
You pay to appear, and when you stop paying—you disappear.
It’s not bad, but it doesn’t replace SEO.
White Hat SEO vs Black Hat SEO
- White Hat SEO: best practices, sustainable growth
- Black Hat SEO: shortcuts, high risk
It might look tempting in the short term, but in the long run, Google always catches up.
What is ROI in SEO?
ROI measures whether SEO is actually delivering real results.
It’s not just about traffic—it’s about:
- leads
- sales
- real business opportunities
Good SEO isn’t measured by empty visits, but by real impact.
SEO FAQs: final thoughts
If you’ve made it this far, you’ve probably noticed something:
SEO isn’t as complicated as it seems when someone explains it clearly.
This article exists because these are the questions people ask me the most, again and again.
And because understanding SEO properly is the first step to using it well—without myths or empty promises.