What is SEO in Digital Marketing?

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the art and science of getting people to find your website, visit it and stay on it. It’s the process of ensuring your website ranks well in search results, attracts visitors and keeps them engaged.

But with 93% of online experiences starting on a search engine — and only 9% of content getting traffic — standing out isn’t easy.

At Zoe Marketing & Communications, we help businesses navigate SEO with strategic, ethical strategies. Here, we’ll break down SEO into three key areas, including on-site, technical and off-site SEO. Plus, you’ll learn how it’s evolving and best practices to follow.

What SEO does in digital marketing

SEO helps your website rank higher on Google and other search engines. The goal is to:

• Increase visibility
• Get clicks
• Keep visitors engaged

Most users never go past the first page of search results. That’s why appearing near the top is critical. SEO helps your content meet Google’s standards while making your site a trusted resource for users.

The 3 core components of SEO

SEO is built on three main areas: on-site SEO, technical SEO and off-site SEO.

1. On-site SEO: What’s on your website

On-site SEO focuses on optimizing your website’s content and structure to improve rankings.

• Content quality: Every page should provide value, be well-written and include relevant images or videos.
• Keyword research: Identify search terms people use to find businesses like yours. Use tools like Google Analytics or Semrush.
• Meta tags: Your title tag (50-60 characters) and meta description (150-160 characters) should clearly describe your page and include keywords.
• Internal links: Connect relevant pages on your website to guide users and improve rankings.

2. Technical SEO: The behind-the-scenes factors

Technical SEO ensures your website is fast, user-friendly and easy for search engines to crawl.

• Website speed: Pages should load in 1-2 seconds or visitors may leave.
• Mobile optimization: Your site must look and function well on all devices.
• Sitemap setup: Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console so search engines can index your pages.
• Security: A secure site (HTTPS) with an SSL certificate protects user data and improves trust.
• Clean URL structure: URLs should be short, clear and under 75 characters for easy indexing.
• Duplicate content fixes: Use canonical tags or 301 redirects to avoid SEO penalties.

3. Off-site SEO: External credibility

Off-site SEO builds authority and credibility through links and mentions from other sites.

• Backlinks: Earn links from reputable sources to signal authority.
• Local SEO: List your business on directories like Google Business Profile.
• Brand mentions: Even when not linked, mentions of your company add credibility.
• Social media: While it doesn’t directly impact SEO, it increases visibility and brand awareness.

How SEO is evolving

SEO is always changing. Here are a few key trends shaping the future:

• Core web vitals: Google prioritizes fast, stable and mobile-friendly sites.
• Experience-focused SEO: Google’s EEAT framework now adds “experience” to expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness — favoring firsthand knowledge.
• Helpful content: Google rewards content that provides real value over keyword-stuffed articles.
• AI-driven search results: As AI tools evolve, clear, concise answers will rank higher.

Ethical SEO practices

“Black hat” tactics, like keyword stuffing or misleading content, can hurt your rankings. Stick to “white hat” SEO by:

• Writing content for people, not algorithms.
• Using keywords naturally in titles, descriptions and headers.
• Building backlinks through quality content and honest outreach.

Next steps for a strong SEO strategy

SEO is an ongoing effort that requires attention to content, technical performance and external credibility.

If you need help improving your rankings, talk to us. Zoe Marketing & Communications can create an SEO strategy tailored to your business.

Want to keep learning? Discover:

• What a pillar page is and how it can improve your SEO
• Top tactics for a full-funnel marketing strategy