What Is SEO, Exactly? How It Works and Why It’s Important

Dec 10

If you have a website, you’ve probably heard that you “need SEO.” But what is SEO, exactly? And why does everyone keep talking about how to improve SEO like it’s oxygen for your business?

Quick answer: SEO (search engine optimization) is the process of improving your website so it appears in search results when people look for topics related to your business. The better optimized your site is, the easier it is for your ideal customer to find you.

In this guide, we’ll cover how SEO optimization works, why it matters, and how you can start improving your own SEO today.

How Does SEO Work?

SEO works by helping search engines (like Google) understand what your website is about, and whether it’s trustworthy, relevant, and helpful enough to show to searchers.

Behind the scenes, search engines are constantly crawling, indexing, and evaluating websites. SEO optimization helps your pages stand out during that process.

Here’s how SEO works in simple, human terms:

Search engines crawl your website to understand your content and structure.
They index your pages so they can be shown in search results.
They evaluate your content based on relevance, clarity, keyword usage, and how helpful it is.
They assess your site’s credibility through backlinks, user engagement, and technical performance.
They rank your pages based on how well they answer a searcher’s question.

The more clearly your site communicates what you do — and the more helpful it is — the more likely you are to rank.

Why Is SEO Important?

SEO is one of the most valuable (and cost-effective) ways to get people to your website without paying for ads.

A strong SEO strategy helps you:

Show up when people are actively searching for what you offer. (because no matter how great your offer and website are… it doesn’t matter if the person that needs you or your business can’t find you!).
Drive high-quality, high-intent traffic that is more likely to convert.
Build trust and credibility with potential customers. Why? Because if you rank high on Google, your customer is more likely to understand that your business is an experienced expert in your area. Plus, regular webpage updates and blog posts ensure your business looks active and trustworthy.
Reduce reliance on paid ads and social media algorithms.
Improve your website overall. Speed, structure, accessibility, and clarity all get better as you incorporate SEO optimization.
Create long-term results. A well-optimized page can bring in traffic for months or years.

Are people still searching on Google? How does AI fit into SEO?

Here’s the thing: people live on Google. Google brought in 83.9 billion global visits in August 2025, a 0.42% increase from the same month last year.

That said, AI is changing how people search and how Google displays results. Google now uses AI to generate summaries and highlight key answers from content it trusts. If your website is clear, well-structured, and search engine optimized, you’re far more likely to be featured in these AI-driven results instead of being skipped over.

In short, it’s essential to optimize for both traditional search and AI-powered results by providing your audience with clear, well-formatted information.

What Is an Example of SEO?

Let’s say you’re a wedding photographer in Atlanta. If someone types “Atlanta wedding photographer” into Google, you want your website to appear near the top.

SEO might include:

Adding the keyword “Atlanta wedding photographer” naturally throughout your homepage.
Making sure your images have descriptive alt text.
Writing helpful blog posts like “How to Choose a Wedding Photographer in Atlanta.”
Making sure your site loads quickly and is mobile-friendly.
Getting backlinks from local vendors or publications.

This is only scratching the surface of SEO straty, but all of these steps help search engines connect your business with people searching for that exact service.

Can You Do SEO By Yourself?

Yes, you can do SEO on your own. Many business owners start that way. But it does take time, consistency, and a basic understanding of how search engines evaluate your website.

You can absolutely DIY your SEO if you’re willing to:

Learn the basics of keyword research
Create helpful, structured content
Improve your site’s speed and user experience
Optimize your titles, headings, images, and metadata
Keep your website updated and organized
Track what’s working (and what isn’t)

However, bringing in an SEO copywriter or strategist can save you a lot of time (especially when it comes to keyword strategy, content planning, and writing engaging website copy). SEO experts can also keep your site and content updated when Google changes its algorithm, and as new AI optimization techniques emerge.

If you’re ready to take SEO off your plate, or you want expert support building a strategy that works across both traditional search and AI-powered results, I’ve got you. You can explore my SEO copywriting and blog strategy services to see how we can work together.

Megan Kitzmiller