What is SEO?

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is how businesses make their websites more visible on Google without paying for ads. Learn how it works and why it's key to online success.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. But what is SEO for? It’s all about helping your website show up when people search for things on Google and other search engines. Instead of paying for ads, SEO helps you appear naturally (or “organically”) in search results by making sure your content is clear, relevant, and trustworthy.

In South Africa, if someone types “best biltong near me” or “off-campus student digs Cape Town” into Google, SEO is what helps certain businesses show up at the top of that list. It includes everything from using the right keywords and structuring your website properly, to making sure it loads quickly and works well on mobile.

If your business wants to get found online without forking out a fortune in paid ads, SEO is the way to go.

SEO is not an exact science as Google changes its ranking algorithm a few times a month and does not notify anyone on what the actual changes are – we have to figure them out. The major changes are however released publicly but Google still does not notify us on how to optimize.