What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and why is it important?

Search engine optimization, or SEO (Search Engine Optimization), is a crucial discipline within digital marketing, aimed at improving a website's visibility on search engines like Google.

When a website or webshop is properly optimized, it will rank higher in search results, increasing the chances that potential customers will click on the site. 

But what exactly is SEO, and why is it so important?
Read on to gain a deeper understanding of SEO and how it differs from SEA.

What is SEO?

SEO is about optimizing your website to meet both user and search engine requirements. It is a long-term strategy focusing on organic traffic, meaning you do not pay directly to be displayed on the search results page. By improving your site’s structure, content, and relevance, you can create a better user experience, which in turn will improve your rankings in search results.

The most important aspects of SEO

• On-page SEO: This refers to optimizing the content and structure of your own website. It includes keywords in titles, meta descriptions, the use of keywords from keyword analysis, image optimization, and internal link structure.
• Off-page SEO: This part focuses on factors outside your website, such as backlinks (external links from other sites to your own), which help build authority and credibility.
• Technical SEO: Technical SEO involves optimizing the technical aspects of the website, such as fast loading time, mobile-friendliness, and security (e.g., HTTPS protocol).

All these elements work together to ensure that your website is not only user-friendly but also search engine-friendly.

If you use the Flex4B system, we take care of the technical SEO, so you don’t have to do anything there. However, this cannot stand alone if you want high rankings on, for example, Google.

Why is SEO important?

SEO is crucial for your website’s success for several reasons. First and foremost, it allows you to achieve better rankings in search engines, meaning you become more visible to your target audience. The higher your website ranks, the more likely users will click on your link rather than your competitors'.

SEO also offers a long-term investment in your business. Once you build a solid SEO structure, the results will last a long time, even if you stop actively optimizing your site. This is a significant advantage compared to paid strategies, which stop as soon as you no longer pay for them.

SEO vs SEA – What is the difference?

A commonly overlooked difference in digital marketing is the distinction between SEO and SEA. Although both aim to increase visibility in search engines, there are some fundamental differences between the two.

SEO – Organic Traffic

As mentioned earlier, SEO refers to optimizing your website to achieve better rankings in organic search results. This means you do not pay directly for your rankings. Organic traffic is the result of long-term efforts that improve the visibility of your website/webshop over time.

The advantages of SEO are that it can deliver a stable and sustained flow of visitors when implemented correctly.

SEA – Paid Traffic

SEA (Search Engine Advertising) refers to paid advertising on search engines like Google. Here, you pay to have your ad displayed at the top of search results, often marked as an "Ad" or "Sponsored." SEA operates on a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) basis, meaning you pay each time a user clicks on your ad.

Difference between SEO and SEA?

The difference between SEA and SEO is that SEA provides immediate results but requires ongoing investment. SEO, on the other hand, is a long-term strategy that takes time and maintenance but can offer lasting results without ongoing costs.

When should you choose SEO, and when SEA?

The choice between SEO and SEA depends on your business goals and budget. If you want quick results and have a marketing budget for it, SEA may be the right choice for you. If, however, you are looking for a long-term solution that can provide stable organic traffic over time, SEO is the way forward.

It should not necessarily be either SEO or SEA.
Many businesses choose to combine both strategies. In the short term, SEA can deliver quick results, while SEO gradually builds organic visibility, reducing dependence on paid campaigns in the future.

Generally, any website looking for visitors, sales, customers, etc., should have a strong focus on SEO.

Want to learn more?

We have created a comprehensive guide to Search Engine Optimization / SEO.
It covers all aspects of SEO and delves much deeper, so you can learn how to work effectively with SEO.

If you would like help with search engine optimization, contact Flex4Business ApS

We can also assist with tools like MorningScore to help with SEO.