What is SEO?

SEO, an acronym for Search Engine Optimization, is a digital marketing discipline encompassing all practices aimed at improving a website's visibility in the organic — unpaid — results of search engines like Google, Bing, or Yandex.

Unlike paid advertising (SEM/PPC), SEO aims to generate traffic sustainably and long-term through technical site optimisation, creating relevant content, and building authority via external links.

According to 2026 statistics, 53% of all web traffic comes from organic searches, making SEO one of the most crucial acquisition channels for any online business.

The term SEO emerged in the mid-1990s, shortly after the first search engines like Archie (1990), Yahoo! (1994), and AltaVista (1995) appeared. However, it was the arrival of Google in 1998 and its PageRank algorithm that revolutionised the discipline.

Over the years, Google has released significant updates that have transformed SEO: Panda (2011, content quality), Penguin (2012, toxic links), Hummingbird (2013, semantic search), RankBrain (2015, machine learning), BERT (2019, natural language processing), and regular Core Updates that constantly redefine best practices.

In 2024-2026, with the advent of AI Overviews and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), SEO has entered a new era where generative engines also play a fundamental role.

Search engines operate through three main processes that SEO aims to optimise:

1. Crawling: Bots like Googlebot traverse the web by following links to discover new pages. Technical SEO ensures these pages are accessible via robots.txt, sitemap.xml, and a clean architecture.
2. Indexing: Once discovered, pages are analysed and stored in the search engine's index. This involves aspects like Schema Markup, meta tags, and HTML quality.
3. Ranking: When a user performs a search, the algorithm evaluates hundreds of signals (over 200 according to Google) to determine which pages to display and in what order. Key signals include content relevance, domain authority, user experience (Core Web Vitals), and E-E-A-T factors.

SEO acts across all three phases, optimising technical aspects, content, and external authority to maximise the chances of appearing in top positions.

SEO best practices in 2026 include:

• Search intent: Before creating content, identify what the user is truly looking for. Search intent (informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial) determines the content's format and approach.
• Quality content: Google values in-depth, original, and useful content. Apply E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
• Technical SEO: Optimise Core Web Vitals, implement Schema Markup, ensure HTTPS, and a clear URL architecture.
• Ethical link building: Backlinks remain a crucial ranking factor. Prioritise quality over quantity and focus on Digital PR and linkable content.
• Semantic content: Use content clusters and topical authority to dominate entire topics.
• Mobile-first: Google indexes with the mobile version of your site, so ensure it's responsive and fast.

A practical example of an SEO strategy for an e-commerce site:

1. Keyword research: Identify terms like "women's running shoes" (2,400 searches/month) and long-tail terms such as "women's running shoes pronation size 38" (50 searches/month but high purchase intent).
2. Architecture: Create clear categories: /women/running/, /women/running/pronation/.
3. Content: Each product page with a unique 300+ word description, technical specifications, and genuine reviews.
4. Technical SEO: Implement Schema Product, optimise WebP images, lazy-loading.
5. Link building: Secure mentions in running blogs and sports magazines.
6. Measurement: Monitor positions in Google Search Console and traffic in Google Analytics.

Typical result: +180% organic traffic in 6-12 months, improved conversion rate, and lower cost per acquisition.