How SEO Works

Search engines use crawlers to scan the web. These bots read your site’s content, index the pages, and assess relevance based on many factors including keywords, structure, links, and performance.

The goal of SEO is to align your content with what search engines look for, so it appears in search results when someone searches for a related topic.

Here are the main components:

• On-page SEO: optimizing titles, headings, content, and internal links

• Technical SEO: improving page speed, mobile usability, site structure, and crawlability

• Off-page SEO: earning backlinks from other websites to signal trust and authority
  
  
  

Why SEO Still Matters in 2025

Organic search remains one of the strongest sources of traffic for most websites. It brings users who are actively looking for something, whether it’s information, a service, or a product.

Unlike paid ads, traffic from SEO persists even after the budget is exhausted. Good SEO compounds over time.

Google continues to refine its understanding of and ranking for content. While AI-driven tools are growing in popularity, people continue to rely on search engines for decision-making, product research, and learning.

SEO Strategies That Work in 2025

SEO hasn’t disappeared, but it has changed. Here are the approaches that matter now:

1. Focus on Search Intent

Understand what the user is looking for. Are they trying to learn, compare, or make a purchase? Align your content to match that intent.

Example:

• A “how-to” article fits an informational intent

• A product comparison fits a commercial intent

• A pricing page fits a transactional intent

2. Write Clearly and Use Headings

Structure matters. Use H1, H2, and H3 headings to organize your text. Make it easy to scan. Include your target keyword in the title and opening paragraph, but keep it natural.

3. Improve Site Speed

Google considers page speed a ranking factor. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to identify performance issues. Compress images, minimize scripts, and reduce unnecessary elements.

4. Build Internal Links

Link related pages to each other. This helps search engines crawl your site and understand topic clusters. It also improves user navigation.

5. Earn Quality Backlinks

When other websites link to yours, it sends a signal of credibility. Focus on obtaining links from relevant, trustworthy sites, whether through partnerships, guest content, or helpful resources.

6. Optimize for Mobile

Most searches happen on mobile devices. Ensure your site loads quickly and displays correctly on all devices, including phones and tablets.

7. Use Structured Data

Adding schema markup (such as FAQ, Product, or Article) helps search engines understand the content type more accurately. It can also make your listing stand out with rich snippets.

SEO vs. AEO

While SEO targets traditional search engines, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) focuses on being cited by AI tools. Both are important. The best approach is to write content that is useful, accurate, and well-structured.

Want to Improve Your SEO?
If organic growth is a priority, SEO should be part of your ongoing strategy. Either you’re updating old pages or building new ones, consistency matters. Need help figuring out where to start? Start by reviewing your current content. Look for what’s missing, what can be improved, and what’s already working. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress that compounds over time. Want support? Get in touch with RZLT to see how we help teams make content that performs.