SEO stands for search engine optimization. It's the work of making your website show up when people search for what you offer.
Unlike ads, you don't pay per click. You do pay in time, content and effort, so it isn't really free.
The three parts
Technical SEO makes sure Google can crawl and understand your site. On-page SEO makes each page the right answer for a search. Off-page SEO builds trust through links and mentions from other websites.
Why it's worth doing
People who search are already looking. A page that ranks can keep bringing leads for years, long after you've stopped paying for its creation. Ads stop the day your budget does.
What SEO isn't
It isn't stuffing keywords or buying a hundred backlinks. Those tricks either stopped working years ago or can get your site in trouble. In 14 years I've watched many shortcuts come and go. Useful pages on a sound website have outlasted all of them.
Where to begin
Claim your Google Business Profile if you serve a local area. Set up Search Console. Then list what your customers ask before buying, and make sure your site answers those questions clearly.
Written by Aman Potlia.