SEO basics for beginners
What is SEO and why does it matter
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a set of practices aimed at improving the visibility of a website in search engine results (e.g. Google). It is not a one-time task, but a long-term process that connects content, technical website settings, and user experience.
Well-implemented SEO:
increases organic traffic,
attracts relevant users,
enhances brand credibility,
operates without constant advertisement spending.
How search engines work (briefly and factually)
Search engines operate in three basic steps:
Crawling – robots discover new and updated pages.
Indexing – the content is stored in the search engine's database.
Ranking – algorithms decide which pages appear and in what order.
The ranking is influenced by hundreds of factors, but initially, it's advisable to focus on the key ones.
Search engines aim to deliver the best possible answer to a user's specific query. Therefore, SEO begins with understanding what people are actually searching for.
The foundational pillars of SEO
1. Content
Content must be useful, clear, and address specific user queries. Today, search engines easily distinguish between superficial texts and quality, expert articles.
Important elements:
working with keywords (naturally, not forcefully),
clear structure using headers (H1–H3),
text relevance and expertise.
Practical example
Instead of a general article titled ‘Our Services’, a text like:
‘How to choose the right invoicing tool for freelancers in 2026’ – clear subject, specific target audience, high relevance.
2. Technical SEO
Technical settings determine whether a website is readable for both search engines and users.
Basic areas:
loading speed,
mobile optimisation,
correct URL structure,
security (HTTPS).
Technical errors, such as a slow website or poor mobile optimisation, can significantly lower search rankings, even if the content is of high quality.
3. Authority and trustworthiness
Search engines assess if a website is a trustworthy source.
This is mainly influenced by:
quality backlinks,
content consistency,
transparency (author, contact, references).
Keywords: basic orientation
Keywords represent expressions users type into search engines. Choosing the right ones determines which queries a website will appear in response to.
For practice, working with natural language and whole phrases, rather than isolated words, is crucial.
We distinguish between:
short general words (higher competition),
longer phrases (long-tail keywords) – lower competition, higher relevance.
Where keywords belong
Main header (H1)
Subheaders (H2, H3)
page text
meta description
Page structure and its impact on SEO
Well-structured content assists both search engines and readers, helping users swiftly orientate and search engines to understand the content's meaning.
Principles of functional structure:
one clear H1 header,
logical division using H2 and H3,
short paragraphs,
highlighting key terms (bold, italic).
SEO is not a technical trick but a systematic approach to content, structure, and website clarity. These factors determine long-term visibility in search engines.
How to know if SEO works
The success of SEO is evaluated by:
increased organic traffic,
improved positions for specific queries (keywords),
user behaviour (time on page, returns),
conversions (enquiries, registrations).
Common mistakes
keyword stuffing,
missing text structure,
duplicate content on multiple pages,
writing primarily ‘for the search engine’ instead of the reader.
