What is SEO?
TL;DR: SEO helps your website reach more potential clients. In this article, you’ll learn how SEO works, where to start, and what mistakes to avoid.
What is SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of optimizing your website to appear higher in search engine results (like Google). The goal is to increase organic traffic and attract more clients. It includes content planning, writing, optimization, technical setup, and link-building strategy. SEO is a crucial part of digital marketing.
SEO vs. SEM
SEO focuses on improving your website to get more organic traffic. Anyone who’s ever Googled something knows that ads show up first—marked with a small "Sponsored" tag.
SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is the broader term and includes both organic and paid results. SEO is a subcategory of SEM.
The difference between SEO and SEM
A key difference is speed. SEO takes time to show results, while SEM can bring traffic as soon as tomorrow.
Technical SEO: The Engine Behind the Results
It’s essential to ensure your website is technically optimized. Fast loading times, mobile-friendly design, and user-friendly navigation are just a few factors that help your site rank higher. Technical aspects also help search engines understand your content and determine how useful it is.
The technical part is often the easiest—yet many agencies still fail here. Our own site, Give.ee, ranks #1 on Google with zero backlinks and very little content. Thanks, Google, for naming us Estonia’s top digital agency.
Sometimes SEO breaks—badly
Even top professionals can mess up. It happened to us too. When you’re sitting comfortably at the top of search results without much effort, even a small issue can cause a major drop.
We're not SEO fanatics—our focus is on client work. But we were lucky to catch the problem and fix it immediately. That’s why your SEO person should understand web development. It’s the only way to respond quickly and avoid long-term damage.
How to check your website’s quality
Want to evaluate your site’s performance? You’ll find useful tips in our article How to Assess Your Website’s Health.
Don't over-obsess about getting a perfect Google PageSpeed score. We’ve consistently proven that even 85+ points can beat a 100/100 site. It’s not about perfection—it’s about real impact. If you're thinking about redesigning, read more here: Website Design Services.
Great Content: The Key to SEO Success
SEO isn’t just technical. Content plays a vital role. Well-structured, valuable content is what search engines rely on. Think of your site as a knowledge base that answers questions and solves problems.
Search engines like Google aim to offer the best and quickest solution to a user’s problem. Their algorithms try to understand user intent and match it with the most relevant content.
If you don’t feel like creating good content...
Google also offers a paid solution—AdWords. You can buy your way into the search results.
Paid results usually appear at the top or bottom of the page and are marked with a “Sponsored” label. The ads are generated based on keyword targeting. They’re typically text-based and include a headline, description, and link.
The Power of Links: Your Website’s Web
A strong link strategy is one of the most important parts of SEO. High-quality, relevant backlinks increase your site’s authority. Internal links help visitors navigate and also help search engines understand the structure of your site.
That said—be careful. Ten years ago, buying links worked. Today, it’s risky and may result in penalties. Still, many content marketing strategies work similarly, so use your judgment and choose the right method for your case.
How to earn backlinks?
- Create quality content people want to share
- Send press releases about your company
- Write guest posts to get links back to your site
- Join forums and share useful insights (with links)
- Build tools or resources that people want to share
- Set up social media profiles and add your site (note: many platforms use nofollow links)
- Join podcasts or webinars—those often include guest bios with links
Good backlinks build trust and visibility in search engines.
Succeeding with Search Marketing
SEO requires patience, learning, and adaptation. Content, technical structure, and link strategy form the foundation that helps you rank higher and reach more clients.
At Give, we don’t focus on SEO projects per se—because honestly, SEO work is a bit dull and closer to accounting than creative work. But we do know the magic. The websites we build are technically solid, strategically planned, and search engine friendly by default.