The results on search engines like Google are typically divided into two sections: paid results and organic results. There is a fee charged for each click on a search result in the paid section, but clicks on organic search results do not result in any fees. SEO focuses on the organic search results specifically, so while SEO may take more time to improve your organic search rankings, it will also result in a more sustainable form of traffic to your website.

SEO typically takes about 3-6 months to translate into improved search engine rankings, but that can vary depending on the industry and competition. SEO takes time because search engines use complex algorithms to evaluate billions of web pages online. Search engines change constantly, and there is no one way to guarantee specific rankings – otherwise, everyone would do it! It takes time to establish a strong online presence not only through your website, but through other websites that refer to you (with backlinks), and for search engine rankings to reflect that.

A backlink is a link from one web page to another, and one of the most important SEO signals that search engines like Google take into account. A large number of high-quality backlinks from other websites to yours is a sign to search engines like Google that your website is credible, authoritative and trustworthy, but a sudden influx of low-quality backlinks pointing to your website is a sign of spam that will negatively impact your website’s search results. High-quality backlink acquisition is a key element of off-page SEO.

Contrary to certain misconceptions, SEO is particularly beneficial for smaller businesses and websites that do not have the budget or resources to compete with larger businesses. That’s because SEO rewards high-quality online content with a keyword-specific focus, and consistent online outreach, and neither of those things require a prohibitively expensive initial investment. You can read more about specific SEO techniques that small businesses can use right here.

It’s important to remember that search engines change constantly, and there is no one way to guarantee specific rankings – if there were, everyone would do it, and search engines like Google would lose their legitimacy. Successful SEO is an ongoing process that utilizes a range of proven, sustainable best practices online. SEO with Ben focuses on building an excellent website experience and delivering high quality content to relevant visitors, because this is what search engines like Google recognize and value.