What is SEO? A simple explanation for beginners

This article explains in plain terms how Google works, what makes a site rank well and where to start, whether you are a freelancer, a shop owner or running a small business.

#SEO, SEA, local SEO, GEO: what's the difference?

#How Google finds and ranks pages

#1. Crawling

#2. Indexing

#3. Ranking

For every search, Google sorts the pages in its index by relevance, quality, trustworthiness and the experience they offer. That is where SEO comes in.

#What about AI-generated answers?

#The 3 pillars of SEO

#1. Technical foundations

This is the base. If Google can't read your site properly, nothing else matters.

• Accessible: robots.txt doesn't block Google, and no important page is marked "noindex" by mistake.
• Secure: the site runs on HTTPS (the padlock in the address bar).
• Mobile-friendly: everything works and reads well on a phone.
• Fast: Google measures real experience with the Core Web Vitals (main content shown in 2.5 seconds or less, response to clicks in 200 milliseconds or less, no jumping elements). See our website speed guide.
• Structured: clean URLs, a sitemap, and structured data describing your business.

#2. Content

Google looks for the page that best answers the question asked. Good content:

• answers one clear intent (one page per service, one page per important question);
• is complete without padding: Google says in its own guidelines that it has no preferred word count;
• shows your real experience: examples, past work, photos, verifiable figures;
• is kept up to date, especially prices, opening hours and legal information.

#3. Authority

A link from another website to yours (a backlink) works like a recommendation. A few links from serious sites related to your field are worth more than hundreds of unrelated ones. You earn them by being visible and useful: partners, suppliers, associations, local press, professional directories. Buying links breaks Google's rules and can push a site down.

#Keywords: start from your clients' questions

A keyword is simply what people type into Google: "plumber Schaerbeek", "website cost Belgium", "how to get on Google".

For a new website, target the long tail and local searches first: they are easier to win and bring visitors who are ready to act.

#Local SEO: essential for a business in Belgium

#How long before you see results?

• Indexing of a new page: a few days to a few weeks.
• First rankings on less contested searches: 3 to 6 months.
• Competitive searches: 6 to 12 months, sometimes more.

These timelines depend on competition, the age of the site and the work put in. Anyone who guarantees first place within a week is not telling the truth.

#The most common mistakes

• Stuffing pages with keywords: it reads badly and Google notices.
• Publishing lots of thin content, including texts mass-produced by AI: Google has treated it as spam since 2024.
• Neglecting mobile and speed.
• Forgetting your Google Business Profile when you serve local clients.
• Redesigning a site without redirects: well-ranked pages vanish.

#Where to start: 5 actions

1. Add your website to Google Search Console, submit the sitemap, and do the same in Bing Webmaster Tools (Bing also powers Copilot and part of ChatGPT search). The step-by-step is in how to get on Google.
2. Create or complete your Google Business Profile.
3. Check the technical basics: HTTPS, mobile display, a PageSpeed Insights test.
4. Polish your key pages: title, description, H1 and links between your pages.
5. Publish useful content regularly: one good guide a month beats four empty articles.

#Do it yourself or get help?

#Frequently asked questions

#What does SEO stand for?

Search engine optimisation. It covers the work that makes a website visible in organic (unpaid) search results, as opposed to SEA, search engine advertising.

#Is SEO free?

Clicks from Google are free, but the work isn't: it takes your time or a professional's. It is an investment that keeps paying off as long as the site is maintained.

#Does SEO still work with AI?

Yes. Answers from Google's AI Overviews, AI Mode or ChatGPT draw on crawled pages and cite their sources. A fast, well-structured, trustworthy site is more likely to be picked. AI changes how people search, not the need to be findable.

#How long does it take to reach page one?

From 3 months for low-competition searches to 12 months or more for very contested ones. Local SEO can move faster if your Google Business Profile is complete.

#How many articles should I publish?

There is no quota. Publish when you have a client question to answer in depth. One useful article, updated regularly, is worth more than a string of short pieces with no value.

#I'm short on time: what should I do first?

Your Google Business Profile, then your service pages (a clear title, text that answers your clients' questions, a visible contact button). Those two actions pay off fastest.