What is SEO?

Appearing among the top search results on the internet is one of the main goals of a well-rounded digital marketing strategy. To achieve this, SEO strategies, Search Engine Optimization, are used, consisting of specific actions aimed at improving a website’s ranking. Would you like to understand what these strategies involve and the professional potential behind them and their tools?

At the end of the last century, search engine positioning began to gain attention. The first search engines, such as Yahoo!, AltaVista, and Google, emerged, and with them came competition among websites to reach the top ten results. It was at this point that professionals specializing in digital marketing began studying how these systems worked, with the goal of helping the websites they managed climb the rankings. This is how the concept of search engine optimization was born: SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Over nearly three decades, countless changes have taken place. These strategies have evolved in line with the rules set by major companies. As these rules change, specialists must continuously update their knowledge and remain competitive in securing top positions on search engine results pages. The importance of these actions, along with the need to increase online visibility, has made SEO experts, including consultants, analysts, and specialists, highly valued professionals. This has opened up a wide range of opportunities for both individuals and companies or agencies specializing in this field.

This article explores what SEO is, the different types of search, the various approaches to search engine positioning, and what to study to become an SEO specialist, a profession with strong current demand and promising future prospects.

What types of searches exist?

To better understand what SEO is and how search engine positioning works, it is essential to know the different types of searches. Understanding how users behave, how they formulate queries, what they expect to find, and how to capture their attention is key. Experts typically identify four main types:

• Navigational search

• Informational search

In this case, users are looking for information on a specific topic, article, or product. This is where properly implemented SEO strategies tend to deliver strong results. Since users are actively seeking answers, it creates the ideal opportunity for a well-positioned website or blog to capture their attention and build engagement.

• Transactional search

This type of search refers to users who want to purchase a product or service or find a specific store. They often include brand or product names in their queries, making these searches particularly valuable for e-commerce businesses.

• Local search

Users add location-based information to narrow results, allowing brands to compete more effectively. Searches may include cities, neighborhoods, regions, or countries.

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How SEO works

SEO positioning involves implementing a range of techniques and strategies aimed at increasing a website’s visibility in search engines. But how does SEO actually work? The key lies in selecting the right approach based on a company’s resources, target market, and, most importantly, its audience anticipating how users will search for products and services online.

Some of the most commonly used actions include:

• Using keywords that users might enter when searching for a brand, product, or service.
• Creating high-quality content that enriches the website, something Google tends to reward.
• Designing an intuitive website that adapts to different digital devices.
• Optimizing site performance to ensure fast and smooth navigation.
• Maintaining an active and high-quality presence on social media.
• Structuring the site’s internal functionality using appropriate files and code.

This last point deserves special attention. There are specific elements grouped under technical SEO that are essential for ensuring proper indexing and improving search engine positioning. These optimizations focus on the internal structure of the site, including code and web architecture. Key aspects include:

• Sitemap.xml: a file that lists all the URLs on a website included in Google’s database. Any page you want indexed must appear in this sitemap.
• Robots.txt: closely related to the sitemap, this file contains instructions for search engines indicating which pages should or should not be indexed. Commands include ‘allow’ and ‘disallow’.
• Meta tags such as ‘title’, ‘description’, ‘h1’, ‘h2’, and ‘alt’ (for images): these should always include the keyword you want to rank for.

To support these activities, various SEO tools have been developed to streamline the process. These are just a few examples, but many more techniques exist. All of these actions fall under different types of SEO, which are explained below.

Types of SEO

Strategies for improving search engine positioning can be organized into different types of SEO. Three fundamental categories should always be included in any digital marketing plan:

1. On-page SEO: focuses on optimizing elements within the website itself, including the use of keywords in content, optimizing titles and meta descriptions, and creating relevant content aligned with the website’s sector (e.g., maintaining an updated blog).
2. Off-page SEO: refers to external factors that influence a site’s ranking. This includes obtaining backlinks from other websites and being referenced across different platforms.
3. Technical SEO: involves improving site speed, ensuring proper indexing, and implementing responsive design, among other aspects.

What is the difference between SEO and SEM?

When discussing search engine optimization, it is also important to mention SEM. SEM stands for ‘Search Engine Marketing’ and involves investing in paid advertising to improve a website’s visibility. While both SEO and SEM share the same goal, they differ in key aspects:

• Cost: SEO does not involve direct costs (but requires investment in resources and personnel), while SEM involves paid campaigns (cost per click).
• Timeframe: SEM delivers immediate results, whereas SEO results are achieved in the medium to long term.

What should you study to work in SEO?

According to data from the Talent portal, the average salary of an SEO specialist in Spain is around 25,000 euros per year. However, higher levels of experience and specialized training lead to better compensation. Those interested in pursuing a career in digital marketing and specializing in search engine positioning often wonder what to study to become an SEO professional.

• A foundational background in marketing, communication, advertising, or computer science.
• Specialization through master’s degrees or postgraduate programs focused on digital marketing strategies, particularly in SEO and SEM.

EAE Business School Barcelona offers programs designed to train SEO specialists, such as the Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Digital Communication and the Master’s in Digital Marketing & Growth Hacking. These programs combine theoretical foundations with practical knowledge. SEO is a profession with strong current demand and very promising future prospects, driven by the growing importance of the internet and social media in brand communication and marketing.