Beginner's guide to SEO: how search engines rank your site

Executive overview

Half of all internet users search on Google. Organic results earn their position through SEO — no payment required. The top three organic results capture over 50% of all clicks.

Google ranks pages through three steps: crawling, indexing, and ranking. Seven confirmed factors drive ranking; SEO is a long-term investment, not a quick fix.

The moat SEO builds around your business is one competitors struggle to overcome — but only if you play the long game.

How search engines work

• Crawling: Googlebot moves page to page, reading content
• Indexing: Google stores page data in a vast database
• Ranking: pages meeting Google's criteria appear for relevant queries
• The exact algorithm is secret to prevent gaming; Google updates it regularly

Seven key ranking factors

• Content relevance: page must directly answer the search query
• Content quality: assessed via human reviewers and machine learning
• Backlinks: links from other sites signal trustworthiness and relevance
• Physical proximity: location matters for local search results
• Mobile friendliness: mobile-optimised pages rank better in mobile search
• Page performance: Core Web Vitals measure speed, responsiveness, visual stability
• HTTPS: secure, encrypted connections get a slight ranking advantage

Negative ranking signals to avoid

• Intrusive pop-ups that block mobile content access
• Keyword stuffing or use of irrelevant keywords
• Unnatural links — bought links, exchanges, or low-quality link schemes

Three categories of SEO

• On-page SEO: optimising content and structure within your pages
• Off-page SEO: building authority through backlinks and external signals
• Technical SEO: site performance, crawlability, and infrastructure

The long game

• Results typically take months, not days
• Instant-results promises are false in almost every case
• Consistent SEO investment compounds into a durable competitive advantage