SEO is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization. Some people think it is an acronym for Put My Website On The First Page Of Google. That would be PMWOTFPOG.
The job of SEO is to optimize your website for indexing by search engines. There is a relationship between how well your site is optimized SEO and its search engine results placement SERP. That relationship is simple. If you optimize your website at least you will not be shooting yourself in the foot.
Let’s look at job interviews as an analogy. There are things you can do to optimize your chances of getting a job. But these things do not guarantee you will get the job. Let’s take the following possible suggestions that one might make to a friend going in for a job interview.
- Clean Up (shower, shave, hair-cut, etc.)
- Dress Well (clean, undamaged, somewhat fashionable, appropriate clothes)
- Be Prompt (show up on time alert and attentive)
- Communicate Well (speak clearly, don’t get off the topic, answer questions, be respectful, use appropriate language, etc.)
Doing all of the above things will not guarantee your friend will get a job based on the interview. However, if they show up for the job interview late with body odor, unkempt hair, smudged face, wearing raggedy clothes, hung over, speaking with a slur and rambling on about all kinds of unrelated topics they will effectively shoot themselves in the foot. Meaning they will have by their own actions guaranteed they would not get the job.
SEO has the task of cleaning up your website, dressing it well, helping you deliver it promptly in a responsive fashion, and presenting it so that it communications well on topic in fashion appropriate to visitors.
SEO does not guarantee search engine placement, visitors, or conversion. SEO just helps to clean up the site so that it is not its own worse enemy.
Placement in the search engines, visitorship, and conversion are addressed by additional steps.