10 Frequently Asked SEO Questions

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is one of the most effective ways to increase visibility, drive traffic, and grow your business online. However, the complexity of SEO often leaves businesses uncertain about how to approach it. As experienced SEO consultants, we have compiled the most frequently asked questions about SEO and provided detailed, expert answers to help you navigate the world of search rankings and optimisation.

What is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It is the process of improving a website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) to increase the quantity and quality of organic (non-paid) traffic.

At its core, SEO is about helping search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo understand your website’s content and determine how valuable and relevant it is to a user’s search query. The better search engines understand your site, and the more relevant and authoritative your content appears, the higher your site will rank in the search results.

How Search Engines Work

Search engines follow a three-step process to deliver search results:

1. Crawling – Search engine bots (also known as spiders) crawl the internet to discover new and updated content.
2. Indexing – After discovering a page, the search engine analyses its content and stores it in a massive database called an index.
3. Ranking – When a user performs a search, the search engine retrieves relevant pages from the index and ranks them based on hundreds of ranking factors, including content quality, relevance, authority, and user experience.

Goals of SEO

The goal of SEO is to:

• Improve search visibility – Higher rankings mean more clicks and traffic.
• Increase qualified traffic – Attract users who are genuinely interested in your products or services.
• Enhance user experience – Fast-loading, mobile-friendly sites with clear navigation keep users engaged.
• Build brand authority – Consistently ranking at the top of search results builds trust and credibility.

SEO is both an art and a science. It requires a deep understanding of search engine algorithms, user behaviour, and content strategy — combined with technical expertise to optimise site structure and performance. Successful SEO strategies balance technical improvements with high-quality content and strategic outreach to earn backlinks and authority.

Why is SEO important for my website?

SEO is important because search engines are one of the primary ways that people discover content online. In fact, 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine. Additionally, regarding website traffic, SEO drives over 1,000% more traffic than organic social media.

If your website does not appear in the top search results for relevant queries, you are missing out on valuable traffic and potential customers.

Benefits of SEO

1. Increased Visibility and Traffic
   SEO helps your website rank higher in search results, making it easier for potential customers to find you. Higher rankings mean increased visibility, which translates to more organic traffic.
2. Cost-Effective Marketing
   Unlike paid advertising (such as Google Ads), organic search traffic is free. While SEO requires time and resources to implement, once your site ranks well, you can generate consistent traffic without ongoing ad spend.
3. Better User Experience
   SEO involves optimising site speed, mobile-friendliness, and content relevance — all of which contribute to a better experience for users. A positive user experience reduces bounce rates and increases engagement, which further improves your rankings.
4. Increased Credibility and Trust
   Websites that rank higher in search results are often perceived as more credible and authoritative. Consistently appearing at the top of search results builds trust with potential customers.
5. Competitive Advantage
   If your competitors are investing in SEO and you are not, you risk losing market share. A well-executed SEO strategy allows you to compete effectively in search rankings and capture more traffic.

SEO is one of the most sustainable ways to build an online presence and generate long-term business growth.

What are the key elements of SEO?

SEO can be divided into three main categories: on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO. Each category requires a different set of strategies and optimisation techniques.

1. On-Page SEO

On-page SEO focuses on optimising the elements of your website that are directly under your control. This includes:

• Keyword Research and Usage – Identifying relevant search terms and strategically including them in your content, headings, and metadata.
• Content Quality – Creating valuable, engaging, and original content that satisfies user intent.
• Meta Tags – Writing optimised meta titles and meta descriptions that accurately describe the page content and encourage clicks.
• Internal Linking – Linking to other pages on your site to improve navigation and pass authority between pages.
• Image Optimisation – Using descriptive alt text, compressing images, and ensuring fast load times.

2. Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO refers to strategies that increase your site’s authority and relevance through external signals. This includes:

• Backlink Building – Earning links from other authoritative websites.
• Social Media Engagement – Sharing content on social media platforms to increase visibility.
• Brand Mentions – Earning mentions from authoritative sites, even without direct links.

3. Technical SEO

Technical SEO involves improving the infrastructure of your website so that search engines can crawl, index, and rank it effectively. This includes:

• Site Speed – Ensuring fast load times.
• Mobile-Friendliness – Optimising the site for all screen sizes.
• Schema Markup – Adding structured data to help search engines understand your content.
• Canonical Tags – Preventing duplicate content issues.
• Robots.txt – Controlling which pages search engines can crawl.

What is the difference between on-page and off-page SEO?

• On-Page SEO refers to optimisations made directly on your website. This includes improving content, keyword placement, internal linking, and HTML elements (like title tags and meta descriptions).
• Off-Page SEO refers to factors that influence your site’s rankings from outside your website. This primarily involves backlinks, social signals, and brand mentions.

On-page SEO helps search engines understand the relevance and value of your content, while off-page SEO helps establish your site’s authority and trustworthiness. A successful SEO strategy requires a combination of both.

How long does it take to see results from SEO?

SEO is a long-term strategy. While some improvements may be seen in 4 to 6 weeks, most websites will need between 3 to 6 months to see meaningful increases in traffic and rankings.

Factors Affecting SEO Timeline

• Competition – Ranking for competitive terms takes longer.
• Domain Age – Older, more established domains tend to rank more quickly.
• Backlink Profile – Websites with stronger backlink profiles see faster gains.
• Content Quality – High-quality, engaging content ranks faster.
• Technical Health – A site with crawl issues or slow load times may take longer to rank.

SEO is an ongoing process. Regular updates, content creation, and backlink acquisition are necessary to maintain and improve rankings.

What is the difference between white hat and black hat SEO?

• White Hat SEO – Ethical, search engine-approved strategies such as creating high-quality content, earning links naturally, and optimising for user experience.
• Black Hat SEO – Manipulative tactics like keyword stuffing, link farming, cloaking, and hidden text.

Google’s algorithms have become sophisticated at detecting black hat techniques. Sites that engage in black hat SEO risk penalties, loss of rankings, or even removal from search results.

Focus on white hat strategies to achieve sustainable, long-term growth.

How does keyword research work?

Keyword research is the process of identifying the search terms that people use to find information, products, or services related to your business.

How to Conduct Keyword Research:

1. Identify Core Topics – List the main topics relevant to your business.
2. Use Keyword Tools – Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SEMrush can generate keyword suggestions.
3. Analyse Search Volume – Prioritise keywords with high search volume but low competition.
4. Check Search Intent – Ensure that the content you create matches the intent behind the search.
5. Monitor Competitors – Analyse the keywords that competitors are ranking for.

A well-researched keyword strategy ensures that you attract high-intent traffic and increases your chances of ranking for valuable search terms.

What are backlinks, and why are they important?

Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your site. They are one of the most important ranking factors for search engines because they act as a signal of trust and authority. When a high-quality, authoritative site links to your content, search engines interpret that as a sign that your content is valuable and trustworthy, which can help improve your search rankings.

However, it’s important to approach backlink building as a digital PR effort rather than an SEO task. Historically, many SEO strategies have treated backlinks as a numbers game — leading to black hat tactics such as:

• Link farming – Creating networks of low-quality websites solely for the purpose of generating backlinks.
• Buying links – Paying for backlinks from irrelevant or low-quality sites.
• Excessive focus on domain authority – Seeking links from high DA sites without considering the relevance or quality of the content.

These practices are not only ineffective in the long term but can also lead to penalties from Google.

Instead of treating backlink acquisition as an SEO exercise, it should be seen as part of a broader digital PR strategy. Focus on building genuine relationships with industry publications, influencers, and respected websites in your niche. Secure backlinks through:

• High-quality content – Creating content that naturally attracts links because it is informative, well-researched, and valuable.
• Media outreach – Reaching out to journalists and industry experts to promote your content and gain coverage.
• Guest contributions – Writing thought leadership pieces for reputable industry websites with a link back to your site.
• Digital partnerships – Collaborating with industry partners, events, or influencers to earn natural, contextually relevant backlinks.

A backlink from a relevant, trusted source carries far more weight than multiple low-quality links from unrelated sites. High-quality backlinks improve not only SEO but also brand visibility and authority within your industry. This approach ensures that your link-building efforts contribute to long-term organic growth and avoid the risks associated with manipulative tactics.

What is domain authority and page authority?

Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) are metrics used to estimate the likelihood of a website or a specific page ranking well in search engine results. They are not official Google ranking factors but are widely used within the SEO industry to measure the perceived strength of a website or page based on factors like backlinks, content quality, and site structure. Different SEO tools use their own formulas and data sources to calculate these scores, which means that the numbers can vary depending on the tool being used.

What is Domain Authority?

Domain Authority is a score that reflects the overall strength of an entire domain or website. It is based on factors such as:

• The quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to the domain.
• The relevance and trustworthiness of linking sites.
• The age of the domain.
• The consistency of content publication.

Different Types of Domain Authority Metrics:

1. Moz Domain Authority (DA) – Developed by Moz, this score ranges from 0 to 100. It’s based on factors like the number of linking root domains and the total number of backlinks. A higher DA means a higher likelihood of ranking well in search results.
2. Ahrefs Domain Rating (DR) – Ahrefs uses a score from 0 to 100 to measure the strength of a website’s backlink profile. Ahrefs DR is calculated based on the number of unique domains linking to a website and the quality of those links.
3. SEMrush Authority Score – SEMrush calculates authority based on a combination of backlink strength, organic search traffic, and the overall health of the site.

Since these tools use different methods to calculate authority, scores can vary across platforms. For example, a site might have a DA of 60 on Moz, a DR of 55 on Ahrefs, and an Authority Score of 70 on SEMrush. These differences arise because each tool has its own index of the web and evaluates link quality differently.

What is Page Authority?

Page Authority measures the strength and ranking potential of an individual page rather than the whole domain. It reflects similar factors to DA but focuses specifically on:

• The number and quality of backlinks to the specific page.
• Internal linking strength within the site.
• The relevance of the page’s content to targeted keywords.
• The overall user engagement and bounce rate on the page.

Different Types of Page Authority Metrics:

1. Moz Page Authority (PA) – Measures the likelihood of a specific page ranking based on its backlink profile and on-page factors.
2. Ahrefs URL Rating (UR) – Ahrefs calculates the strength of a single URL’s backlink profile based on the number and quality of links to that specific page.
3. SEMrush Page Score – SEMrush calculates the authority of a specific page using similar methods to its overall Authority Score but focused on the strength of the page’s individual backlink profile and content.

Why Authority Scores Matter

Higher domain and page authority scores suggest that a website is more likely to rank well in search results, but they are not direct Google ranking factors. Google does not use DA or PA in its ranking algorithms — these are simply third-party estimations of a site’s strength.

However, authority scores can be useful for:

• Benchmarking your website’s strength against competitors.
• Identifying high-authority sites for potential backlink opportunities.
• Tracking the impact of link-building efforts over time.

Limitations of Authority Metrics

Authority scores should be viewed as relative indicators rather than absolute measures of ranking potential because:

• A high DA or DR does not guarantee high rankings — relevance and content quality matter more.
• Different tools use different datasets and algorithms, leading to inconsistencies in scores.
• Scores can be manipulated by acquiring large numbers of low-quality backlinks, which may inflate DA or DR without improving actual rankings.

Best Practices for Improving Authority

• Focus on earning high-quality backlinks from relevant and reputable sources rather than focusing solely on increasing DA or PA.
• Create high-value content that attracts natural backlinks.
• Ensure a strong internal linking structure to distribute authority across your site.
• Remove or disavow spammy or low-quality links that could harm your site’s authority.

While domain and page authority are useful metrics for understanding the relative strength of a site, they should be treated as indicators rather than goals. A site with a DA of 30 but highly relevant, optimised content can often outrank a site with a DA of 70 that lacks topical relevance or quality content. Authority should always be balanced with relevance and user experience for the best long-term SEO performance.

What is robots.txt?

A robots.txt file is a simple text file located in the root directory of your website that provides instructions to search engine crawlers (such as Googlebot) about which pages they are allowed to crawl and index. It acts as a set of guidelines for search engines, helping them understand which parts of your site should or shouldn’t be included in search results.

How Robots.txt Works

When a search engine bot visits your site, it first looks for a robots.txt file. If found, it follows the rules outlined in the file. These rules include:

• User-agent – Specifies which search engine crawler the rules apply to (e.g., Googlebot, Bingbot).
• Disallow – Tells the crawler not to index specific pages or directories.
• Allow – Overrides a disallow directive, allowing specific content to be crawled.
• Sitemap – Directs crawlers to your sitemap to help with indexing.

Why Robots.txt is Important

1. Crawl Budget Management – Search engines allocate a limited crawl budget to each site. Blocking low-value pages (e.g., admin pages or duplicate URLs) ensures that important pages are prioritised.
2. Prevent Indexing of Sensitive or Irrelevant Pages – You can prevent search engines from indexing login pages, test environments, and other non-public content.
3. Avoid Duplicate Content Issues – If similar content exists on different URLs (e.g., product variants), blocking them in robots.txt prevents search engines from indexing them and diluting your authority.
4. Improved Site Performance – Preventing crawlers from accessing heavy or unnecessary resources can reduce server load and improve site speed.

Limitations of Robots.txt

• Robots.txt is publicly accessible, so sensitive content should be restricted using authentication rather than robots.txt.
• Adding a page to robots.txt will prevent it from being crawled but not necessarily from appearing in search results if it’s linked from other sources.

Proper use of a robots.txt file helps search engines crawl your site more efficiently, improving the visibility and ranking potential of your most valuable content.

Ready to Take Your SEO to the Next Level?

SEO is a powerful strategy for increasing your website’s visibility, driving high-quality traffic, and improving your overall business performance. However, effective SEO requires a strategic approach that balances technical optimisation, high-quality content, and ethical link-building. The complexity of search engine algorithms and ranking factors means that achieving sustainable results takes expertise, time, and consistent effort.

At ZEAL, we specialise in developing and executing data-driven SEO strategies tailored to your business goals. Whether you need to improve your search rankings, build authority, or increase organic traffic, our team of experienced SEO professionals in Leeds can help.

Ready to grow your business with expert SEO? Get in touch with ZEAL today to discover how we can help you achieve long-term search engine success.