Doing SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – is the process of influencing websites to show up on the search engine’s results page, following certain search queries.

Notice that I said search engines. That’s because Google isn’t the only search engine. Yahoo, Bing, Baidu, Yandex, DuckDuckGo – are all search engines.

The reason everyone focuses on Google is simply because Google owns more than 90% of the search market. The word ‘Google’ has also become ubiquitous – “Just Google that!”

search engine market

Google dominates the search market. And like all monopolies, Google denies that it is a monopoly. (Source: Oberlo.com)

Why SEO?

Because being found online when your prospects search for solutions, means potential business for you.

Consider being a business that sells bubble wrap packaging. Now, I’m someone who started an E-commerce business and needs to buy bubble wraps. A lot of them.

So I go on Google – and search for ‘bubble wrap bulk’. Clicked and explored the first few results and made an order from a website I feel best about.

SEO became a tactic to acquire sales. A great one in fact. Generally, because people who search online usually have a strong intent. They are in the buying mode. Not so much in the mode of aimlessly scrolling on Facebook.

So business owners find ways to rank their websites. SEO marketers come out with claims to help businesses get the #1 spot on the search engine result page (SERP).

How to do SEO

To do SEO, first, we need to understand what Google wants: Revenue

Google makes money by selling advertising.  They are able to sell advertising because they own a large audience of searchers.

As long as people continue using Google, Google will continue to have an audience.

To retain their audience, Google has to make searchers happy. They do that by showing the best, most accurate search results whenever someone enters a search query and hits ‘search’.

What do people search for?

People, your customers – search for all sorts of things.

As an SEO marketer, you want to figure out what they are searching for and why (intent).

This is where keyword research comes in. Marketers use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest – to find out the keywords their prospects use when searching.

But the best keywords come from the actual words used by your customer. I suggest getting those words by paying attention to the words your customers use when chatting or talking to them. Here’s an example, from a Facebook conversation:

fb-convoWe took the exact keywords the customer used, ‘zero knowledge in programing’, ‘data scientist job in market’ to optimize our landing page.

Okay, I got the keywords. Now what?

Identified the keywords your best prospects are searching for?

Let’s say that’s ‘buy sourdough starter’.

Next – we have to create a relevant digital asset for that search.

Remember, that SEO is all about matching digital assets (content) to a search intent.

If someone is searching ‘buy sourdough starter’, she most probably wants to, well buy a sourdough starter! If so, create an E-commerce product page, and insert keywords into the page to help search engines identify your page to be a relevant page for the searcher.

On top of that, ensure that the searcher loves the user experience on your website. Your website loads fast, is pleasant to use, clear to read, etc.

Lest we forget.

That Google is a monopoly. And they control what shows up on their search engine.

That said – we’re all at the mercy of Google when it comes to ranking on the search engine. Abide by Google’s rules and you’ll be rewarded. Go against it, break Google’s rules and never see the light on the SERPs again.


I recently collaborated with Crunch, teaching an SEO course – and helping them launch Crunch School. As an advocator of learning and the growth mindset, it brings me joy every time someone self-enrolls into a course. Not by obligation, but by pure self-enrolment.

In Crunching Guide to SEO – we devised a way to teach SEO in a manner that is easy to follow. The reason many businesses don’t bother about SEO is because of how technical & complex it can be.

We’ve changed that in Crunching Guide to SEO. And I’m really proud of the course – and more, about the amazing thing you’ll do for your business after taking the course.

Send me your receipt at reuben@thelead.io when you enrol in the course (from now till April 12th), and I’ll send you a gift.

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