Have you started your blog, but after writing for months, or maybe even years, you’re still not getting enough traffic?

It could be because you’re not optimizing your content with SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving your website to increase its visibility and ranking on search engines.

For example, if you search for “best laptops in 2025”, you’ll see tons of web pages appear in the results.

Most people will click on the first page that shows up. That’s exactly where website owners compete, to reach the top rank on Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).

Website owners use SEO to get there. If you want to learn more about increasing your visibility online, make sure to follow this series and read carefully.

Basic SEO Terms Explained

• Keyword – the word or phrase users type into search engines (e.g., “adobong manok recipe”).
• Backlink – a link from one website to another. Getting a backlink from a reputable site can greatly help your ranking.
• Anchor text – the clickable text where links are attached.
• Domain Authority (DA) – a score that predicts how well a website can rank. It’s not an official Google factor, but it is a useful guide.

How Search Engines Work?

Before optimizing your site, it’s important to understand the process behind Google search. It usually goes through three stages:

Crawling

Search engine bots (crawlers or spiders) scan each page of your website to discover new and updated content. They navigate your site by following links on every page, like a human user would.

Indexing

All discovered pages that don’t violate Google’s standards get indexed. Once indexed, your content becomes available for users to search and visit.

Ranking

This is where SEO comes in. When you search for a keyword, Google’s algorithm shows the most relevant and high-quality content.

If your content matches their standards, you have a chance to rank high on search results.

Keep in mind that Google uses many ranking factors, and they update them constantly. That’s why SEO specialists and website owners always keep up with Google’s changes.

The Three Pillars of SEO

SEO is broad, but it can be divided into three main categories:

On-Page SEO

This is optimization done directly on your website. It includes titles, headings, keyword research, and internal/external linking.

It’s my favorite pillar because you control everything here, and it’s powerful enough to get your content ranked.

Some of my blog posts rank on Google simply because I picked the right keywords.

Off-Page SEO

If on-page SEO happens inside your site, off-page SEO is the opposite.

Example: If another website links to your post, that’s a backlink.

Say you wrote “How to Connect Your Mobile to Laptop,” and someone uses it as a reference: congratulations, you just gained off-page SEO value!

Social media shares also count as off-page SEO.

The more backlinks and shares you earn, the higher your credibility and Domain Authority.

Technical SEO

This deals with the backend of your website, like site speed, mobile-friendliness, and indexing. It can be tricky because it often involves coding and technical knowledge.

Good thing is, if you’re using WordPress, plugins can help with technical SEO.

So beginners shouldn’t be scared, I’ve been there too!

Common SEO Myths

When I first started, I fell for several SEO myths. Here are the big ones you should avoid:

Keyword Stuffing

Example:

• Title: Best Laptop for 2025
• Meta description: Do you know the best laptop for 2025? I know the best laptop for 2025 you should buy.
• Body: The best laptop for 2025 is… so you should buy this best laptop for 2025.

See how repetitive and unnatural that sounds?

Keyword stuffing used to work years ago, but today it hurts your site.

Google now prioritizes natural human language, so stop stuffing keywords.

SEO is a One-Time Job

Wrong.

Maybe you hire an SEO strategist, see good results in a few months, and think you’re done. A few weeks later, your rank drops to page 20.

That’s because SEO is ongoing. Google keeps updating its algorithm, and competitors can outrank you anytime.

Staying consistent is the key.

I remember when a client hired me to do the job for SEO. After a month of monitoring and optimizing, we finally saw the result.

My client was happy, but the next day, he ended my contract. He thought he was lucky because he now had traffic and got more leads.

Little did he know that I still had access to their Google Search Console metrics.

I monitored their site traffic, which was still increasing, not until Google dropped their new core update.

After a week, their traffic had a sudden decrease.

The same client contacted me, asking me why. I told him that Google had a new update that might cause a sudden drop in their traffic.

The thing is, most websites were affected, not only his, but having an SEO strategist will make your life easier.

A few hours later, he started a new contract, so I could fix and optimize their website again based on the new update.

Write More to Rank

I made this mistake too. I thought publishing more posts would boost my rankings.

But the truth?

If your posts aren’t optimized, they won’t rank, no matter how many you write.

I have about 100 posts, but only a few of them are ranking.

That’s why I’m now editing and optimizing them one by one, and finally seeing results.

It’s Easy to Rank

You optimize your blog, see a RankMath score of 90/100, and expect instant results. But your post still isn’t ranking.

That’s because SEO takes time, weeks, or even months.

Google crawlers also don’t index everything immediately. Some of my posts took weeks before they appeared in the results.

SEO = patience.

Basics of SERPs

When you search on Google, results usually fall into two categories:

1. Paid results – you pay to appear at the top.
2. Organic results – you rank naturally through SEO.

Both have their place, but I recommend aiming for organic results for long-term success.

Google has also introduced AI Overviews, where AI-generated summaries appear above results.

This shows how search is evolving, but SEO remains important for website owners.

Why SEO Still Matters in 2025

The way people search online is evolving. Google now uses AI, video, and new result formats to improve user experience.

Some business owners rely on paid ads for quick wins, but SEO provides sustainable, long-term results as long as you track progress and adapt to Google updates.

That’s why SEO is still worth investing in today.

Conclusion

SEO is a fundamental part of running a website. If you treat your blog as a business, you need to learn and apply SEO consistently.

By focusing on the three pillars, on-page, off-page, and technical SEO, you can build organic traffic that lasts for the long term.