What does SEO mean?
SEO is short for Search Engine Optimisation. It refers to all measures used to design a website so it appears as high as possible in Google's organic search.
'Organic' means without paid ads. The benefit: every click on an organic result is free — unlike Google Ads, where you pay per click.
How does SEO work?
Google evaluates every website by hundreds of criteria: speed, content quality, mobile optimisation, backlinks, freshness, technical cleanliness. Whoever performs better than the competition ranks higher.
Important: nobody can manipulate Google. Whoever tries (bought links, keyword stuffing) gets penalised. Sustainable SEO means: better content, better tech, more authority — built up over months.
The three pillars
Technical SEO: speed, mobile optimisation, clean code, structured data.
On-page SEO: content that answers real search queries. Titles, headings, internal linking.
Off-page SEO: backlinks from other sites, local signals, reviews, brand presence.
What does SEO cost?
Realistic: €800 to €3,500 per month for ongoing work. One-off audits from €800. Beware of cheap offers under €300 — often harmful automated link building.
ROI: well-executed SEO brings traffic after 6–12 months that stays free for years. The investment usually pays off over a long horizon.