Simply put, search engine optimization is the process of improving the quality and volume of web traffic to a website by employing a series of proven SEO techniques that help a website achieve a higher ranking with the major search engines when certain keywords and phrases are put in the search field.

To put this into context, consider your own Internet search habits. When you want to find information, your first instinct is to use a search engine because it is the fastest and easiest way to get it. Once the search results are posted, you’re far more likely to explore the links on the first page of results because they are the most relevant to what you are looking for and allow you to find what you’re looking for easily.

That is the goal of search engine optimization: To optimize your website so that the major search engines rank your site as highly as possible which, in turn, leads to a greater volume of qualified traffic. SEO can level the playing field for your business whether your business is a Fortune 500 company or a brand new business venture trying to get noticed in a competitive field. Done properly, SEO puts your site where it gains instant credibility with the very people that you wish to reach.