What is search engine optimization (SEO)?

Search engine optimization (SEO) refers specifically to the process of optimizing a website to improve its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages. This optimization can involve several strategies, including enhancing website content, improving site architecture, increasing loading speed, and obtaining backlinks from other reputable sites to signal trustworthiness to search engines. The main goal of SEO is to drive organic traffic to the website by ensuring that it appears prominently when users search for relevant keywords or phrases.

In the context of digital marketing, effective SEO practices are crucial for businesses wanting to reach potential customers actively searching for their products or services. Therefore, understanding and implementing SEO techniques can significantly impact a website's effectiveness in attracting visitors and generating leads or sales.

The other options, while related to aspects of marketing, do not accurately define SEO's role. Content creation, social media marketing, and market research each serve different functions within the broader marketing strategy and do not encompass the specific optimization of websites for search engines.