SEO or Search Engine Optimization is about helping Google understand your business and why they should put you at the top of Google's search results.

It's difficult to communicate just how important it is to be found by Google. If you combined all the other search engines available, it wouldn't be 10% of the popularity of Google. In many businesses, that means it's Google or bust.

The problem is, it's really difficult to get Google's attention because we are never 100% sure what they're looking for. That's why you need experts. We know they have over 200 criteria and we know most of it, we're just not sure what holds more importance than others on the list.

In essence, it's pretty easy if you look at it from the perspective of Google. What exactly to they want to achieve from their search results?

They want to provide the best possible service to their users. They want people to keep coming back to Google because they provide them with what they are looking for.

So, that's at heart of their thinking when they determine how to create those results.

We know, the longer someone in on your website the higher in the search results you'll go because it's a sign that people visiting your website really like the content so they think others will like it too.

The same thing for social media signals. If people are interacting with your website on social media it's another sign that people must enjoy the content, product or service you provide.

Links are very important. Which other sites are linking to your site because they want to share the information? How well trusted are they and how relevant to you are they.

So, signals that people enjoy the site's content, and signals that other websites value the content on your site are very important signals, perhaps the most important. But the foundation is on the technical side.

Your website needs to be built correctly so any information it has is stored safely. So that the user has a good experience when visiting the site. Having buttons on the site that don't work is a prime example.

Also, the website needs to be described in such a way that Google understands what the site is about and who it's targeting. Something as small as labeling a picture on the page so Google knows what it is could make a huge difference.

The basics of SEO are straight forward. Give your users a good experience, make sure other websites want to link to your website, and make sure your site is built so Google understands what it does.

Finding the right mix is the key, and with Google constantly making small changes, so your strategy need to be constantly adjusted