Whether you're learning SEO yourself or hiring an SEO company, you need to know these 10 fundamental SEO questions!

For businesses seeking to reach more potential customers, developing a series of viable "online promotion strategies" is essential. Among these, SEO stands out for its high cost-effectiveness and is a major focus for many businesses.

However, in daily practice, Arachne Group Limited often encounters clients with an incomplete understanding of SEO. Common uncertainties include what SEO truly entails, how it's implemented, the tangible benefits it delivers, the associated costs, and whether SEO remains effective today.

As a professional SEO company in Hong Kong, this comprehensive guide delves into these critical SEO questions, aiming to provide deeper insights for those considering SEO services.

Is SEO still necessary today? More than ever!

Some believe SEO has become outdated, no longer keeping pace with market developments, and even consider it an insignificant online promotion tactic.

Arachne Group Limited wants to make this clear: while SEO is not a magical marketing cure-all, a successful SEO strategy can significantly boost a website's exposure, leaving competitors far behind. As long as "searching" remains a user behavior, SEO will not become obsolete. Even if AI potentially supplants traditional search engines in the future, AI will still rely on search results to gather information. Therefore, continuous SEO optimization is a sound long-term strategy, both now and in the future.

Whether you're learning SEO yourself or hiring an SEO company, you need to know these 10 fundamental SEO questions!

Q1: What is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) involves understanding search engine operations and implementing a series of strategies and techniques—such as website content optimization, technical structural adjustments, and external link building—to improve a website's ranking in "organic search results," thereby achieving the goal of generating long-term, stable traffic.

Simply put, SEO is akin to a marathon, not a sprint. It requires sustained effort and optimization, but once a leading position is secured, it can deliver consistent, high-quality traffic to the website.

Q2: What is the difference between SEO and Keyword Advertising (ADS)?

Both SEO and Keyword Advertising (ADS) appear on Google's search engine results pages (SERPs), but they differ significantly. ADS is like renting a storefront in a prime location: paying the rent brings immediate, high visibility and customer influx, but stopping payments causes visibility—and traffic—to vanish. SEO, conversely, is like purchasing land with potential. It requires an investment of time and funds for planning and construction, but once established, it becomes a stable asset that generates consistent traffic and customers over the long term.

Consequently, many businesses prioritizing rapid results often choose ADS first. However, SEO and keyword advertising are not mutually exclusive; they can form a complementary online marketing strategy.

Q3: How do search engines work?

The operational principle of search engines can be broadly summarized in three core steps: Crawling → Indexing → Ranking. While this process seems straightforward, it involves complex algorithms and quality assessment systems.

First, search engines deploy crawlers (or spiders) daily to comprehensively "crawl websites across the web" via page links, leaving no corner unexplored. Then, they deposit the gathered website information into an "index database," where it is categorized, organized, and archived. When a user performs a search, the search engine rapidly retrieves the "most suitable data" from this vast index. It interprets the user's search intent based on factors like language, location, device, past behavior, and browsing history, aiming to present the most helpful information.

Q4: What are Google's important ranking algorithms?

According to a survey by the online marketing company SEO Inc., as of 2024, over half of global website traffic originates from "Organic Search," highlighting search engines as a critical channel for attracting visitors. Among these, Google dominates with approximately a 90% market share, effectively monopolizing the global search engine market.

Given Google's paramount position, SEO efforts must focus predominantly on it. So, which important Google ranking algorithms deserve our attention?

First are the well-known algorithms like Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, the Page Speed Initiative (PSI), Secure Sites (SSL), and Mobile-Friendly Ranking systems. Although these algorithm names are no longer used separately, their core principles have been integrated into newer ranking systems or the broader Google core ranking system, collectively influencing website rankings.

Furthermore, recent significant algorithm additions cannot be ignored. These include, but are not limited to, the Helpful Content Update, Link Spam Update, Original Content Algorithm, Page Experience Update, as well as systems like Google's Disaster Information System, Deduplication Systems, Exact Match Domain System, Freshness System, Local News System, MUM (Multitask Unified Model), Neural Matching, Ranking Demotion for Legal Removals, Passage Ranking, Product Reviews System, Reliable Information System, Site Diversity System, and Spam Detection System.

It's evident that Google's algorithms are becoming increasingly specialized, aiming to deliver more precise search results by matching different types of information to specific user intents.

Q5: What are the benefits of implementing SEO?

Beyond generating sustained traffic, a high-quality SEO strategy offers numerous additional benefits for businesses.

Firstly, it significantly enhances brand credibility and authority. Users often perceive websites ranking in the top 3 organic results as more trustworthy, similar to how top-ranked brands are generally associated with higher quality and reputation among consumers.

Secondly, SEO helps attract high-intent users. Users actively searching for relevant keywords often have a clear purchase intent or need, leading to higher conversion rates and a greater likelihood of completing a purchase.

Thirdly, from a long-term perspective, SEO can reduce customer acquisition costs. Unlike paid advertising, which requires continuous substantial investment, a website with strong organic rankings can consistently attract traffic, saving significant marketing expenses.

Finally, a successful SEO strategy can create a competitive barrier. Once a business establishes a leading position in a particular niche, it becomes difficult for competitors to surpass, providing long-term protection and growth opportunities.

Q6: What is the primary purpose of implementing SEO?

Generally, the true purposes of implementing SEO are twofold: increasing the visibility (traffic) of the business website and generating orders/inquiries for the website.

A common misconception among businesses is that high keyword rankings automatically translate into numerous orders. In reality, SEO is primarily a traffic generation tool. It brings potential customers to the website, but convincing them to purchase a product or service ultimately depends on the website's own quality, user experience, and content.

Q7: How long does it take for SEO to show results?

The timeframe for seeing SEO results depends on several factors, with keyword competitiveness and the level of resources invested in the short term being key. Simply put, if your business operates in a highly competitive industry where rivals have high-domain-authority websites rich in quality content and backlinks, expecting to surpass them quickly by publishing just a few articles is unrealistic. Therefore, achieving SEO success requires a reasonable, patient, and methodical approach.

If seeking assistance from an SEO company, note that "SEO pricing" typically correlates with the competitiveness of the target keyword rankings. Higher competition keywords require greater investment; conversely, less competitive keywords cost relatively less. For instance, websites in highly competitive fields like medicine, aesthetics, wellness, or finance, aiming to outrank top-positioned government sites, bank websites, or major e-commerce platforms, necessitate substantial resources in areas like website structure optimization, content creation, and link building, thus increasing the cost.

Additionally, SEO costs might not only cover the service fees paid to the SEO agency but also potential expenses for website design (structural optimization), copywriters (content creation), graphic design (website asset production), etc. It's crucial to clarify what is included in the SEO service package before committing.

Q9: What if I don't have a large budget for SEO?

For individual entrepreneurs or small companies with limited budgets for a comprehensive SEO strategy, consider this approach: communicate with an SEO company to start by building a website with a solid SEO-friendly structure. Then, focus on optimizing for less competitive but highly targeted long-tail keywords. As the business grows and the budget allows, gradually increase investment in SEO.

Furthermore, some SEO companies (like Arachne Group Limited) offer tailored packages and personalized services for small businesses, aiming to achieve SEO objectives within constrained budgets.

Q10: Will the advent of AI Overviews make SEO obsolete?

First, consider this question: Where does the content for AI Overviews in major search engines come from?

The answer: It's synthesized from high-ranking organic search results.

Thus, the emergence of AI Overviews not only threatens to make SEO obsolete but rather underscores its heightened importance. Especially with advancing AI technology, the goal of SEO expands beyond merely appearing in search results; it becomes crucial for website content to be referenced as source material for AI-generated answers.

In other words, when optimizing for SEO, increased emphasis must be placed on website credibility, the creation of high-quality content, enhancing domain authority, and optimizing SEO architecture. Arachne Group Limited's professional team stays abreast of trends, continuously exploring the integration of AI and SEO to provide clients with cutting-edge, effective optimization strategies, helping them gain a leading position in the AI era.

As a core online promotion tactic, SEO holds immense potential and value. By deeply understanding its principles, strategies, and advantages, businesses can better leverage this tool to enhance website traffic and rankings, achieving commercial success. Leveraging a professional team, extensive experience, and an innovative spirit, Arachne Group Limited offers comprehensive, personalized SEO solutions. Whether you are a large enterprise or a small startup, regardless of your industry, we can help you achieve a more brilliant tomorrow in the intense competition of the digital landscape!