SEO — is the process of improving a website so that it ranks higher in unpaid search engine results. The higher a website ranks for relevant search queries, the more people visit it. This type of traffic is called organic traffic.
Unlike search and targeted advertising, SEO doesn't require paying for every click. Instead, money is invested in the website itself: content, improvements and backlinks. Results don't appear immediately — they take several months, sometimes even a year. And even after reaching the top positions, work on the website continues to maintain its rankings.
What SEO consists of
SEO work is divided into three areas:
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on-page optimization — content targeting users' search queries, clear headings, a user-friendly structure and internal links between pages;
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technical optimization — loading speed, mobile usability and fixing errors that prevent search engines from seeing pages;
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off-page optimization — links to the website from other resources. Search engines consider them a sign that the website is trusted, and the process of acquiring them is called link building.
White-hat, gray-hat and black-hat SEO
Like offers, SEO methods are divided into «colors»:
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white-hat SEO — following search engine guidelines strictly: useful content, a user-friendly website and natural backlinks;
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gray-hat SEO — techniques that operate on the edge of the rules, such as buying dropped domains with a history or exchanging links;
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black-hat SEO — deliberately deceiving search engines through keyword-stuffed content, cloaking and doorway pages.
Search engines may lower a website's rankings or remove it from search results entirely for using black-hat methods.
SEO in traffic arbitrage
Affiliate marketers use SEO to build their own websites that attract visitors to offers: reviews, rankings, comparisons and useful articles containing affiliate links. SEO is especially popular in gambling, for example, websites featuring casino reviews.
SEO differs significantly from driving traffic through paid sources. There's no need to constantly test creatives and buy accounts. The work is more technical: researching keywords, writing content and building backlinks. In return, a website that reaches the top search results receives visitors every day without paying for each click.
In competitive niches, affiliate marketers build PBNs — private blog networks consisting of their own websites that link to the main site to improve its search rankings. Search engines consider this manipulation, and if handled carelessly, the entire network may face penalties.
Pros and cons
Pros:
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no need to pay for every click;
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no advertising account bans;
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a website that ranks at the top can generate traffic for a long time as long as it maintains its positions.
Cons:
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slow start: investments in content, backlinks and domains take months to pay off;
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a website can suddenly lose rankings after an algorithm update, and in gambling, websites can fall just as quickly as they rise;
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in popular niches and high-income GEOs, it's difficult to compete without a substantial budget, so beginners are advised to start with less competitive countries and search queries.
