Types of SEO Explained

SEO is not a single activity. It splits into distinct disciplines, each addressing a different set of signals that search engines use to rank pages. Understanding what each type covers helps you diagnose where a site’s problems actually lie.

On-page SEO

On-page SEO covers everything on the page itself: the signals that tell search engines what the page is about and whether it deserves to rank for a given query.

The core elements include:

• Title tags — the text that appears as the headline in search results and in the browser tab. The single most direct on-page signal.
• Meta descriptions — the summary text beneath the title in search results. Not a direct ranking factor, but it affects whether people click.
• Headings — the H1, H2, H3 structure that organises the page’s content for readers and crawlers alike.
• Content quality — how accurately, thoroughly, and usefully the page addresses the query it is targeting.
• Internal links — links from this page to other pages on the same site, which distribute authority and help crawlers navigate.
• Schema markup — structured data that explicitly describes what is on the page to search engines.

On-page SEO is entirely within your control. It is also the fastest area to improve: changes to a title tag or page structure can be re-indexed within days.

Read the full on-page SEO guide →

Technical SEO

Technical SEO covers the underlying infrastructure of a site. No matter how good the content is, if search engines cannot access, crawl, and index the pages, they will not rank.

Technical SEO includes:

• Crawlability — ensuring search engine bots can access the pages you want indexed, and none of the ones you don’t.
• Indexing — using canonical tags, robots directives, and sitemaps to guide what gets stored in the search index.
• Site speed and Core Web Vitals — page load performance is a ranking signal, and slow pages frustrate users.
• Mobile usability — Google indexes mobile-first, so pages that do not work properly on mobile are at a disadvantage.
• Structured data — machine-readable markup that enables rich results (star ratings, FAQs, breadcrumbs in the SERP).
• HTTPS — a secure connection is a baseline expectation and a minor ranking signal.

Technical issues are often invisible to users but visible to search engines. A page might look fine in a browser and still be misconfigured for crawlers.

Read the full technical SEO guide →

Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO covers signals that originate outside your site, primarily links from other websites. When another site links to yours, it is treating your page as a worthwhile reference. Search engines interpret these links as votes of authority.

Not all links are equal. A link from a well-regarded, topically relevant site carries far more weight than one from an unrelated directory. The quality, relevance, and diversity of a site’s backlink profile are what matter.

Off-page work includes:

• Link building — earning or acquiring links from other sites through content, outreach, and digital PR.
• Digital PR — creating content or stories that journalists and publishers want to reference.
• Brand mentions — even unlinked mentions of a brand may contribute to perceived authority.
• Anchor text — the visible text of a link also signals relevance to the page being linked to.

Off-page authority is one of the hardest signals to move quickly. It accumulates over time as a site earns trust across the web.

Read the full off-page SEO guide →

Local SEO

Local SEO covers visibility for searches that have a geographic intent: “plumber in Bristol”, “coffee shops near me”, “dentist open Saturday”. These queries return local pack results, which show a map and a set of nearby businesses.

Local SEO elements include:

• Google Business Profile — the primary signal for local pack rankings. Name, address, phone number, categories, photos, and reviews all feed into it.
• Citations — consistent mentions of the business’s name, address, and phone number across directories and data aggregators.
• Reviews — both quantity and recency of reviews affect local prominence.
• Local landing pages — for businesses serving multiple locations, dedicated pages targeting each area.

Local SEO is largely distinct from general SEO. A business can rank in the local pack for competitive terms without a strong backlink profile, provided the local signals are strong.

Read the full local SEO guide →

AI search optimisation

A fifth area has emerged alongside the traditional four. AI Overviews (Google’s AI-generated summaries at the top of the SERP), ChatGPT search, Perplexity, and other generative engines retrieve and cite content differently from traditional results pages.

Rather than ranking ten pages, they generate a single answer that draws from multiple sources. Being cited in that answer requires content that is factual, clearly structured, and attributed to a credible source.

The signals that help here overlap with good on-page SEO: clear headings, definitional sentences, well-formatted lists, and demonstrated expertise. But the optimisation priorities differ enough to treat as its own discipline.

Read the full AI search guide →

Which type matters most?

All four traditional types need to be working together before results become consistent. A technically sound site with no content cannot rank. A site with excellent content but no links will struggle to compete for anything beyond low-competition queries. A site with both but with technical issues blocking indexing will see none of it rewarded.

For most new sites, the practical starting point is: fix technical fundamentals, build content around researched queries, earn links as the content earns mentions, and layer local or AI signals depending on the business type.