SEO for Normal People: What It Is and Why You Should Care (Yes, Even You, Aunt Linda)

Let’s talk about SEO.
No, it’s not a new cryptocurrency. It’s not a secret government agency either. And no, it’s not shorthand for “So Extra Online,” although that would be oddly fitting.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and if that phrase just made your eyes glaze over, don’t worry—I’m here to break it down like a high school dance floor in the 90s. Let’s go.

So… What Is SEO?

SEO is the magical art (and science) of making your website show up higher in search engine results—most notably on Google, because let’s be real, nobody is saying “Let me Bing that for you.”

Imagine you open a bakery and you want people to find your “Double Fudge Bacon Croissants” (a million-dollar idea, by the way). If someone types “best croissants near me” into Google, wouldn’t it be awesome if your website popped up at the top?

SEO is how you make that happen.

Why Should You Care About SEO?

Let’s say you’re a small business owner, a blogger, or you just really want people to read your thoughts on why socks disappear in the dryer. Without SEO, your content is basically living in a shack in the woods shouting into the void.

With SEO? You’re on a billboard in Times Square yelling, “Hey! I’ve got the answers to your oddly specific Google questions!”

How Do Search Engines Work?

Let’s personify Google for a second.

Imagine Google as a hyperactive librarian who wants to give you exactly what you need from a library that contains every book ever written (and every weird blog post ever published).

When someone searches something like “Why do cats scream at 3 AM?” Google sends out little robot minions called “crawlers” or “spiders” (adorable, right?) to scan all the websites out there. They read your content, analyze it, and then try to figure out if it’s relevant, helpful, and trustworthy.

SEO is how you make those little robot librarians go, “Oooh, this site is purrrrfect.”

The Main Ingredients of SEO

Let’s break it down like a pizza (because pizza makes everything better):

1. Keywords: The Toppings

Keywords are what people type into Google. They’re the phrases and questions you want to be found for. If your bakery is in Chicago, you want to rank for things like “best croissants in Chicago” or “bacon pastries near me” (if you’re still doing the bacon thing).

Finding good keywords is part art, part research, and part “What would a normal person Google when looking for this?”

2. On-Page SEO: The Sauce and Cheese

This is everything you can control on your website:

  • Your page titles

  • Headings (like this one!)

  • URLs (example.com/delicious-croissants)

  • Content (is it actually helpful, or just fluff?)

  • Images (with descriptive alt text)

Think of this as the stuff that makes your site flavorful and easy to digest (Google and humans both like that).

3. Off-Page SEO: The Word-of-Mouth Buzz

This is what’s happening off your site. Mainly:

  • Other sites linking to yours (called “backlinks”)

  • Social shares

  • Reviews

Basically, if people are talking about you in a good way, Google notices. It’s like your site is getting invited to all the cool parties.

4. Technical SEO: The Crust Holding It All Together

This is the nerdy stuff behind the scenes:

  • Fast loading speed

  • Mobile-friendliness

  • Secure website (HTTPS)

  • Clean site structure

If your website takes 17 seconds to load and looks like it was built on MySpace, Google’s going to be like, “Uh, hard pass.”

How does Google use SEO?But Wait… Isn’t SEO Dead?

Ah yes, the SEO-is-dead crowd. They show up every year like it’s the SEO apocalypse. But let me tell you: SEO isn’t dead—it just keeps evolving. Google changes its algorithm (how it ranks sites) all the time. Sometimes it feels like trying to keep up with TikTok trends.

That’s why modern SEO is all about quality.

You can’t just cram “best croissants” into a page 42 times and expect to rank anymore. Google got wise. Now it wants:

  • Content that actually answers questions

  • Sites that are easy to navigate

  • Information that is trustworthy and well-written

So if you’re providing value and not just keyword soup, you’re on the right track.

Common SEO Myths (Let’s Debunk ‘Em)

🧟‍♀️ “Just submit your site to Google once and you’re good!”
Google will find your site on its own, and SEO is not a one-time thing. It’s like brushing your teeth—you gotta keep at it.

🐍 “Stuff your content with keywords and boom—traffic!”
Nope. That’s like putting glitter on garbage. Still garbage.

👓 “More pages = better rankings!”
Quality > Quantity. Ten amazing pages beat 100 bad ones every time.

Tools to Make SEO Less Scary

You don’t need to be a tech wizard. There are plenty of free or affordable tools to help you out:

  • Google Search Console: See how you’re doing on Google.

  • Google Analytics: Find out who’s visiting and what they’re doing.

  • Ubersuggest: A keyword tool that’s beginner-friendly.

  • Yoast SEO (for WordPress): Tells you how to improve your posts.

Think of these as your SEO GPS—they help you know where you’re going and what potholes to avoid.

Quick SEO Tips for Busy Humans

Here’s a cheat sheet for when you don’t have time to dive deep:

✅ Use real, human-friendly titles (e.g., “How to Bake Flaky Croissants”)

✅ Include keywords naturally—don’t force them

✅ Link to your own pages (called internal linking)

✅ Link to other useful sites too (don’t be greedy)

✅ Add images with alt text (Google can’t see but it can read)

✅ Make sure your site looks good on phones

✅ Write helpful, engaging content—not just fluff

✅ Be consistent—SEO is a long game, not instant ramen

Final Thoughts: SEO is Your Website’s Hype Man

Think of SEO like that one friend who always hypes you up in public.
“Oh this site? This site has the best info on home gardening. You gotta check it out!”

It’s not about gaming the system or pulling shady tricks. It’s about making your site clear, useful, and findable.

If you make content that people genuinely want to read, and you make it easy for search engines to understand what you’re about, you’ll be in good shape. Sure, there’s some strategy involved—but you don’t need a PhD in Googleology to get started.

So the next time someone throws around the term SEO at a dinner party, you can nod confidently and say,
“Ah yes, Search Engine Optimization—my old friend. Keeps me relevant and visible. Pass the guac.”