HOW DOES SEO WORK?

At Lillian Purge, we specialise in Ecommerce SEO Services and have developed comprehensive guidance on How Does SEO Work?.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the process of improving your website so it ranks higher in search engine results for relevant keywords. When done effectively, SEO helps your business appear when potential customers search for products or services like yours. Understanding how SEO works is the first step to building a strong online presence that drives long-term growth. This article explains how SEO works, the main factors that influence rankings, and how it helps ecommerce businesses succeed.

What SEO means in simple terms

SEO is about making your website more visible and trustworthy in the eyes of search engines like Google. When someone types a query into Google, the search engine analyses billions of web pages to decide which ones best match the user’s intent. It does this using complex algorithms that measure relevance, quality, and authority.

SEO involves optimising your website to meet these criteria, so it appears higher up in the results pages, also known as SERPs. The higher you rank, the more likely users are to click through to your website.

How SEO works step by step

1. Keyword research
Every SEO strategy starts with understanding what your potential customers are searching for. Keyword research identifies the exact terms and phrases people use when looking for your products or services. For ecommerce sites, these might include specific product names, brands, or buying-intent keywords such as “buy running shoes online” or “best budget laptops UK.”

The goal is to target keywords that have enough search volume to drive traffic but are not so competitive that ranking becomes impossible.

2. On-page optimisation
Once you know your target keywords, you can optimise your website pages around them. On-page SEO involves improving elements on your site to make it more search-friendly and user-focused. This includes:

  • Using target keywords in titles, headings, and meta descriptions

  • Writing high-quality, relevant content that answers user queries

  • Optimising images with descriptive file names and alt text

  • Creating a logical page structure and internal linking system

Google rewards websites that provide valuable information and a positive user experience.

3. Technical SEO
Technical SEO focuses on the behind-the-scenes elements that help search engines crawl and index your website efficiently. Common technical SEO tasks include:

  • Improving site speed and mobile responsiveness

  • Fixing broken links and redirect issues

  • Creating an XML sitemap and robots.txt file

  • Ensuring your website uses HTTPS for security

Search engines need to understand and trust your website before ranking it. Technical SEO ensures there are no barriers preventing this.

4. Content creation and optimisation
Content is one of the most important ranking factors in SEO. Regularly publishing useful, keyword-optimised content signals to Google that your website is active and relevant.

For ecommerce sites, this could mean writing detailed product descriptions, comparison guides, or blog posts answering customer questions. The better your content matches user intent, the more likely it is to rank and attract organic traffic.

5. Off-page SEO and link building
Off-page SEO refers to actions taken outside your website that influence rankings. The most important of these is link building—the process of getting other reputable websites to link back to yours.

Links act as endorsements, showing Google that your site is credible and trustworthy. High-quality backlinks from relevant websites improve your authority and boost rankings. Other off-page factors include brand mentions, social signals, and online reviews.

6. Local SEO
For businesses that target customers in specific locations, local SEO is vital. It involves optimising your Google Business Profile, collecting reviews, and including location-based keywords. Local SEO helps your business appear in Google Maps and the local search pack, which are often shown above organic results for location-specific queries.

7. Measuring performance and ongoing improvement
SEO is not a one-time activity—it requires constant monitoring and optimisation. Tools such as Google Analytics and Search Console allow you to track performance, measure keyword rankings, and identify opportunities for improvement.

Regular updates to algorithms mean strategies need to adapt over time. Analysing data helps you stay ahead and maintain strong rankings.

How Google decides which sites to rank

Google uses hundreds of ranking factors, but the main ones fall into three categories:

Relevance: How closely your page matches the search query. Content must use the right keywords and address the user’s needs.

Authority: How trustworthy your site appears based on backlinks, reviews, and online reputation.

User experience: How easily users can navigate your site, how quickly it loads, and how engaging the content is.

Balancing these three pillars—relevance, authority, and user experience—is key to a successful SEO strategy.

Why SEO is important for ecommerce websites

For ecommerce businesses, SEO is one of the most cost-effective ways to attract customers. Unlike paid advertising, organic traffic continues to deliver results long after the initial investment. High rankings for product and category pages increase visibility and drive sales directly from search.

SEO also improves brand credibility. Customers trust websites that appear at the top of Google results, associating them with authority and reliability. In competitive ecommerce markets, this trust can make the difference between a sale and a lost opportunity.

How long SEO takes to work

SEO is a long-term strategy, not an instant fix. Most websites start seeing measurable improvements within three to six months, depending on competition, website quality, and the strength of the strategy. Consistency is key—the more regularly you optimise and create valuable content, the stronger your results become.

Common mistakes businesses make with SEO

Many businesses fail to see results from SEO because they focus on short-term tactics or neglect important elements. Common mistakes include:

  • Targeting the wrong keywords with low buying intent

  • Ignoring technical issues that prevent Google from indexing pages

  • Focusing on quantity rather than quality of backlinks

  • Producing duplicate or thin content

  • Failing to track progress or adapt to algorithm updates

Avoiding these pitfalls ensures your efforts deliver sustainable, long-term growth.

How SEO and PPC work together

While SEO builds long-term visibility, PPC (Pay-Per-Click advertising) delivers instant traffic. Combining both can maximise performance. PPC helps test keywords and messaging, while SEO strengthens brand authority and reduces reliance on paid ads over time.

For ecommerce stores, using both channels creates a balanced strategy that delivers quick wins and lasting growth.

How Lillian Purge helps ecommerce businesses succeed with SEO

At Lillian Purge, we create tailored SEO strategies designed to help ecommerce businesses achieve sustainable growth. From technical audits and keyword research to content creation and link building, we manage every element of SEO to ensure your site ranks competitively.

Our approach focuses on improving visibility, increasing conversions, and driving measurable results that align with your business goals. Whether you’re launching a new store or scaling an established brand, our ecommerce SEO expertise helps you dominate search results and outperform competitors.

We have also written in depth articles on How Much Does SEO Cost? and How to Boost Website Ranking in Google as well as our SEO Hub to give you further guidance.