Search engine optimization: Difference between revisions

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'''Search engine optimization''' ('''SEO''') is the process of improving the quality and quantity of [[Web traffic|website traffic]] to a [[website]] or a [[web page]] from [[web search engine|search engine]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/SEO.html|title=SEO – search engine optimization|website=Webopedia|date=December 19, 2001|access-date=May 9, 2019|archive-date=May 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509033028/https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/SEO.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Giomelakis |first1=Dimitrios |last2=Veglis |first2=Andreas |date=2016-04-02 |title=Investigating Search Engine Optimization Factors in Media Websites: The case of Greece |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21670811.2015.1046992 |journal=Digital Journalism |language=en |volume=4 |issue=3 |pages=379–400 |doi=10.1080/21670811.2015.1046992 |s2cid=166902013 |issn=2167-0811 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |archive-date=October 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030054324/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21670811.2015.1046992 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref> SEO targets unpaid search traffic (usually referred to as "[[Organic search|organic]]" results) rather than direct traffic, referral traffic, [[social media]] traffic, or [[Online advertising|paid traffic]].

Organic search engine traffic originates from a variety of kinds of searches, including [[image search]], [[video search]], [[academic databases and search engines|academic search]],<ref name="aseo">{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728010319/https://www.sciplore.org/publications/2010-ASEO--preprint.pdf|title=Academic Search Engine Optimization (ASEO): Optimizing Scholarly Literature for Google Scholar and Co.|last1=Beel|first1=Jöran|last2=Gipp|first2=Bela|last3=Wilde|first3=Erik|year=2010|publisher=Journal of Scholarly Publishing|pages=176–190|access-date=April 18, 2010|archive-date=November 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171118043054/https://www.sciplore.org/publications/2010-ASEO--preprint.pdf}}</ref> news search, industry-specific [[vertical search]] engines, and large language models.

As an [[Internet marketing]] strategy, SEO considers how search engines work, the [[algorithm]]s that dictate search engine results, what people search for, the actual search queries or [[Keyword research|keywords]] typed into search engines, and which search engines are preferred by a target audience. SEO helps websites attract more visitors from a search engine and rank higher within a [[search engine results page]] (SERP), aiming to either convert the visitors or build brand awareness.<ref>Ortiz-Cordova, A. and Jansen, B. J. (2012) [https://faculty.ist.psu.edu/jjansen/academic/jansen_high_revenue_customers_2012.pdf Classifying Web Search Queries in Order to Identify High Revenue Generating Customers]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203905/https://faculty.ist.psu.edu/jjansen/academic/jansen_high_revenue_customers_2012.pdf |date=March 4, 2016 }}. Journal of the American Society for Information Sciences and Technology. 63(7), 1426 – 1441.</ref>

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In 2015, it was reported that [[Google]] was developing and promoting mobile search as a key feature within future products. In response, many brands began to take a different approach to their Internet marketing strategies.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.startupgrind.com/blog/mobile-is-the-internet-for-consumers/ |title="By the Data: For Consumers, Mobile is the Internet" ''Google for Entrepreneurs Startup Grind'' September 20, 2015. |access-date=January 8, 2016 |archive-date=January 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106040341/https://www.startupgrind.com/blog/mobile-is-the-internet-for-consumers/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 2020s, the rise of generative AI tools such as [[ChatGPT]], Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini gave rise to discussion around a newconcept approachvariously calledreferred [[Generativeto as generative engine optimization, answer engine optimization]] or [[artificial intelligence optimization]]. This approach focuses on optimizing content for inclusion in AI-generated answers provided by [[large language models]] (LLMs). This shift has led digital marketers to rethinkdiscuss content formats, authority signals, and how structured data is presented to make content more "promptable".<ref>{{Cite web | title=What is generative engine optimization (GEO)? | url=https://searchengineland.com/what-is-generative-engine-optimization-geo-444418 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240729150835/https://searchengineland.com/what-is-generative-engine-optimization-geo-444418 | access-date=2025-07-30 | archive-date=2024-07-29}}</ref> It has also been argued that each of these tactics should be considered as subsets of "search experience optimization," described by [[Ahrefs]] as "optimizing a brand’s presence for non-linear search journeys over multiple platforms, not just Google."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gavoyannis |first1=Despina |title=SXO Explained: How to Adapt to the New Era of Search |url=https://ahrefs.com/blog/search-experience-optimization/ |website=Ahrefs}}</ref>

==Relationship between Google and SEO industry==

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In 2007, Google announced a campaign against paid links that transfer PageRank.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/8-things-we-learned-about-google-pagerank/5897/|title=8 Things We Learned About Google PageRank|date=October 25, 2007|publisher=www.searchenginejournal.com|access-date=August 17, 2009|archive-date=August 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090819080745/http://www.searchenginejournal.com/8-things-we-learned-about-google-pagerank/5897/|url-status=live}}</ref> On June 15, 2009, Google disclosed that they had taken measures to mitigate the effects of PageRank sculpting by use of the [[nofollow]] attribute on links. [[Matt Cutts]], a well-known software engineer at Google, announced that Google Bot would no longer treat any no follow links, in the same way, to prevent SEO service providers from using nofollow for PageRank sculpting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mattcutts.com/blog/pagerank-sculpting/|title=PageRank sculpting|publisher=Matt Cutts|access-date=January 12, 2010|archive-date=January 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106120723/http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/pagerank-sculpting/|url-status=live}}</ref> As a result of this change, the usage of nofollow led to evaporation of PageRank. In order to avoid the above, SEO engineers developed alternative techniques that replace nofollowed tags with obfuscated [[JavaScript]] and thus permit PageRank sculpting. Additionally, several solutions have been suggested that include the usage of [[HTML element#Frames|iframe]]s, [[Flash animation|Flash]], and JavaScript.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://searchengineland.com/google-loses-backwards-compatibility-on-paid-link-blocking-pagerank-sculpting-20408 |title=Google Loses "Backwards Compatibility" On Paid Link Blocking & PageRank Sculpting |date=June 3, 2009 |publisher=searchengineland.com |access-date=August 17, 2009 |archive-date=August 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814212229/http://searchengineland.com/google-loses-backwards-compatibility-on-paid-link-blocking-pagerank-sculpting-20408/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In December 2009, Google announced it would be using the web search history of all its users in order to populate search results.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/personalized-search-for-everyone.html|title=Personalized Search for everyone|access-date=December 14, 2009|archive-date=December 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208140917/http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/personalized-search-for-everyone.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On June 8, 2010 a new web indexing system called [[Google Caffeine]] was announced. Designed to allow users to find news results, forum posts, and other content much sooner after publishing than before, Google Caffeine was a change to the way Google updated its index in order to make things show up quicker on Google than before. According to Carrie Grimes, the software engineer who announced Caffeine for Google, "Caffeine provides 50 percent fresher results for web searches than our last index..."<ref>{{cite web |url=httphttps://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.html |title=Our new search index: Caffeine |publisher=Google: Official Blog |access-date=May 10, 2014 |archive-date=June 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618160021/http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-new-search-index-caffeine.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Google Instant]], real-time-search, was introduced in late 2010 in an attempt to make search results more timely and relevant. Historically site administrators have spent months or even years optimizing a website to increase search rankings. With the growth in popularity of social media sites and blogs, the leading engines made changes to their algorithms to allow fresh content to rank quickly within the search results.<ref>{{cite web |title=Relevance Meets Real-Time Web |publisher=[[Google Blog]] |url=httphttps://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/relevance-meets-real-time-web.html |access-date=January 4, 2010 |archive-date=April 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407221454/http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/relevance-meets-real-time-web.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Google has implemented numerous algorithm updates to improve search quality, including Panda (2011) for content quality, Penguin (2012) for link spam, Hummingbird (2013) for natural language processing, and BERT (2019) for query understanding. These updates reflect the ongoing evolution of search technology and Google's efforts to combat spam while improving user experience.

In February 2011, Google announced the [[Google Panda|Panda]] update, which penalizes websites containing content duplicated from other websites and sources. Historically websites have copied content from one another and benefited in search engine rankings by engaging in this practice. However, Google implemented a new system that punishes sites whose content is not unique.<ref>{{cite web|title=Google Search Quality Updates|publisher=[[Google Blog]]|url=http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/finding-more-high-quality-sites-in.html|access-date=March 21, 2012|archive-date=April 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423234246/https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/finding-more-high-quality-sites-in.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2012 [[Google Penguin]] attempted to penalize websites that used manipulative techniques to improve their rankings on the search engine.<ref>{{cite web|title=What You Need to Know About Google's Penguin Update|work=Inc |date=June 20, 2012|publisher=[[Inc.com]]|url=http://www.inc.com/aaron-aders/what-you-need-to-know-about-googles-penguin-update.html|access-date=December 6, 2012|archive-date=December 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220235821/http://www.inc.com/aaron-aders/what-you-need-to-know-about-googles-penguin-update.html|url-status=live |last1=Aders |first1=Aaron }}</ref> Although Google Penguin has been presented as an algorithm aimed at fighting web spam, it really focuses on spammy links<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://searchengineland.com/google-penguin-looks-mostly-link-source-says-google-260902|title=Google Penguin looks mostly at your link source, says Google|date=2016-10-10|work=Search Engine Land|access-date=2017-04-20|language=en-US|archive-date=April 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421001835/http://searchengineland.com/google-penguin-looks-mostly-link-source-says-google-260902|url-status=live}}</ref> by gauging the quality of the sites the links are coming from. The 2013 [[Google Hummingbird]] update featured an algorithm change designed to improve Google's natural language processing and semantic understanding of web pages. Hummingbird's language processing system falls under the newly recognized term of "conversational search", where the system pays more attention to each word in the query in order to better match the pages to the meaning of the query rather than a few words.<ref>{{cite web|title=FAQ: All About The New Google "Hummingbird" Algorithm|url=https://searchengineland.com/google-hummingbird-172816|website=www.searchengineland.com|date=September 26, 2013|access-date=17 March 2018|archive-date=December 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223110045/https://searchengineland.com/google-hummingbird-172816|url-status=live}}</ref> With regards to the changes made to search engine optimization, for content publishers and writers, Hummingbird is intended to resolve issues by getting rid of irrelevant content and spam, allowing Google to produce high-quality content and rely on them to be 'trusted' authors.

In October 2019, Google announced they would start applying [[BERT (language model)|BERT]] models for English language search queries in the US. Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) was another attempt by Google to improve their natural language processing, but this time in order to better understand the search queries of their users.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Understanding searches better than ever before|url=https://blog.google/products/search/search-language-understanding-bert/|date=2019-10-25|website=Google|language=en|access-date=2020-05-12|archive-date=January 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127042834/https://www.blog.google/products/search/search-language-understanding-bert/|url-status=live}}</ref> In terms of search engine optimization, BERT intended to connect users more easily to relevant content and increase the quality of traffic coming to websites that are ranking in the [[Search engine results page|Search Engine Results Page]].

On May 20, 2025, Google announced that AI Mode would be released to all US users. AI Mode uses what Google calls a "query fan-out technique" which breaks down the search query into multiple sub-topics which generates additional search queries for the user.<ref>{{cite web|title=AI in Search: Going beyond information to intelligence|url=https://blog.google/products/search/google-search-ai-mode-update/|website=blog.google.com|date=May 20, 2025|access-date=23 June 2025}}</ref>

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== As marketing strategy ==

SEO isrepresents notone anapproach appropriatewithin strategydigital for every websitemarketing, andalongside other Internet marketing strategies can be more effective, such as paid advertising through pay-per-click [[Payadvertising perand click|(PPC)]]social campaigns,media depending on the site operator's goalsmarketing.{{Editorializing|date=December 2024}} [[Search engine marketing|Search engine marketing (SEM)]] is the practice of designing, running, and optimizing search engine ad campaigns. Its difference from SEO is most simply depicted as the difference between paid and unpaid priority ranking in search results. SEM focuses on prominence more so than relevance; website developers should regard SEM with the utmost importance with consideration to visibility as most navigate to the primary listings of their search.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Tapan|first=Panda|year=2013|title=Search Engine Marketing: Does the Knowledge Discovery Process Help Online Retailers?|journal=IUP Journal of Knowledge Management|volume=11|issue=3|pages=56–66|id={{ProQuest|1430517207}}}}</ref> A successful Internet marketing campaign may also depend upon building high-quality web pages to engage and persuade internet users, setting up [[web analytics|analytics]] programs to enable site owners to measure results, and improving a site's [[conversion rate]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/03/13/the-battle-between-search-engine-optimization-and-conversion-who-wins/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315221733/http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/03/13/the-battle-between-search-engine-optimization-and-conversion-who-wins |archive-date=March 15, 2008 |title=The Battle Between Search Engine Optimization and Conversion: Who Wins? |author=Melissa Burdon |publisher=Grok.com |access-date=April 10, 2017 |date=March 13, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=SEO Tips and Marketing Strategies |url=https://skyrocketresultsseo.com/hvac/seo/ |access-date=2022-10-30 |website= |language=en-US |archive-date=October 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030122434/https://skyrocketresultsseo.com/hvac/seo/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2015, Google released a full 160-page version of its Search Quality Rating Guidelines to the public,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//insidesearch/howsearchworks/assets/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf |title="Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines" ''How Search Works'' November 12, 2015. |access-date=January 11, 2016 |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329234138/http://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//insidesearch/howsearchworks/assets/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> which revealed a shift in their focus towards "usefulness" and [[mobile local search]]. In recent years the mobile market has exploded, overtaking the use of desktops, as shown in by [[StatCounter]] in October 2016, where they analyzed 2.5 million websites and found that 51.3% of the pages were loaded by a mobile device.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Titcomb|first1=James|title=Mobile web usage overtakes desktop for first time|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/11/01/mobile-web-usage-overtakes-desktop-for-first-time/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/11/01/mobile-web-usage-overtakes-desktop-for-first-time/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=November 2016|access-date=17 March 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Google has been one of the companies that are utilizing the popularity of mobile usage by encouraging websites to use their [[Google Search Console]], the Mobile-Friendly Test, which allows companies to measure up their website to the search engine results and determine how user-friendly their websites are. The closer the keywords are together their ranking will improve based on key terms.<ref name=":0" />

SEO may generate an adequate [[return on investment]]. However, search engines are not paid for organic search traffic, their algorithms change, and there are no guarantees of continued referrals. Due to this lack of guarantee and uncertainty, a business that relies heavily on search engine traffic can suffer major losses if the search engines stop sending visitors.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Forbes]] |url=https://www.forbes.com/technology/2007/04/29/sanar-google-skyfacet-tech-cx_ag_0430googhell.html?partner=rss |title=Condemned To Google Hell |author=Andy Greenberg |date=April 30, 2007 |access-date=May 9, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070502074629/http://www.forbes.com/technology/2007/04/29/sanar-google-skyfacet-tech-cx_ag_0430googhell.html?partner=rss |archive-date=May 2, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Search engines can change their algorithms, impacting a website's search engine ranking, possibly resulting in a serious loss of traffic. According to Google's CEO, [[Eric Schmidt]], in 2010, Google made over 500 algorithm changes – almost 1.5 per day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://searchengineland.com/13000-precision-evaluations-schmidts-testimony-reveals-how-google-tests-algorithm-changes-93740|title=Schmidt's testimony reveals how Google tests algorithm changes|author=Matt McGee|date=September 21, 2011|access-date=January 4, 2012|archive-date=January 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117152309/http://searchengineland.com/13000-precision-evaluations-schmidts-testimony-reveals-how-google-tests-algorithm-changes-93740|url-status=live}}</ref> ItIndustry isanalysts considerednote athat wisewebsites businessmay practiceface forrisks websitefrom operatorsalgorithm tochanges liberatethat themselvescan fromsignificantly dependenceimpact on search engineorganic traffic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.useit.com/alertbox/search_engines.html|publisher=useit.com|title=Search Engines as Leeches on the Web|date=January 9, 2006|access-date=May 14, 2007|author=Jakob Nielsen|author-link=Jakob Nielsen (usability consultant)|archive-date=August 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825022222/http://www.useit.com/alertbox/search_engines.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In addition to accessibility in terms of web crawlers (addressed above), user [[web accessibility]] has become increasingly important for SEO.

== International markets and SEO ==

InOptimization 2003,techniques [[Dannyare Sullivanhighly (technologist)|Dannytuned Sullivan]]to statedthe thatdominant search engines in the target market. The search engines' market shares vary from market to market, as does competition. [[Google]] representedhas aboutmaintained 75%dominant ofmarket allshare searchesin most regions, with varying percentages by market.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-08-25-google_x.htm|title=The search engine that could|newspaper=USA Today|access-date=May 15, 2007|date=August 26, 2003|first1=Jefferson|last1=Graham|archive-date=May 17, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517051318/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-08-25-google_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In markets outside the United States, Google's share is often larger, and data showed Google was the dominant search engine worldwide as of 2007.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2066064/Stats-Show-Google-Dominates-the-International-Search-Landscape | author=Greg Jarboe | title=Stats Show Google Dominates the International Search Landscape | publisher=[[Search Engine Watch]] | date=February 22, 2007 | access-date=May 15, 2007 | archive-date=May 23, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523154641/http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2066064/Stats-Show-Google-Dominates-the-International-Search-Landscape | url-status=live }}</ref> As of 2006, Google had an 85–90% market share in Germany.<ref name="grehan-1">{{cite web|url=http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/1702507/search-engine-optimizing-europe|title=Search Engine Optimizing for Europe|author=Mike Grehan|date=April 3, 2006|access-date=May 14, 2007|publisher=Click|archive-date=November 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106014727/http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/1702507/search-engine-optimizing-europe|url-status=live}}</ref> While there were hundreds of SEO firms in the US at that time, there were only about five in Germany.<ref name="grehan-1" /> As of March 2024, Google still had a significant market share of 89.85% in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Germany search engine market share 2024 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/445974/search-engines-market-share-of-desktop-and-mobile-search-germany/#statisticContainer |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> As of June 2008, the market share of Google in the UK was close to 90% according to [[Hitwise]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2008/jun/10/googleukclosesinon90mark | author=Jack Schofield | title=Google UK closes in on 90% market share | newspaper=[[The Guardian|Guardian]] | date=June 10, 2008 | access-date=June 10, 2008 | ___location=London | archive-date=December 17, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217023045/http://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2008/jun/10/googleukclosesinon90mark | url-status=live }}</ref>{{Obsolete source|date=December 2024}} As of March 2024, Google's market share in the UK was 93.61%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UK search engines market share 2024 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/280269/market-share-held-by-search-engines-in-the-united-kingdom/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref>

Optimization techniques are highly tuned to the dominant search engines in the target market.

The search engines' market shares vary from market to market, as does competition.

In 2003, [[Danny Sullivan (technologist)|Danny Sullivan]] stated that [[Google]] represented about 75% of all searches.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-08-25-google_x.htm|title=The search engine that could|newspaper=USA Today|access-date=May 15, 2007|date=August 26, 2003|first1=Jefferson|last1=Graham|archive-date=May 17, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517051318/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-08-25-google_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In markets outside the United States, Google's share is often larger, and data showed Google was the dominant search engine worldwide as of 2007.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2066064/Stats-Show-Google-Dominates-the-International-Search-Landscape | author=Greg Jarboe | title=Stats Show Google Dominates the International Search Landscape | publisher=[[Search Engine Watch]] | date=February 22, 2007 | access-date=May 15, 2007 | archive-date=May 23, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523154641/http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2066064/Stats-Show-Google-Dominates-the-International-Search-Landscape | url-status=live }}</ref> As of 2006, Google had an 85–90% market share in Germany.<ref name="grehan-1">{{cite web|url=http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/1702507/search-engine-optimizing-europe|title=Search Engine Optimizing for Europe|author=Mike Grehan|date=April 3, 2006|access-date=May 14, 2007|publisher=Click|archive-date=November 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106014727/http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/1702507/search-engine-optimizing-europe|url-status=live}}</ref> While there were hundreds of SEO firms in the US at that time, there were only about five in Germany.<ref name="grehan-1" /> As of March 2024, Google still had a significant market share of 89.85% in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Germany search engine market share 2024 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/445974/search-engines-market-share-of-desktop-and-mobile-search-germany/#statisticContainer |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> As of June 2008, the market share of Google in the UK was close to 90% according to [[Hitwise]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2008/jun/10/googleukclosesinon90mark | author=Jack Schofield | title=Google UK closes in on 90% market share | newspaper=[[The Guardian|Guardian]] | date=June 10, 2008 | access-date=June 10, 2008 | ___location=London | archive-date=December 17, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217023045/http://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2008/jun/10/googleukclosesinon90mark | url-status=live }}</ref>{{Obsolete source|date=December 2024}} As of March 2024, Google's market share in the UK was 93.61%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UK search engines market share 2024 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/280269/market-share-held-by-search-engines-in-the-united-kingdom/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref>

Successful search engine optimization (SEO) for international markets requires more than just translating web pages. It may also involve registering a ___domain name with a [[Country code top-level ___domain|country-code top-level ___domain]] (ccTLD) or a relevant [[top-level ___domain]] (TLD) for the target market, choosing web hosting with a local IP address or server, and using a [[Content delivery network|Content Delivery Network]] (CDN) to improve website speed and performance globally. It is also important to understand the local culture so that the content feels relevant to the audience. This includes conducting keyword research for each market, using hreflang tags to target the right languages, and building local backlinks. However, the core SEO principles—such as creating high-quality content, improving user experience, and building links—remain the same, regardless of language or region.<ref name="grehan-1" />

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* Russia: [[Yandex]] is the leading search engine in Russia. As of December 2023, it accounted for at least 63.8% of the market share.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most popular search engines in Russia 2023 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1094920/leading-search-engines-by-visits-share-russia/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref>

=== The evolution of internationalMultilingual SEO ===

By the early 2000s, businesses recognized that the web and search engines could help them reach global audiences. As a result, the need for multilingual SEO emerged.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Arora |first1=Sanjog |last2=Hemrajani |first2=Naveen |date=September 2023 |title=A REVIEW ON: MULTILINGUAL SEARCH TECHNIQUE |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382274152 |journal=International Journal of Applied Engineering & Technology |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=760–770 |via=ResearchGate}}</ref> In the early years of international SEO development, simple translation was seen as sufficient. However, over time, it became clear that localization and transcreation—adapting content to local language, culture, and emotional resonance—were far more effective than basic translation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SEO Starter Guide: The Basics {{!}} Google Search Central {{!}} Documentation |url=https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=Google for Developers |language=en}}</ref>

== Legal precedents ==