Types of SEO: A Comprehensive Guide for 2025

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is essential for anyone wanting to increase their website’s visibility and attract organic traffic from search engines like Google.

But SEO isn’t just one thing — it’s made up of several different strategies, each targeting a specific aspect of how search engines and users interact with your site. Understanding the various types of SEO will help you create a well-rounded approach that improves your rankings and boosts your online presence.

In this post, we’ll explore the 11 main types of SEO you should know about in 2025 — and how to use each one effectively.

1. On-Page SEO

On-page SEO refers to optimising elements within your website that affect your search engine rankings. This includes both your content and the HTML source code behind it.

Key on-page SEO factors include:

• Using relevant keywords naturally in your content

• Optimising title tags and meta descriptions

• Structuring content with header tags (H1, H2, H3)

• Ensuring URLs are clear and keyword-friendly

• Adding alt text to images for accessibility and SEO

• Improving page load speed

• Making your website mobile-friendly

On-page SEO is the foundation of all optimisation — it helps search engines understand what your page is about and why it’s valuable to users.

2. Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO involves activities outside your website that impact your rankings. The focus here is on building your site’s authority and reputation.

The most important off-page SEO tactic is link building — earning backlinks from reputable websites. These links act as “votes of confidence” in the eyes of search engines.

Other off-page SEO strategies include:

• Social media marketing and engagement

• Brand mentions and digital PR

• Influencer collaborations

• Guest blogging on relevant websites

Strong off-page SEO signals that your site is trustworthy, authoritative, and worth ranking highly.

One thing that’s really helped me expand my reach and connect with new readers is teaming up with other bloggers. If you’ve not tried it yet, I’d definitely recommend reading my post on Reasons To Collaborate With Other Bloggers — it explains how collaboration can boost visibility, creativity, and engagement.

3. Technical SEO

Technical SEO focuses on the backend of your website — how search engines crawl, index, and render your pages. It ensures your site runs smoothly and is easy for both users and bots to navigate.

Important technical SEO tasks include:

• Creating an XML sitemap

• Fixing crawl errors and broken links

• Using HTTPS for security

• Optimising site speed and performance

• Implementing structured data (schema markup)

• Ensuring mobile responsiveness

• Managing redirects and canonical tags

Even the best-written content can struggle to rank without solid technical foundations.

4. Local SEO

Local SEO helps businesses reach customers in specific geographic areas. It’s essential for local shops, service providers, and anyone targeting nearby audiences.

Key local SEO tactics include:

• Creating and optimising a Google Business Profile

• Using location-specific keywords

• Getting positive local reviews

• Maintaining consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information

• Building backlinks from local directories and websites

Local SEO ensures your business appears in “near me” searches and Google Maps listings.

5. Content SEO

Content SEO focuses on creating high-quality, valuable, and relevant content that satisfies users’ search intent and encourages engagement.

This includes:

• Conducting keyword research to target the right topics

• Writing detailed, well-structured blog posts or pages

• Using visuals, infographics, and videos to support content

• Regularly updating old posts

• Ensuring your content is easy to read and understand

Content SEO goes hand-in-hand with on-page SEO — it’s what gives your site meaning and depth.

6. AI SEO

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the SEO landscape. AI SEO involves using AI-powered tools and algorithms to optimise content, predict trends, and enhance performance.

AI SEO can help with:

• Predictive analytics: Identifying keywords and topics likely to perform well

• Content optimisation: Tools like SurferSEO or Frase can improve readability and keyword use

• Automation: Speeding up keyword research, reporting, and link analysis

• Voice and visual search: Adapting content for new forms of search

• User behaviour insights: Analysing visitor data to refine UX

AI SEO combines human creativity with machine intelligence, helping you stay ahead of evolving search algorithms.

7. Mobile SEO

Mobile SEO ensures your website performs perfectly on smartphones and tablets. Since Google uses mobile-first indexing, the mobile version of your site is the one that determines rankings.

Focus on:

• Responsive design that adapts to all devices

• Fast loading speeds

• Clear navigation and readable text

• Avoiding intrusive pop-ups

• Testing with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test

A mobile-optimised site improves both user experience and search performance.

8. Voice Search SEO

With smart devices becoming commonplace, voice search is on the rise. Voice Search SEO focuses on optimising for conversational, natural-language queries.

Tactics include:

• Targeting long-tail keywords and question-based phrases

• Creating FAQ-style content

• Using structured data for quick answers

• Optimising for local “near me” searches

By preparing your content for how people actually speak, you can capture traffic from this growing search trend.

9. Video SEO

Video SEO improves the visibility of your video content across search engines and platforms like YouTube.

Key techniques include:

• Using keyword-optimised titles and descriptions

• Adding captions and transcripts

• Creating engaging thumbnails

• Embedding videos within your blog posts

• Adding schema markup for video content

Video SEO helps boost engagement and keeps visitors on your page longer — a positive ranking signal for Google.

10. E-commerce SEO

E-commerce SEO focuses on helping online shops rank higher for product and category searches.

Tactics include:

• Optimising product pages with descriptive titles and keywords

• Using structured data for product information and reviews

• Simplifying site navigation and internal linking

• Improving site speed and checkout flow

• Writing unique product descriptions instead of using manufacturer text

A well-optimised e-commerce site drives more organic sales and builds long-term visibility.

11. Negative SEO (and How to Avoid It)

Negative SEO refers to unethical tactics that attempt to damage a competitor’s rankings — for example, spammy backlinks, fake reviews, or site hacking.

Protect your site by:

• Monitoring backlinks regularly

• Using Google Search Console to detect suspicious activity

• Keeping plugins, themes, and security software updated

• Disavowing harmful links when needed

While rare, being proactive helps you safeguard your website’s reputation and authority.

Final Thoughts

SEO is far more than just keywords and backlinks. It’s a combination of technical know-how, creative content, and strategic thinking — all working together to make your website more visible and valuable.

By understanding and applying these 11 types of SEO — from on-page basics to advanced AI and voice search techniques — you’ll be well-equipped to grow your online presence, attract more traffic, and achieve sustainable success in 2025 and beyond.

When I first started improving my site’s visibility, I found that having the right tools made a huge difference. That’s why I’ve put together a list of Free SEO Tools to Boost Your Search Engine Rankings — they’ve helped me enhance my keyword strategy, track performance, and optimise content without spending a penny.

Which type of SEO are you focusing on in 2025? Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below — let’s grow smarter (and rank higher) together!