14 Different SEO Types in Digital Marketing

SEO is the practice of increasing organic visibility by aligning website structure, content, and external signals with search engine algorithms – yet it’s not a monolithic entity, but rather a collection of distinct SEO types, each playing a crucial role in a comprehensive strategy. Effective SEO ensures that content is discoverable, understandable, and valuable for specific user queries.

According to Backlinko, a climb of just one position in search results typically yields an approximate 2.8% increase in click-through rate (CTR). Notably, leaping from the second to the coveted first spot often increases CTR by up to 74.5%. Multiple SEO types address various technical, content-related, and strategic areas of optimization, all aimed at increasing website position in SERPs. While core types like on-page or technical SEO are common, the rise of digital complexity has introduced niche, high-impact SEO methods.

Read on to explore 14 different SEO types – from core methods to niche-specific strategies – and learn how each fits within broader SEO categories and when to apply them for maximum impact.

What Are the 14 Types of SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a broad field that focuses on improving a site’s visibility in organic results. There are 14 types of SEO, including 4 core ones, 7 specialized ones, and 3 innovative approaches.

The 4 key types of SEO include on-page, off-page, technical, and local SEO. However, diving deeper into this topic, you’ll discover that the world of search engine optimization is far more nuanced, involving at least 7 specialized SEO types, such as e–commerce SEO, news SEO, mobile SEO, international SEO, image SEO, video SEO, or voice SEO. These specialized areas often overlap with the core types but require focused strategies and expertise.

Given the constantly evolving nature of digital marketing and the new technologies that reshape how businesses connect with their audiences and are discovered online. To navigate the complexities of modern search and user behavior, 3 emerging approaches are gaining traction: programmatic SEO, AI SEO, and SXO (Search Experience Optimization).

1. On-page SEO

On-page SEO involves optimizing individual web pages to boost their rankings in search results. This process encompasses elements like keyword implementation, meta tags, content quality, and internal linking. The primary aim is to ensure that each page is relevant, readable, and aligned with what users are searching for.

2. Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO includes all external factors influencing rankings, such as backlinks, brand mentions, and social signals. It strengthens your website’s authority and trustworthiness for search engines.

3. Technical SEO

Technical SEO is all about enhancing a website’s foundation. It zeroes in on crucial aspects like site speed, mobile usability, crawlability, indexability, and structured data, ensuring that search engines can easily access and understand your site, making it more efficient for them to interpret your content.

4. Local SEO

Local SEO is aimed at improving visibility in local search results. It includes optimizing Google Business Profile, local citations, and location-based keywords, helping your business appear for geographically specific queries.

5. E-commerce SEO

E-commerce SEO targets online stores and product listings. It optimizes product descriptions, schema markup, category structure, and site architecture to increase visibility for transactional queries and reduce bounce rates during the buyer journey.

6. News SEO

News SEO is all about enhancing the visibility of news websites in Google News and Discover. It requires fast indexing, proper headline markup, author profiles, and AMP optimization to rank for time-sensitive, high-volume news queries.

7. Mobile SEO

Mobile SEO ensures a website performs well on smartphones and tablets. It involves responsive design, mobile-friendly UI, and performance tuning, particularly since Google uses mobile-first indexing.

8. International SEO

International SEO addresses multilingual and multi-regional sites. It uses hreflang tags, localized content, and correct domain targeting to help search engines serve the right version of your website to users in different countries or using different languages.

9. Image SEO

Image SEO optimizes images for visibility in image search results. It includes descriptive file names, alt attributes, compression, and proper sizing to enhance UX and improve page load speed.

10. Video SEO

Video SEO helps videos rank in search results and on YouTube. It relies on transcript optimization, thumbnail selection, and video schema markup to boost visibility and engagement metrics like watch time.

11. Voice SEO

Voice SEO targets voice assistant queries, which account for over 20% of mobile searches, per Google Voice Trends 2023. It requires FAQ-structured content and natural language optimization, especially for long-tail, question-based keywords.

12. Programmatic SEO

Programmatic SEO enables thousands of pages to rank for long-tail queries. It’s especially effective for listing-based websites (e.g., real estate or job boards). This approach is leveraged in the automatic creation of landing pages at scale based on templates and databases.

13. AI SEO

AI SEO uses artificial intelligence for content generation, entity optimization, and SERP analysis. Tools like SurferSEO, Clearscope, and GPT models enable semantic coverage and better topical depth, boosting rankings by matching Google’s NLP algorithms.

14. SXO

SXO combines SEO with UX (User Experience) to optimize not just for rankings but for conversions and satisfaction – pages with better UX metrics tend to rank higher and convert better. It prioritizes user intent, clear CTAs, and content readability.

Each SEO type addresses distinct user behaviors, technical requirements, and content formats to enhance visibility in specific platforms. Advanced SEO strategies integrate multiple types to build stronger topical authority and search visibility.

4 Core SEO Types in Digital Marketing

Let’s pay attention to 4 basic types of SEO: on–page, off–page, technical, and local SEO. Each plays a unique role in boosting a website’s visibility, authority, and user engagement. Together, they lay the groundwork for a successful SEO strategy and align closely with how search engines assess and rank content.

1. On-Page SEO

On-page SEO involves optimizing individual web pages to elevate their ranking on search engine results pages. This strategy encompasses the following techniques:

• Conducting thorough keyword research and strategically integrating relevant keywords within page content,
• Crafting effective metadata,
• Structuring content for optimal readability and search engine understanding,
• Implementing internal linking strategies,
• Applying schema markups to enhance content context,
• Ensuring seamless mobile responsiveness.

Proper keyword research helps match user intent with the page’s content, translating into better search engine rankings and ensuring more traffic. Core on-page SEO factors include title tags, meta descriptions, URL structure, internal linking, and image alt attributes. Each element signals context and relevance to crawlers. Clean code and logical content hierarchy help both users and search engines understand the page.

Effective on-page SEO boosts online visibility by making pages easier to find and more useful to visitors. When website content directly addresses user search queries and adheres to crucial technical specifications, it progressively establishes authority in the eyes of search engines. This ongoing commitment to page optimization cultivates sustained growth in website traffic and user engagement over time.

2. Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO is a set of optimization strategies applied outside your own website to improve rankings, trust, and authority. Unlike on-site techniques, off-site SEO focuses on how search engines perceive your site through external signals. The most critical element is link building, where backlinks from trusted sources act as endorsements of your content’s value.

Strategic off-page SEO tactics enable search engines to assess a website’s credibility and relevance based on factors extending beyond its own domain. These external signals are particularly crucial for enterprise SEO, where intense competition makes establishing strong external authority a significant driver of success. Key techniques in off-page SEO involve:

• Guest posting and link building,
• Competitor analysis,
• Social sharing,
• Influencer outreach,
• Brand mentions,
• Forum participation.

A strong off-page profile increases a site’s authority score and improves its position in the search results over time. While results may take longer to show, the impact is durable and scalable.

3. Technical SEO

Technical SEO refers to optimizing the technical aspects of a website to improve search engine rankings by enhancing crawlability, indexation, and overall site performance. In contrast to content-centric approaches, technical SEO addresses the underlying backend elements that help search engines understand and process web pages more efficiently. A technically sound site is fast, secure, mobile-optimized, and structured for both users and crawlers. Key techniques and methods within technical SEO encompass:

• XML sitemap creation for easier indexing,
• Mobile optimization for better accessibility,
• Page speed enhancement for reduced bounce rate,
• Structured data for rich result eligibility,
• HTTPS setup for user trust and security.

The main goal of technical SEO is to make a site search-engine-friendly by ensuring that pages load quickly, URLs are clean, and content is accessible through structured data. Key technical aspects, such as schema markup, canonical tags, and HTTPS, have a direct impact on how search engines evaluate pages. Implementing these features correctly minimizes errors, enhances user experience, and helps maintain your site’s credibility amidst algorithm updates.

4. Local SEO

Local SEO is a technique that helps local businesses improve their presence in organic search results for queries with local search intent. It focuses on optimizing content, profiles, and signals that connect a business with a target audience in a specific geographic area. When done correctly, local SEO boosts online visibility in map packs, location-based queries, and mobile searches. Key techniques and methods in local SEO involve:

• Google Business Profile setup for map visibility,
• Localized content for matching area-specific queries,
• Local citations for consistent business data,
• Reputation management for trust signals,
• Location pages for multi-branch companies,
• NAP consistency for ranking accuracy.

Unlike general SEO, it emphasizes proximity, relevance, and trustworthiness to influence search rankings. Using structured data, business directories, and customer reviews, local SEO aligns search results with users looking for products or services nearby. Incorporating local keywords into titles and content helps search engines match results to relevant queries.

4 SEO Categories by Ethical Approach

SEO techniques can also be classified according to their ethical approach, involving white hat, black hat, grey hat, and negative SEO. This categorization of SEO methods provides a crucial lens through which to understand the potential risks and rewards of different strategies. Beyond the core types of SEO, the ethical dimension significantly impacts a website’s long-term success and standing with search engines, particularly Google, whose guidelines are often the benchmark.

1. White Hat SEO

White hat SEO is a set of optimization practices that fully comply with search engine guidelines, aiming for long–term and sustainable growth. It focuses on creating high-quality, relevant content, earning backlinks naturally, and improving user experience across all devices.

These user-centric methods boost search engine visibility without resorting to manipulative tactics. By employing strategies like a well-organized site structure, valuable content, and ethical link-building practices, you can achieve steady SEO performance over time. White hat SEO reduces the risk of penalties and ensures that your rankings rise based on relevance and value rather than exploiting the system.

2. Black Hat SEO

Black hat SEO leverages manipulative, often perceived as unethical, techniques to bypass search engine algorithms for quick and often short–lived ranking gains. These methods violate official guidelines and focus on exploiting system weaknesses rather than delivering user value.

Common tactics include keyword stuffing, cloaking, hidden text, and buying backlinks. While black hat SEO can generate fast traffic spikes, it carries a high risk of penalties or deindexing. Search engines like Google use manual and algorithmic checks to detect such violations, making this approach unsustainable for long-term growth.

3. Grey Hat SEO

Grey hat SEO encompasses optimization strategies that straddle the line between ethical (white hat) and unethical (black hat) practices. While these techniques aren’t outright prohibited, they operate in areas not clearly outlined in search engine guidelines. Some common examples include engaging in link exchanges, tweaking spun content with minor edits, or acquiring aged domains to boost authority.

While they may improve rankings without immediate penalties, they still carry risks. If search engine policies evolve or enforcement increases, grey hat tactics can lead to loss of traffic or penalties. This approach offers moderate gains but lacks long-term security.

4. Negative SEO

Negative SEO involves using harmful tactics to sabotage a competitor’s search rankings. In contrast to traditional SEO, which focuses on enhancing a website’s visibility, negative SEO specifically targets other sites with the intention of diminishing their performance in search results.

Common methods include building spammy backlinks to a competitor’s site, hacking content, creating duplicate pages across domains, or generating fake negative reviews. These actions can trigger penalties or reduce trust signals in the eyes of search engines. Negative SEO is unethical and often illegal, and detecting it early is essential to protect your domain authority and rankings.

6 Different Types of SEO Services

Since SEO optimization demands a unique set of skills and expertise, many businesses opt to hire professionals who provide tailored services, such as foundational SEO, on–page SEO, off–page SEO, local SEO, comprehensive SEO audits, and specialized SEO strategies. Check out what encompasses each of these services and make an informed decision on choosing professional guidance for growing your business online.

Foundational SEO Services

Foundational SEO services involve the essential setup and technical groundwork required to make a website indexable, crawlable, and optimized for search engines from the start. This type of service is typically implemented at the beginning of an SEO campaign or during a website launch or redesign.

It includes thorough audits and necessary adjustments to guarantee that the site is structurally solid and meets essential ranking criteria. Foundational SEO generally encompasses the following tasks:

• Technical site audits,
• Resolving crawl errors,
• Creating and submitting XML sitemaps,
• Optimizing robots.txt files,
• Ensuring HTTPS is active,
• Establishing clean URL structures.

It also includes on-page essentials like meta tag creation, heading hierarchy, internal linking, and schema markup implementation.

Establishing a search-engine-friendly infrastructure helps search engines index pages efficiently and create a strong base for future optimization work. Without this groundwork, content and backlink strategies would be less effective.

On-Page SEO Services

On-page SEO (or on-site SEO) services target elements within the site and aim to boost rankings and attract more organic traffic by refining each page‘s structure and substance. Agencies that offer on-page SEO services can help you with:

• Aligning page content with specific keywords,
• Optimizing headings, meta titles, and descriptions,
• Improving internal linking,
• Resolving issues like duplicate content and keyword cannibalization.

High-quality content creation often overlaps with content marketing to effectively address user intent. When executed properly, this service ensures that every page contributes to the site’s overall visibility and authority.

Off-Page SEO Services

Off-page SEO services enhance a website’s authority and trustworthiness by building external signals that influence how search engines work when ranking pages. Collaborating with an agency that offers off-page SEO services, you can expect they take care of:

• Acquiring high-quality backlinks from authoritative domains,
• Managing brand mentions,
• Developing relationships through digital PR and influencer outreach.

These services also involve citation building, social bookmarking, and encouraging user-generated content like reviews.

By strengthening a site’s reputation across the web, agencies help improve your domain authority and ranking potential. Their work is to help search engines interpret your site as a credible source, increasing its chances of appearing higher in search results.

Specialized SEO Services

Specialized SEO services go beyond standard optimization by addressing unique technical requirements, user behaviors, and ranking factors tied to a particular business model or search environment. One standout category is ecommerce SEO – there are agencies that specialize in this area, focusing on optimizing product listings, category pages, and structured data for online stores.

However, specialized SEO services may also cover international SEO, mobile SEO, video SEO, and voice search optimization – each requiring tools and tactics suited to its format and audience. Specialized SEO often integrates with broader search engine marketing efforts, ensuring consistency across paid and organic channels. The key is to align strategy with business type – these services maximize visibility and performance in highly competitive or niche markets.

Local SEO Services

Many SEO agencies specialize in local SEO, offering services designed for businesses targeting specific geographic areas and aspiring to appear in local sections of Google search results. Local SEO professionals specialize in optimizing Google Business Profile listings, building local citations, ensuring NAP consistency, and gathering authentic customer reviews. These services also include content creation with geographic intent and localized keyword integration.

By boosting a business’s visibility in local directories and enhancing its presence in location-based searches, these services effectively attract more foot traffic, increase phone inquiries, and elevate brand recognition within the region. This ensures that local customers can easily discover the business when they need it most.

SEO Auditing Services

SEO auditing services offer an in–depth analysis of a website’s potential to achieve high rankings and strong performance within major search engines. This crucial process pinpoints technical flaws, content deficiencies, and structural vulnerabilities that hinder online visibility and organic traffic expansion.

An SEO audit involves reviewing site architecture, crawlability, indexation, internal linking, and mobile performance. Tools like Google Search Console are used to detect errors and coverage issues, while keyword research tools help analyze content relevance and targeting. Audits also assess backlinks, page speed, and metadata for compliance with the latest algorithm standards.

Professionals offering these services furnish practical insights for developing impactful optimization strategies by comparing a website’s performance against competitors and ensuring adherence to the best practices established by leading search engines.

What Is the Best Type of SEO?

The most effective SEO approach is a comprehensive, user–centric strategy that synergistically blends high–quality content with robust technical foundations and the ability to adapt to emerging technologies. Such SEO practice is the best choice to ensure long-term results – however, changes in algorithms require flexibility and a commitment to continuous learning and adaptation.

Focus on developing content clusters that effectively address user search intent. Ensure you implement structured data to boost visibility and create a fast, mobile-friendly website. Integrate AI-driven features and regularly update your content to keep it relevant. Avoid black-hat tactics – instead, aim to build expertise, authority, and trustworthiness to achieve lasting search visibility and strengthen your brand’s reputation.

Why Do SEO Types Matter When Building a Landing Page?

SEO types matter when building a landing page because each type addresses different elements that influence how users find and interact with your content. For example, on-page SEO ensures that headlines, meta tags, and keyword usage match search intent, while technical SEO makes the page fast and mobile-friendly – both crucial for ranking. Off-page SEO increases authority through backlinks, and local SEO helps attract nearby customers.

With Landingi, you can easily apply these principles. The platform allows for custom URL structure, image alt tags, and meta settings, supporting on-page and technical optimization. Leveraging AI landing page features, you ensure the content on your page is SEO-friendly, with relevant keywords, SEO-optimized title, and description.

Landingi is the best choice for creating pages optimized for local search. It enables the creation of multi-language pages through automatic translation, supporting 29 languages to help you attract leads around the world. The platform also offers a built-in analytics and tracking tool, EventTracker, giving you full control over SEO-friendly design without coding.

Understanding and applying the right types of SEO ensures that every landing page you build is not only discoverable but also competitive, user-focused, and built for lasting results – try Landingi now and start creating high-performing pages!