As SEO professionals, we regularly face the challenge of explaining our job to new clients, friends and family who have absolutely no idea what we do. There’s that moment when we’ll meet a new client, or catching up over a traditional South African braai, and someone casually asks, “So, what exactly is it that you do?” Cue the blank stares as we try to sum up the complexities of SEO in a way that doesn’t make their eyes glaze over.
To help us out in these tricky situations, we’ve come up with a few fun and relatable ways to describe what we do. Let’s explore how we, as SEO pros, explain our work to new clients, our friends and our families—without getting lost in the digital jargon.
The “Librarian of the Internet” analogy
When someone asks what we do, we often start with this simple analogy: “I’m like a librarian for the internet.” It’s a concept everyone gets—librarians organize books so people can find what they’re looking for. Similarly, we help websites get found more easily on Google, much like a librarian would place popular books in an easy-to-find spot on the shelf.
Example:
“I make sure that when people search for something online, they find the best websites first. Kind of like a librarian who puts the most popular books right at the front so everyone can see them.”
The “Google Translator” explanation
SEO can seem like a foreign language to those outside our industry. We like to compare ourselves to translators who speak “Google-ese.” We help websites communicate effectively with Google, ensuring they get noticed by the search engine and ranked higher in search results.
Example:
“I’m a translator for websites. I help them speak the language that Google understands, so when someone searches for something, Google knows to show them the best websites—hopefully, the ones we work on!”
The “Digital Matchmaker” approach
Who doesn’t love a good matchmaking story? We tell the story that we’re digital matchmakers, connecting people searching online with the businesses or information they’re looking for. Our job is to create that perfect match where searchers find exactly what they need.
Example:
“I’m like a matchmaker, but for the internet. I help people find the right websites when they search on Google, connecting them with the information or products they’re looking for.”
The “Website Personal Trainer” comparison
Fitness is a concept most people understand. We explain that we’re like personal trainers for websites, helping them get in shape so they can perform at their best. Just as a trainer works on fitness routines and diet plans, we work on over 250 ranking factors to get websites to the top of search results.
Example:
“I’m a personal trainer, but for websites! I work on getting them in the best shape possible so they can perform well and show up at the top when someone searches for them online.”
The “Traffic Cop of the Web” metaphor
We often explain our role as being like a traffic cop, but instead of directing cars, we’re directing internet traffic. Our job is to make sure the right websites get the most traffic, leading people to their digital destination smoothly and efficiently.
Example:
“I’m like a traffic cop on the internet. I make sure the right websites get the most visitors, guiding people to the best places online when they’re searching for something.”
The “Google Gardener” description
For clients, friend and family members with a green thumb, we compare ourselves to gardeners who tend to Google’s digital garden. We plant the seeds (keywords), water them (content optimization), and pull out the weeds (fixing technical issues) to ensure our clients’ websites grow and thrive in Google’s search results.
Example:
“I’m a gardener, but instead of plants, I grow websites in Google’s Garden. I plant the right keywords, water them with good content, and make sure no weeds (technical issues) get in the way.”
The “Online Detective” analogy
Everyone loves a good detective story. We say that we’re online detectives, investigating what people are searching for and figuring out how to get our clients’ websites to the top of those search results. We’re solving the mystery of how to get more visibility for our clients.
Example:
“I’m an online detective! I investigate what people are searching for and then figure out how to get my clients’ websites to the top of those search results.”
We enjoy cooking, we compare our job to being a chef in the kitchen. Just as a chef mixes the right ingredients to create a delicious dish, we mix content, keywords, and technical know-how to cook up a website that Google loves.
Example:
“I’m like a chef, but instead of cooking food, I mix together the right ingredients—content, keywords, and tech skills—to create websites that Google loves.”
The “Website Architect” metaphor
We explain that we’re website architects, building structures (websites) that are strong, functional, and easy to navigate. Our job is to design and optimize these digital buildings so that they stand tall in Google’s rankings.
Example:
“I’m a website architect. I design and build websites that are strong, functional, and easy to find on Google—making sure they stand out and stay at the top.”
Finally, for a bit of fun, we tell people that we’re online magicians, performing the magic tricks that make websites appear out of thin air (or at least at the top of Google). It’s all about pulling the right strings behind the scenes to create something that seems magical to the average person.
Example:
“I’m an online magician! I do the behind-the-scenes work that makes websites appear out of nowhere at the top of Google—like pulling a rabbit out of a hat!”
Explaining SEO doesn’t have to be complicated or boring. By using these fun and relatable analogies, we can help our clients understand what we do and maybe even impress them with how cool our job really is.
At Cape Business Online, we’re the SEO pros who make magic happen for your website—no librarian or traffic cop required! Let’s connect and shift your online presence a notch (or many!).
