How to Explain SEO to Your Family

SEO requires a combination of excellent writing and technical skills. SEO is something many have heard about, but many don’t really understand. They think SEO requires deep technical skills, and explaining it to non-web developers or marketers can be both frustrating and exhausting.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right information and a bit of practice, you can explain SEO in simple, easy-to-understand terms no matter who you’re talking to – your mom, dad, siblings, grandparents, and even your smart cousin.

Why SEO Is Difficult to Explain

The world of SEO is vast. Websites, search engines, alt text, keywords, SERP, and even the almighty algorithm all encompass what is considered to be search engine optimization.

Trying to explain all these concepts while plates of green bean casserole are being passed and your aunt is talking about her recent debacle at the dry cleaners is no short feat.

You can’t forget either that SEO is a relatively new industry in comparison to other professions. Oil and gas or finances have been around even before your grandparents were born, so it should be no surprise they won’t have the slightest clue what you’re going on about.

To make the concept of SEO even harder to explain is the inherent contradiction it presents older generations. People who didn’t grow up with the internet and don’t understand the complexities of digital marketing. People who believe in-person communication is the most effective means of making a sale or creating strong relationships in business won’t understand a foreign concept of inbound digital marketing.

Understand when you’re at the table with relatives you have an uphill battle ahead of you to explain what is SEO? Luckily, there are some general tips you can follow that make the conversation less painful and more relatable.

Explaining SEO To Your Mother

As the person who brought you into this world, your mother should be more receptive to your explanations about SEO and the value it brings to companies.

When talking about SEO with your mother, draw analogies she will understand and relate to. Think of it as telling stories rather than educating her on a complex subject.

If you were to explain what is link building, consider all the connections that have helped shape who you are as a person. Everyone, including your mother, has experienced networking with family, friends, and co-workers to get ahead in life or gain some form of advantage.

Give your mom a way to relate to SEO concepts by making them more personal. If your mother takes care of the home, it will be easier to focus on creating strong foundations with SEO and optimizing websites for efficiency and order. She’ll be more receptive to what you’re saying and want to learn more about it.

Explaining SEO To Your Father

The burden of being a father is always worrying about how to take care of and protect the family. SEO is a way to bring a consistent source of traffic to companies to establish security and stability. Fathers will understand the need for these services and how they fit into the overall strategy of scaling a business.

Explain to him that SEO can be used as a tool for business growth, better organic rankings on search engines, and even greater conversion rates from website visitors.

Once he hears that SEO can help generate revenue for businesses (including yours), the conversation will begin to flow naturally and his interest in SEO will be piqued. He might not ask a ton of questions, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t care.

Explaining SEO To Your Younger Sibling

Ever since they were born, younger siblings have been looking up to you. Although they might have grown taller over the years, the sentiment still remains. Younger siblings simply want to be inspired and proud of their older siblings.

They might not have the life experience to understand the deeper concepts of SEO, but they will be eager to learn. Explaining SEO to your sibling should be fun and easy to understand. Make sure to use simple terminology and describe concepts at the surface level. Going too far in depth will alienate your sibling, and they won’t be able to keep up with the conversation.

Explain to them how SEO is like a game of chess; you have to think ahead, outplay your opponent and make strategic moves in order to win. Stress the importance of research and being organized in SEO because that’s how you optimize your website and outrank competitors.

If you do it well enough, you’ll find that look of admiration in their eyes you remember from your own childhood.

Explaining SEO To Your Grandparents

They’ve been watching you since before you even knew what the internet was and now that you have made it your career, it may be hard for grandparents to fully understand what you do.

Regardless of what you tell them, grandparents generally want to be proud of their grandchildren and dote on them in ways they never could as parents.

When you’re explaining SEO to them, keep it simple and avoid using too many technical terms. Explain to them how SEO is helping businesses succeed in an ever-increasing digital landscape, and that you’re passionate about being part of this revolution.

Reassure your grandparents that you are working hard on something worthwhile and it’s how businesses succeed in a digital world.

Explaining SEO To Your Smart Cousin

Whether it was remembering all of the state’s capitals at the age of six or winning the spelling bee in their school, you’ve probably always had some sense of competition with your smart cousin. And if it wasn’t your own personal competition, your family made sure to remind you of all their accomplishments.

That’s why it’s important to put the guard down and relate to your cousin when explaining SEO rather than pushing the competition further.

See if you can’t relate SEO to the industry your cousin is currently working in. If they are in finance, explain to them how SEO is a way to increase sales, drive traffic and generate more leads. Your cousin will more likely be able to pick up complex SEO concepts compared to other family members. Feel free to use more technical terms when describing the value of SEO and how it is performed.

If they are in marketing, remind them of the importance of ranking on search engine results pages (SERP) and that it is an important tool for successful online marketing campaigns.

The goal is to have a conversation instead of giving them a lecture. Let them ask questions and explain things in ways that they understand. You might even be able to help them in their own career or business, proving once and for all who the smartest cousin is in the family.

Take Away

Explaining SEO doesn’t need to be challenging. It just depends on the audience you are speaking to. Hopefully this article displayed how adjusting your explanation for SEO can help others understand its value.

So next time you need to explain SEO whether that be to your family, your boss, or random people at a networking event, you can consider how similar each of these would be to these different family members. You can then adjust your explanation’s complexity based on who they are.

If you are interested in learning more about effective and affordable SEO solutions, you can check out pricing for Amazing SEO services.