SEO is short for search engine optimization. It is better understood as designing your website in a way so that it will appear higher in search engine rankings. Ethical search engine optimization techniques can be used to optimize your website and bring about huge return on investments and increased visibility. It's plural can also refer to search engine optimizers where SEO service is provided.
SEO is the process of affecting the visibility of a website in a search engine like Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. in order that searchers could easily locate a website. Logically, the more often a website appears in the search results list, the more visitors or searchers from the search engine it will receive.
Since the 1990's SEO has been a part of the internet marketing world. Starting with the catalouging to creating visibility and high rankings, SEO has grown to reach a phase where SEO companies existed to provide these services. With increased rivalry and room for manipulation there was a great need for adopting ethical practices and a professional service to create the SEO method which can take a website to the front page as with limited time and enormous websites giving information.
While SEOs can provide you with valuable services, some unethical SEOs have given the industry a black eye through their aggresive marketing efforts and their efforts to manipulate search engine results in unfair ways. Practices that violate guidelines may result in a negative adjustment of your website's presence in search engines, or even the removal of your site from search results.
Deciding to hire an SEO is a big decision that can potentially improve your website and save time, but you may also risk damage to your site and reputation. Make sure to investigate the potential advantages as well as the damage that an irresponsible SEO can do to your site.