Organic Search
Organic search refers to the unpaid search results that appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) based on their relevance to the search query, as determined by the search engine's algorithm.
Organic search results are the "natural" listings on Google that aren't paid advertisements. When you search for something, Google shows a mix of ads (marked as "Sponsored") and organic results. Organic results are earned through SEO, not paid for.
Organic vs. paid results:
Organic results:
- Earned through SEO efforts
- No cost per click
- Build over time
- Sustainable long-term
- Require ongoing optimization
Paid results (Google Ads):
- Pay per click
- Immediate visibility
- Stop when you stop paying
- Require ongoing budget
- Compete on bid amount
Why organic search matters for contractors:
1. Cost-effective
While SEO requires investment, organic clicks are "free" once you rank. Paid ads charge you for every click.
2. Trust
Many users skip ads and prefer organic results. Organic listings are seen as more trustworthy.
3. Sustainable
Good SEO builds an asset. Rankings can persist for months or years with maintenance.
4. Intent
People searching organically often have higher intent than those who click ads. They're researching and ready to buy.
Organic search ranking factors:
- Quality, relevant content
- Technical website health
- Backlinks from other sites
- User experience signals
- Mobile-friendliness
- Page speed
- Local SEO factors (for local queries)
Related Terms
SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. It's the page you see after entering a search query, containing a mix of organic results, paid ads, featured snippets, and other elements.
Keyword
A keyword is a word or phrase that people type into search engines to find information. In SEO, keywords are the terms you optimize your content to rank for.
Backlink
A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Backlinks are a major ranking factor in SEO because they signal to search engines that other sites vouch for your content.