What is SEO (search engine optimization)?

Search engines rank pages by how well they answer a query and how much they can be trusted. SEO therefore covers three areas: content that matches what people search for, technical health (speed, mobile layout, crawlable pages) and authority, mostly links from other relevant sites.

For affiliates, SEO is the classic way to build traffic that keeps converting without paying for every click: reviews, comparisons, how-to guides and “best X” lists. It takes months to work and depends on search engine updates, so most affiliates combine it with paid channels.

Two rules matter in affiliate SEO: write original content instead of copying the merchant’s descriptions, and mark affiliate links with rel="sponsored". Some programs also restrict SEO tactics, for example brand bidding or using the brand name in your domain.