13 Types of SEO That Matter in 2026 (When & How to Use Them)

Here’s a quick overview of the 13 different types of SEO and what each one does.

1. AI SEO (GEO): Optimize content to appear in AI answers like ChatGPT
2. On-page SEO: Improve content, titles, and keywords on your pages
3. Off-page SEO: Build backlinks and website topical authority
4. Technical SEO: Fix speed, crawl, and site health issues
5. Local SEO: Rank better in local searches and Maps
6. Enterprise SEO: SEO for large, high-competition websites
7. Image SEO: Optimize images for Google Images
8. White hat SEO: Follows Google’s rules and focuses on long-term results
9. Black hat SEO: Risky shortcuts that can often cause penalties from Google
10. Gray hat SEO: Mixed (white hat and black hat SEO) tactics with potential risks
11. Negative SEO: Harmful tactics used against competitors to hurt their rankings
12. YouTube SEO: Optimize videos for YouTube search
13. Voice SEO: Optimize content for voice searches

SEO can make or break almost any business online.

Over 93% of online experiences start with a search engine, and over 75% of users never scroll past page one of Google. If your website isn’t visible on the first page, you’re invisible to most of your customers.

But here’s the thing: SEO is not just one tactic. It’s a combination of different types of SEO, each with a different purpose. Some help search engines understand your site while others SEO types improve rankings, traffic, or conversions.

If you focus on the wrong tactics, you won’t get ANY traffic from Google, even if your content is good.

In this guide, you’ll learn the main types of SEO, what each one does, and quick tips on how to use them in 2026 to get better rankings.

What are the Types of SEO? The 13 SEO Types Explained!

What is SEO?

SEO (Search engine optimization) is the process of getting your website and its pages to rank higher in search results. 

SEO offers many benefits, including higher ROI, high-quality traffic, more sales, more brand visibility, and long-term organic growth.

If done right, SEO can provide 24/7 promotion to your business for FREE.

For example, imagine someone searches for “best web hosting for WordPress”. The websites ranking at the top get thousands of visitors every month from that single keyword.

If you offer or promote web hosting services, optimizing your pages for that search term can help you appear on page one, generating consistent traffic, leads, and sales without spending money on ads.

Ranking for competitive keywords isn’t easy.

That’s why businesses use multiple types of SEO to rank higher on Google. Let’s look at the main SEO types and how they help grow your search traffic.

1. AI SEO (AI Optimization)

AI Optimization (AIO) is the new on-page SEO, focused on optimizing content for AI-generated answers and AI search engines.

What is AI search engine optimization?

AI SEO (also known as Generative Engine Optimization or GEO) helps your content appear in AI-generated answers, such as Google’s AI Overviews and AI search engines like ChatGPT.

How to do AI SEO?

Here are some simple and effective ways to do AI SEO the right way in 2026.

• Write clear, direct answers to common questions
• Use simple words and short paragraphs while creating content
• Add up-to-date facts, real-life examples, and first-hand experience on any topic you cover
• Structure content with descriptive headings
• Use an FAQ section
• Always keep your content fresh and updated

2. On-page SEO 

On-page SEO (also known as On-site SEO) is one of the most common types of SEO used by millions of websites to improve their organic rankings in search engines. 

What is on-page SEO?

On-page SEO is the process of optimizing your web pages in order to rank higher in search results. On-page SEO refers to any on-site optimization that you control and include within your website. 

How to do on-page optimization?

Here are some of the widely used on-page SEO techniques;

• Optimize title tags and meta descriptions
• Use a short and sweet URL, including a primary keyword
• Publish high-quality content
• Target at least one or two keywords with every blog post
• Include ALT tags that are relevant to the images you’re using
• Internal linking matters a lot (so always link to relevant posts while publishing new content)
• Try to sprinkle relevant long-tail keywords wherever necessary for better rankings

Should you implement on-page SEO on your website?

Yes, absolutely. On-page optimization helps you get more traffic from search engines like Google. But make sure NOT to overdo it (such as keyword stuffing).

Explore these description examples for bloggers to craft compelling, engaging summaries that drive traffic.

3. Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO (also known as Off-site SEO) is another popular SEO technique used by webmasters worldwide to build links, grow their brand, and improve their online presence.

What is off-page SEO?

Off-page SEO refers to tactics used outside your website to improve rankings in search results. Unlike on-page SEO, off-page optimization is about everything that doesn’t happen directly on your website.

How to do off-page optimization?

Here are some of the popular off-page SEO techniques;

• Try to improve your brand online so you can attract a ton of brand mentions 
• Blog commenting
• Forum posting
• Influencer outreach
• Guest posting
• Broken link building
• Social networking
• Social bookmarking
• Write helpful answers on platforms such as Quora to build links by using the Answer the Public tool.

Understand different SEO types and explore alternatives to Answer the Public in our Answer the Public alternatives guide.

Should you implement off-page SEO on your website?

Off-page SEO is essential because it signals to search engines like Google that your website is valuable to others on the web. If you want to improve your website’s trust signals, off-page SEO plays a key role.

4. Technical SEO

Proper technical SEO helps search engine spiders crawl and index your website more quickly and effectively. To improve your rankings, you must improve your website’s technical SEO.

What is technical SEO?

Technical SEO refers to optimizing your website for crawling and indexing. It also helps you find and fix all the technical issues that are preventing your site from getting better rankings.

What should you do while performing technical SEO on your site?

Here are some of the things you should focus on;

• Find and fix all the broken links on your website (including external and internal links)
• Find and disavow all the toxic links that are pointing to your site
• Crawl your site and look for any crawl errors
• Get rid of thin and duplicate content
• Find and fix all the missing ALT tags, lengthy meta descriptions, missing titles, etc.
• Ensure your site is equipped with HTTPS and mobile-friendly
• Make sure your site is crawlable and indexable

Should you implement technical SEO on your website?

Yes, absolutely. Although technical SEO is not an easy task to perform. But when you’ve access to the right tools like Semrush or AI SEO tools, you can easily perform technical audits on your website to find and fix all the technical issues.

5. Local SEO 

Local SEO is ESSENTIAL for any business that has a physical location and local presence. Local search engine optimization helps you generate more traffic, leads, and brand awareness from local searches.

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of optimizing a website to be found in local search results. Local SEO helps you improve search engine visibility for local businesses.

How to do local SEO optimization?

Here are some of the local SEO tactics:

• Finding local keywords that are relevant to your business
• Optimizing your business’s Google My Business (GMB) profile
• Building “NAP” (Name, Address, Phone) citations on local directories and Google Maps
• Always ask for “online reviews” for your website and business 
• Optimizing your website for mobile, as the majority of local searches are performed on mobile 

Should you implement local SEO on your website?

If you’re running an offline business, agency, or store, local SEO is a MUST. Local SEO helps you connect with local searchers in your area.

6. Enterprise SEO

Enterprise SEO is an SEO strategy that’s often used by big enterprise websites that have a ton (several thousand) of pages.

What is enterprise SEO?

Enterprise SEO is the practice of improving search engine rankings for a large enterprise with hundreds of thousands or even millions of pages.

How to do eCommerce SEO?

Some of the enterprise SEO tactics include;

• Optimizing your content for featured snippets
• Targeting extremely competitive keywords 
• Competing with the BIG and authority websites in your industry 
• Producing high-quality content regularly 
• Using structural data
• Optimizing your content for voice search

Should you implement enterprise SEO on your website?

Even if you aren’t a Fortune 500 company, you may still need to implement the best enterprise SEO strategies if your website has a vast number of pages. Enterprise SEO helps large websites compete for high-traffic keywords, bringing in a ton of search traffic.

7. Image SEO

Image SEO helps your images appear in Google Images and AI-powered search results, driving more traffic to your site.

What is Image SEO?

Image SEO is the process of optimizing images so search engines like Google can easily understand, index, and rank them in image search results.

How to do Image SEO?

Here are some quick tips to do Image SEO in 2026.

• Use descriptive file names instead of random numbers (example: “red-apples.png” instead of “1234.png”)
• Write helpful alt text that explains what the image is all about
• Compress your image sizes to improve page speed (install plugins like “Smush”)
• Use relevant images and screenshots that add more value to your content
• Use modern image formats (such as WebP) for better quality and smaller sizes
• Submit an XML image sitemap to Google Search Console to help discover all your images

8. White Hat SEO

White hat SEO uses ethical strategies to get better rankings in search engines. All the SEOs and agencies practice white hat SEO to improve their website rankings in search results.

What is white hat SEO?

White hat SEO refers to tactics that comply with search engines’ guidelines to improve a website’s rankings in search results. 

These are highly effective SEO tactics used by SEO experts worldwide to improve their search rankings.

How to do white hat SEO optimization?

Here are some of the widely used white hat SEO tactics;

• Creating long-form content that’s helpful to your target audience
• Build backlinks using the evergreen strategies like guest blogging, blogger outreach, broken link building, etc
• Creating different types of content such as articles, videos, podcasts, infographics, etc
• Improving your website loading times to provide a better user experience
• Building and growing your social media presence organically
• Updating your content regularly to provide accurate and up-to-date information 

Should you implement white hat SEO on your website?

Yes, always. White hat SEO complies with Google guidelines. You can consistently implement white-hat SEO strategies on your website to improve your rankings in search results. 

9. Black Hat SEO

Black hat SEO techniques are used to generate more organic traffic to a website by violating search engine guidelines. Although they are NOT going to work, many people still practice black hat SEO to quickly get more traffic from Google.

What is black hat SEO?

Black hat SEO is the practice of improving a website’s search rankings by using unethical tactics that often violate Google’s search engine guidelines.

Black hat SEO is BAD for your business and can lead to your website being banned or penalized in search results.

How to do black hat SEO optimization?

Here are some of the black hat SEO tactics:

• Keyword stuffing
• Buying links in bulk from sites like Fiverr
• Content automation (using content automation tools to create content)
• Creating doorway pages
• Cloaking
• Using hidden texts or links
• Leaving spam comments
• Creating copied content

Should you implement black hat SEO on your website?

NEVER! Unless you want your website banned from Google search, never practice or implement black hat SEO strategies. It takes time to build and grow search traffic. Don’t expect quick results.

10. Gray Hat SEO

People and SEO agencies looking to quickly improve their search traffic often use gray-hat SEO techniques. Although gray hat SEO might bring you some search traffic initially, it won’t last (due to frequent core updates from Google).

What is gray hat SEO?

Gray hat SEO combines white hat and black hat SEO techniques. It may or may not result in your site getting penalized by Google (depends on how you use those tactics). 

But it’s still a risky SEO practice that you should avoid if you want to stay safe from Google penalties. 

How to do gray hat SEO optimization?

Some of the common gray hat SEO tactics include;

• Buying expired domains
• Content spinning or rewriting using AI tools
• Buying domains with exact match keywords
• Using PBNs (Private Blog Networks) to build links
• Buying links
• Social media automation and purchasing followers to grow an online presence 

Should you implement gray hat SEO on your website?

If you want to avoid future Google algorithm updates and penalties, you should avoid using gray-hat SEO techniques. 

11. Negative SEO

Negative SEO is a malicious SEO practice that’s used by your competitors to demolish your website rankings in search engines like Google. If you’re NOT careful and don’t fight against negative SEO, your website may get banned or penalized by search engines.

What is negative SEO?

Negative SEO is generally considered as “black hat SEO”. But it is often done by your competitors to tarnish your website rankings in search engine results.

Here are some of the most common negative SEO tactics most people (or your competitors) use to tarnish a website’s search rankings;

• Building spammy or toxic backlinks to your site
• Copying your content and publishing it elsewhere
• Creating fake social signals about your brand
• Leaving negative or fake reviews about your products
• Link farms
• Removal of backlinks by sending fake link removal requests
• Hacking a website to steal links

Should you protect your website against negative SEO?

Absolutely yes. You never know how your competitors are trying to bring you down in search results. That’s why securing your website and consistently monitoring its backlinks are extremely important.

12. YouTube SEO

YouTube SEO is similar to Google SEO, but you’re primarily optimizing your keyword terms for YouTube instead of Google. YouTube has over 2 billion monthly active users. So if you’re looking to boost your brand or business online, you should implement YouTube SEO tactics.

What is YouTube SEO?

YouTube SEO is the process of optimizing your YouTube channel videos to rank higher in YouTube’s organic search results for specific keywords or phrases. 

How to do YouTube SEO optimization?

Here are some of the popular YouTube SEO techniques you can use;

• Always do keyword research before publishing videos
• Include your primary keyword in your video title and meta description
• Create eye-catching thumbnails
• Optimize your YouTube video tags
• Increase your YouTube video’s watch time because it’s a critical YouTube ranking metric.
• Create YouTube Playlists to bring more traffic to relevant videos
• Add subtitles and captions
• Encourage likes, comments, and shares

Should you focus on improving YouTube SEO?

Yes, why not? YouTube is the second biggest search engine after Google. YouTube numbers are growing rapidly. If you’re looking for a powerful platform to build an audience and grow your online presence, YouTube is the best choice.

However, there are a few SEO types that deserve your attention more than the ones you’re currently exploring. They’re not listed here because they’re trending; check out GEO, Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO in SEO), and AEO.

13. Voice search SEO

With smartphones getting cheaper and reaching billions of hands, voice searches are growing rapidly. Most people now use their smartphones and voice assistants to search online. 

What is voice search SEO?

Voice search SEO is the process of optimizing keyword phrases for voice assistant searches. Voice search mostly uses users’ natural language and delivers QUICK, relevant answers.

How to do voice search optimization?

Here are some of the best voice search SEO techniques you can use in 2026;

• Target question-based keyword phrases
• Focus on using conversational keywords
• Implement schema markup
• Make your site mobile-friendly
• Use FAQs while creating pages
• Create content that gives direct answers to voice searches

Should you implement voice search SEO?

As per Voice Search Statistics, Google reports that around 27% of online users worldwide use mobile voice search. So, if you optimize your content for voice search SEO, you’ll get additional traffic from search engines like Google.

FAQs About Different Types of SEO

Here are some frequently asked questions about different types of SEO and search engine optimization in general. 

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Final Thoughts on types of SEO in digital marketing

As mentioned earlier, SEO uses a wide range of tactics.

The key is to focus on the right types of SEO based on your goals. A small business may need local SEO first, while a faster-growing site may focus more on content, technical SEO, and AI SEO.

Start simple, stay consistent, and learn AI search optimization, as it plays a key role in future search rankings.

So what are your thoughts about different types of SEO? Which one do you like most? Share your thoughts in the comments.