#98 SEO Interview Questions & Answers

100 “SEO Interview Questions” by Digital Marketing Seekho is a comprehensive guide designed to help aspiring digital marketers prepare for interviews in the field of search engine optimization (SEO). Packed with a curated selection of industry-relevant questions, this resource equips candidates with the knowledge and confidence needed to ace their interviews and land their dream jobs. From fundamental concepts to advanced techniques, 100 “SEO Interview Questions” covers a wide range of topics, ensuring candidates are well-prepared to tackle any question thrown their way. Whether you’re a novice looking to break into the world of SEO or an experienced professional seeking to brush up on your skills, Digital Marketing Seekho’s guide is your go-to resource for mastering SEO interview questions and securing your place in the competitive digital marketing landscape.

Question 1. What is SEO in digital marketing?

Answer. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is a process or technique in digital marketing that involves optimizing a website for search engines like Google, Bing, Baidu, Duck Duck Go, etc. It helps businesses and individuals to target relevant audiences on search engines. Since almost everyone today has access to the internet, the majority of them search their queries on Google and other search platforms. By appearing for those search queries, websites have the opportunity to drive traffic to the website and make customers. To be able to appear for those search queries, called keywords, we need to do SEO.

Question 2. What is the importance of SEO?

Answer:-SEO plays a vital role in increasing the visibility of a website and business on search engines. It eventually helps in growing website traffic, attracting potential customers, selling products and services online, and growing the business. Let’s understand the importance or role of SEO in digital marketing in a bit more detail:

• Build trust and credibility

With SEO, businesses or individuals can show their websites to an unlimited number of users. As visibility improves, it helps in building trust and authority.

For instance, if you search for terms related to digital marketing or SEO, you will find websites like neilpatel.com, backlinko.com, hubspot.com, searchenginejournal.com, etc., among the top results on the search results page. Since these sites repeatedly appear to users, it improves their branding and authority.

• Reach a broad audience

There is no better organic way to reach millions of users than search engine optimization. By covering relevant content in a niche, a website can target a large base of audience.

• Improving user experience

While almost every business today has a website, not all are optimized for search engines. When a website opts for strategic SEO, it means the user experience will be improved. As the majority of SEO ranking factors are focused on enhancing the UX, such as website security, loading speed, quality content, etc., the users of a business will have a highly satisfactory experience.

• Lead generation and conversion

To grow the business, generating more leads and sales is crucial. Since SEO helps in attracting the right audience to the website, businesses have more opportunities to convert them into customers.

• Helps businesses quantify the output

SEO is measurable or quantifiable. Using tools like Google Analytics, you can track the number of people visiting the website, time spent by users on a particular web page, conversion rate on product pages, and much more.

• Long-term results

While businesses can generate leads and sales with PPC advertising and other forms of digital marketing, SEO is a sustainable technique.

Question 3. What is Google Autocomplete?

Answer:- The autocomplete feature on Google’s search bar assists users in completing their searches more conveniently and quickly. By suggesting relevant search queries based on real-time user input, this feature helps streamline the search process. In the realm of SEO, leveraging autocomplete provides valuable insights into popular search queries related to a particular topic, product, service, or business. This understanding enables marketers to align their content and strategies with the interests and needs of their target audience effectively.

Question 4. What is a domain name?

Answer. A domain name serves as the primary address through which a website or blog operates. For instance, the domain name for the website where you’re currently accessing about 100 SEO interview questions is digitalmarketingseekho.com. Similarly, Microsoft’s domain name is microsoft.com. Like unique usernames, domain names cannot be registered if they are already taken by someone else.

Question 5. What is the difference between a domain name and a domain name extension?

Answer. The domain name is the full name of a website like

• yourstory.com,
• bigrock.in,
• www.digitalmarketingseekho.com

Domain extensions, also known as top-level domains (TLDs), are the suffixes at the end of a domain name, indicating the type or category of the website. Here are some common types of domain extensions:

• Generic TLDs (gTLDs)

Example:- (.com) Commercial, the most popular and widely used extension for commercial websites.

• Country Code TLDs (ccTLDs)

Example (.us): United States

• Sponsored TLDs (sTLDs)

Example (.edu): Educational institutions (restricted use).

• New gTLDs (ngTLDs)

Example:- (.blog) For blogs and bloggers.

• Restricted TLDs

Example:- (.museum)  Reserved for museums.

Question 6: What are keywords in SEO?

Answer. Keywords are the most common search queries of users related to a specific product, service, information, etc.

For example, We offer a “Digital Marketing Training Program” then first we need to find what people are searching for online

For the given above topic, the keywords can be:

• “Digital Marketing Training Program”
• “Digital Marketing Training Program With Placements”,
• “Digital Marketing Training Program in Banglore”, etc.

By using the above keywords and its synonyms in your content as per the SEO standards so that your webpages can be ranked on Search Engines Results Page 

Question 7. What is keyword density in SEO?

Answer. Keyword density refers to the frequency with which a particular keyword appears within the content of an article or web page, expressed as a percentage relative to the total word count. For instance, if a keyword is used five times within a 500-word article, the keyword density would be 1%.

Question 8. Does keyword density matter?

Answer. Yes. It matters in SEO. It is because if we use several keywords numerous times in our content, it can sometimes lead to keyword stuffing. Keyword stuffing is bad for search engine optimization. Hence, it would be great to take the right keyword density.

Question 9. What is keyword stuffing in SEO?

Answer.  Google defines keyword stuffing as the excessive use of keywords on a web page to rank higher for those keywords, often resulting in unnatural and irrelevant content flow. This practice, once common among SEO professionals, has evolved. Presently, Google prioritizes content context and relevance over keyword density, discouraging the use of keywords in a manner that disrupts the natural flow of content.

Now, keyword stuffing is a black hat SEO technique and works as a negative SEO ranking factor. To avoid this, the keywords must be used within the content in a natural flow. No keyword should look as if it is forced.

Question 10. Can you share an example of keyword stuffing?

Answer.  Let us understand keyword-stuffing by looking at an example

“We offer Digital Marketing Training. Our Digital Marketing Training is curated by industry experts. If you’re thinking of taking a Digital Marketing Course, please connect with our Team of Digital Marketing Expert counselors Now

Question 11. What is keyword difficulty in SEO?

Answer.  Keyword difficulty refers to the level of challenge associated with ranking a piece of content for a particular keyword on the first page of Google search results. A keyword with low difficulty would require less effort to achieve a high ranking compared to a keyword with high difficulty.

Question 12. What are the different types of keywords in SEO?

Answer. We can categorize keywords in SEO based on length and intent.

Types of SEO Keywords Based on Intent:

• Informational keywords

Example. What is Digital Marketing?

• Navigational keywords

Example “Facebook login” “Digital Marketing Course Login”

• Commercial keywords

Example “Buy Digital Marketing Course ” “Buy iPhone X”

• Transactional keywords

Example “Order pizza online”

SEO Keyword Types based on Length:

• Short-tail keywords

Example “Shoes”

• Mid-tail keywords

Example “Running shoes for women”

• Long-tail keywords

Example “Best running shoes for flat feet”

Question 13. Why keyword research is an important factor in SEO?

Answer. Keyword research is essential in SEO because it enables us to identify what users are searching for on search engines like Google. For any website to rank effectively, whether it’s promoting products, services, or content, the initial step is pinpointing the relevant keywords.

By utilizing the appropriate keywords, we can optimize our web pages to attain higher rankings and attract more traffic. Without this strategic approach, even well-crafted content and a well-structured website may struggle to rank prominently in search engine results.

Question 14. Where do we use keywords?

Answer. The keywords are used in several different places on a webpage. For on-page SEO optimization, we should use keyword(s) in:

• The first word in the Meta title
• Meta description
• URL
• in the first paragraph of your Page Content
• Image alt tag
• Subheadings and headings

Question15. What are seed keywords in SEO?

Answer. Seed keywords are those that have one to two words. These are short-tail keywords, typically with high monthly search volume and high SEO difficulty. These keywords help us in getting new ideas about other relevant keywords, like mid-tail and long-tail keywords.

For example, ‘digital marketing’ is a seed keyword. It helps in finding other relevant keywords like ‘digital marketing course’ or ‘digital marketing services’.

Question 16. What are long-tail keywords?

Answer. As the name suggests, long-tail keywords are those that are longer or have more words. These are usually more targeted, and specific, and meet the user’s query. Such keywords are also great for voice SEO.

In general, keywords with more than three words are considered long tails. Another important characteristic of these keywords is that they have lower search volume but also low competition. It means that long-tail keywords are easier to rank for.

Question 17. What is the difference between long-tail vs short-tail keywords?

Answer. Both long-tail keywords and short-tail keywords play a major role in search engine optimization.

The difference between the two is that short-tail keywords are short (1-2 words), whereas long-tail keywords are longer (3+ words).

In terms of search volume and competition, the short-tail keywords have higher volume and high competition. Whereas, long-tail keywords generally have low volume and low competition.

The long-tail keywords are slightly more targeted and easier to rank for compared to short-tails. For a new or low-authority website that is trying to build some traffic, it would be better to go with long-tails.

Question 18. Can you give me some examples of long-tail keywords?

Answer. Here are some good long-tail keyword examples:

• Best Digital Marketing Institute in India
• Learn content writing from scratch
• Make pizza at home without an oven
• Best laptops in India under 70000

Question 19. What is the bounce rate in SEO?

Answer. The bounce rate of a website means the rate of visitors who come to a page on the website leave without taking any further action.

For example, a blog post on your website is driving good traffic, but the majority of users leave the page without clicking on any other links on the page. Then the bounce rate will be high.

For product and service pages, it can mean that users are leaving without buying anything or filling out the forms.

The bounce rate in Google Analytics is calculated based on the number of users coming to a web page and the number of users leaving without taking any action.

A user is considered bounced when he:

• Closes the tab or window
• Clicks the back button on the browser
• Pastes a new URL in the URL bar or searches for something else
• Stays inactive for a long time and the browser session times out.

Question 20. What is a sitemap in SEO?

Answer. A sitemap is a file that tells Google’s crawlers about the URLs of your website that you want them to crawl. It is like a link map of the site.

Google and other search engines read this file, and it becomes efficient for them to understand the structure of your site. In the sitemap file, the website owners or SEOs include all the URLs of web pages, articles, and more that are meant to drive traffic

Question 21. Why sitemap is important for SEO?

Answer. Sitemaps help search engines easily navigate to the site and discover all the intended URLs for crawling and indexing. So, it improves the crawling of the site, which is good for search engine optimization.

Usually, if there is a small website where all the links are available in the menu or footer, then Google can crawl these links easily. However, if you have a large website with hundreds of pages, then a sitemap becomes crucial. Otherwise, Google might now crawl some of the pages.

Question 22. How to find a sitemap for any website?

The easiest way to find the website sitemap is by entering the URL of that website and adding sitemap.xml behind it.

For example, if I want to check the sitemap of the digital marketing seekho website, then I’ll enter the URL (https://www.digitalmarketingseekho.com) followed by the sitemap behind it (https://www.digitalmarketingseekho.com/sitemap)

If the above URL doesn’t work for a website, then you should try the other alternative variations of the sitemap file name (followed by site URL), which are:

• /sitemap_index.xml
• /sitemap-index.xml
• /sitemap.txt
• /sitemap/sitemap.xml
• /sitemapindex.xml
• /sitemap/index.xml
• /sitemap1.xml

Lastly, there is one tricky way to find a sitemap of a website, which is by first locating the robots.txt file of the website. In robots.txt, you can find the sitemap link.

Question 23. What is a robots.txt file?

Answer. Robots.txt is a file that is used for providing instructions to search engine bots about how to crawl and index the website & its pages. (.txt format), which means it includes only text, no HTML code. Its role is to avoid unnecessary visits by search engine bots on the site. Generally, this is the first file on the site visited by the crawlers.

Question 24. What is anchor text in SEO?

Answer. The anchor text is the clickable text on a page. In other words, if I have written a paragraph and hyperlinked one or more consecutive words, then the hyperlinked text here is the anchor text.

Usually, the anchor text is visible on the website in a different color than the normal content.

Question 25. What are meta tags in SEO? What are the different types of meta tags?

Answer. Meta tags are snippets of HTML code and these are used for structuring the content on a page and telling Google and other search engines about the content. For example, we can use a meta title to tell search engines what page title to show to the users on SERP.

Every page on a website has meta tags. These tags are part of the code and are not visible to the end users. The following are the primary meta tags used in SEO:

• Meta title
• Meta description
• Meta robots
• Heading tags (H1 to H6)
• Image alt tags
• Canonical link tag
• Social media meta-tag

Question 26. Do meta tags help in SEO?

Answer . Certainly, meta tags can be beneficial for search engine optimization (SEO). They serve the purpose of informing search engines like Google about the title and description to display in search results, as well as providing insights into how the content is structured.

However, it’s important to recognize that not all meta tags will consistently contribute to SEO efforts.

Question 27. What is a meta title in SEO?

Answer. The meta title is the title of a page that is shown to users when that page appears in SERP. Also called title tag, it is also shown to users on the browser tab

Question 28. What should be the meta title length? Is there any character limit?

Answer. The ideal length of the meta title should be between 60 to 70 characters so that it is properly visible to the users on SERP. If the meta title is longer, Google will cut it off after the defined length.

One important thing to note is that Google is now considering the meta title length in terms of pixels instead of characters. The meta title should be within 580 px.

Question 29. what are the tools available to check the Meta title?

Answer. Yes. There are several tools to check the meta title length. A few of the tools we usually prefer are:

• Higher Visibility
• To The Web
• Yoast SEO plugin

Question 30. What is meta description in SEO? Why is it used?

Answer. The meta description is the short summary of the intent of the page. It is shown in SERP below the meta title and helps in telling users what to expect on the page and convincing them to click.

Question 31. What is the alt tag in SEO?

The alt tag is an HTML tag used to define the intent or purpose of the image on a page to users and search engines. It is called alt text or alternative text.

Question 32. Why use an alt tag for images?

Answer. There are several crucial benefits of using image alt tags when it comes to SEO.

• To tell search engines what the image is about. It is great for SEO.
• In case the image fails to load, the alt text will appear to users.
• If visually impaired people are browsing a page, the screen reader will speak the alt text. It helps them to better understand that there is an image and what it is about.

Question 33. What are the top ranking factors in SEO?

Answer. Below are some of the major ranking factors for SEO:

• Use of targeted and relevant keywords
• High-quality content
• Website loading speed
• Website security
• SSL Certificate
• Mobile-friendly
• Backlinks from niche-specific authority sites
• Optimized meta title and description
• Image optimization
• Proper use of heading tags
• Internal and external linking
• Fixing broken links
• SEO-friendly URLs
• Server location
• Website uptime
• Website usability
• Low bounce rate
• Domain authority
• Sitemap
• Canonical tags
• Core web vitals

Question 34. How does Google Autocomplete work?

Answer. When people search their queries on the Google search engine, the platform understands the language, location, and interest of that query. Google shows the suggestions to other users accordingly.

Question 35. How to use Google Autocomplete for SEO?

Answer. Because Google Search’s autocomplete suggestions are derived from user queries, they offer valuable insights into popular search topics. This feature aids in identifying long-tail keywords and enables us to tailor our content accordingly. Additionally, autocomplete suggestions can be leveraged to target specific keywords within our content, enhancing its relevance and visibility

Question 36. What is a good keyword density percentage?

Answer.  While Google hasn’t provided specific guidelines for keyword density percentages, many SEO experts recommend maintaining a keyword density between 1% to 2%. This suggests using a keyword one to two times within every 100 words of content. This range is beneficial for avoiding keyword stuffing, ensuring that keywords are used naturally and sparingly within the content. Therefore, adhering to a keyword density of around 2% is often considered favorable for optimizing content without over-optimizing it.

Question 37. How to check the keyword density of a web page?

Answer.  The keyword density formula allows us to calculate the percentage of keywords used within the content. Here’s the formula:

Keyword Density Percentage = (Total number of times keyword used / Total word count in the content) * 100

By applying this formula, we can determine the keyword density percentage and ensure that it falls within the recommended range for optimal SEO without over-optimization.

Keyword Density Example

If  you are writing an article of 1000 words and using a keyword 15 times, then the keyword density will be:

(15/1000)*100 = 1.5%

Question38. What does the keyword difficulty score tell you?

Answer.  The keyword difficulty score indicates the level of challenge associated with ranking for a particular keyword on Google’s search engine results page (SERP). This score is determined by factors such as the number of websites targeting the keyword, the authority of those websites, and the quality of content already ranking for the keyword. Essentially, a higher keyword difficulty score suggests that it will be more challenging to rank for that keyword, while a lower score indicates that it may be easier to achieve a higher ranking. Understanding the keyword difficulty score helps marketers assess the competitiveness of keywords and make informed decisions about their SEO strategies and content optimization efforts

Question 39.  What is a good keyword difficulty score?

Answer. The appropriate keyword difficulty score depends on the specific website for which we are conducting keyword research. For high-authority websites with quality content and significant traffic, targeting keywords with high difficulty may be feasible.

However, for new websites or those with lower authority, it’s advisable to focus on keywords with low or medium difficulty. Prioritizing keywords that are easier to rank for initially can help establish a solid foundation for SEO success. As the website grows in authority and reputation over time, gradually targeting keywords with higher difficulty levels becomes more feasible.

In essence, it’s a strategic approach to start with achievable goals and gradually progress towards more competitive keywords as the website gains credibility and authority within its niche. This incremental approach allows for sustainable growth and optimization of SEO efforts over time.

Question 41. Can you categorize keyword difficulty scores into low, medium, and high?

Answer. The keyword difficulty score ranges on a scale of 1 to 100.

• Low keyword difficulty score: 1 to 29
• Medium keyword difficulty score: 30 to 70
• High keyword difficulty score: 70 to 100

Question 42. What is keyword frequency in SEO?

Answer . Keyword frequency refers to the number of times a specific keyword appears within a piece of content. When a keyword is used repeatedly throughout the content, its frequency rate increases. Conversely, using a keyword less frequently results in a lower frequency rate.

The concept of keyword frequency is similar to keyword density, as both metrics assess how often a keyword is utilized within content. However, while keyword density is expressed as a percentage of the total word count, keyword frequency simply counts the number of times a keyword appears without considering the overall content length. Both metrics provide insights into how prominently a keyword is featured within content and its potential impact on search engine

Question 43. How many keywords can you use in an article?

Answer. The number of keywords to be used depends on the total number of words in the article. It is because we need to maintain the right keyword density. A good keyword density is between 1% to 2%. So, if I am writing an article of 1000 words, then I can use around 7-8 keywords. However, we must still ensure that every keyword is used in a natural flow.

 

Question 44. How to find long-tail keywords? Please share some tips and tools.

Answer. There are several ways to find long-tail keywords for search engine optimization. Here are some top tools and tips:

• Make the most out of Google Autocomplete

When you type a short-tail keyword into the Google Search bar, Autocomplete provides a list of suggestions based on popular search queries related to your topic. These suggestions are generated in real time, reflecting what people are currently searching for on Google. Leveraging this feature can offer valuable insights into user search behavior, helping you identify relevant long-tail keywords, content ideas, and topics of interest to your target audience. Incorporating Autocomplete suggestions into your keyword research strategy can enhance your SEO efforts and improve the relevance and visibility of your content in search results.

• Check the ‘Related Searches’ section

• Use keyword research tools

SEO tools such as Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, and SEMrush offer valuable features for discovering long-tail keywords and questions related to your topic. These tools utilize advanced algorithms and extensive databases to provide comprehensive insights into keyword trends, search volumes, competition levels, and more. By leveraging these tools effectively, digital marketers and website owners can identify untapped keyword opportunities, optimize their content strategy, and improve their search engine rankings. Whether it’s uncovering new long-tail keywords or exploring relevant questions that users are asking, maximizing the capabilities of these SEO tools can significantly enhance your keyword research efforts and overall SEO performance.

• Use Google Keyword Planner from your Google Ad account

Google Keyword Planner, which indeed is a free tool offered by Google to assist in keyword research. Google Keyword Planner provides insights into search queries made by users through Google searches. This tool offers valuable data on keyword search volumes, competition levels, and suggested bid prices for Google Ads campaigns. Additionally, it helps identify long-tail keywords with lower competition, making it an essential resource for digital marketers and website owners looking to optimize their SEO and advertising strategies.

Question 45.  What are geo-targeted keywords in SEO? Explain with an example.

Answer. The keywords that show the searcher’s intent to find a local business based on location are called geo-targeting keywords. Let’s take another example. Someone searches for ‘Digital Marketing Training in Bengaluru’.

His intention is more likely to find and visit the local Digital Marketing Training in the city of Bengaluru. To be precise, you can say that the keywords that have some location in them are known as geo-targeted keywords.

Question 46. What are navigational keywords in SEO? Explain with an example.

Answer.  Navigational keywords are search terms that users input when they’re seeking a specific webpage or website directly from a search engine like Google. Users typically employ navigational keywords when they are already aware of or familiar with the web page’s product, service, or information and aim to locate it swiftly. These keywords indicate a strong intent to navigate directly to a particular online destination rather than conducting a broader search for information or solutions.

Navigational Keyword Examples

• Boat Airdopes 141 Amazon
• GoDaddy VPS Windows Server
• Digital Marketing Course in Bengaluru

Generally, the navigational keywords have the name of the product, brand, service, location, etc.

Question 47.  Does bounce rate affect the SEO of a website?

Answer. Yes. Bounce rate refers to the percentage of visitors who navigate away from a website after viewing only one page, without taking any further action or engaging with the site’s content. A high bounce rate may indicate that visitors are not satisfied with the content, user experience, website speed, or other aspects of the site.

Since SEO aims to enhance the user experience and provide valuable content to visitors, a high bounce rate suggests that users may not be finding what they’re looking for or encountering issues that deter them from further exploration. Search engines like Google prioritize websites that offer a positive user experience, and a high bounce rate can signal to search engines that a site may not be meeting user expectations.

Furthermore, if the bounce rate for specific pages is significantly higher compared to similar pages on competitor websites, it can adversely affect the ranking of those pages in search engine results. Therefore, reducing bounce rate through improvements in content quality, user experience, website speed, and other factors is crucial for maintaining and improving SEO performance.

Question 48. What is the bounce rate formula? How do we calculate the bounce rate for a website?

Answer. The bounce rate formula allows us to calculate the bounce rate percentage for a web page. Here’s the formula:

Bounce Rate Percentage = (Number of visitors leaving the page without action / Total number of visitors on the page) * 100

By applying this formula, we can determine the percentage of visitors who navigate away from a web page without engaging further with the content. This metric provides valuable insights into user behavior and can help website owners identify areas for improvement in content, user experience, and overall site performance.

For Example:

Let’s understand the calculation with an example. If 1,000 people are visiting a web page, and 600 of them are leaving without taking any action, then the bounce rate will be:

(600/1000)*100 = 60%

Question 49. What can be the reasons behind the high bounce rate of a website?

Answer. There can be several reasons behind the increased bounce rate of a page. Some of the primary factors are listed below:

• The speed of the page or website is slow
• Lack of strategic internal linking on the page
• Misleading meta title tag
• Use of clickbait techniques
• Users landing on a blank page
• It is a landing page
• Low-quality content
• Poor UI/UX

Question 50. What is a session in Google Analytics?