Preparing for an SEO interview in 2025? Whether you are a fresher, digital marketing enthusiast, or an experienced SEO professional, this guide will help you. We’ve compiled 75+ SEO interview questions and answers, divided into three levels – Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced – so you can study step by step.

These questions cover everything from the basics of crawling and indexing, to keyword research, backlinks, technical SEO, Core Web Vitals, and even the latest updates like AI in SEO. Each answer is written in simple, easy-to-understand language with real-life examples, tables, and best practices, so you can confidently explain concepts in interviews.

By the end of this guide, you’ll be ready to answer the most common as well as tricky SEO interview questions asked by startups, agencies, and top companies.  

SEO Interview Questions Overview

SEO Interview Questions and Answers for Beginners

1. What is SEO and why is it important?

Answer:
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving a website’s visibility in search engines like Google to attract more free, organic traffic.

What Does SEO Mean in Digital Marketing?

SEO helps businesses reach the right audience without paying for ads. It’s about optimizing content, design, and technical setup so Google understands and ranks your site.

Example of SEO :

When you search “best cafes in Delhi”, the top results appear because of SEO. A café with a well-optimized website (good content, reviews, backlinks) will show up higher.

Best Practices for SEO:

• Write content that matches user intent.
• Make websites fast and mobile-friendly.
• Build authority with trusted backlinks.

2. What is the difference between SEO and SEM?

Answer:
SEO focuses on free, organic search results, while SEM (Search Engine Marketing) includes paid advertising like Google Ads.

SEO vs SEM in Digital Marketing:

• SEO = Long-term strategy → optimize site to rank naturally.
• SEM = Paid ads → instant visibility but costs money.

Example of SEO vs SEM:

Search “buy iPhone 15 online”:

• First results = Ads (SEM).
• Below ads = Organic listings (SEO).

Best Practices for Choosing SEO or SEM:

• Use SEM for quick campaigns or product launches.
• Use SEO for sustainable, long-term traffic.
• Smart businesses combine both.

3. What are keywords in SEO?

Answer:
Keywords are the words or phrases people type into search engines to find information.

What Do Keywords Mean in SEO?

Keywords tell Google what your page is about. Using the right keywords helps match your content with what users are searching for.

Example of Keywords in SEO:

• Keyword: “best SEO tools”
• Blog Title: “10 Best SEO Tools for Beginners in 2025”

Types of keywords:

Best Practices for Keywords in SEO:

• Use keywords naturally (avoid keyword stuffing).
• Place keywords in title, headings, and first paragraph.
• Include related terms (synonyms, LSI keywords).

4. What is On-Page SEO vs Off-Page SEO?

Answer:
On-Page SEO is optimizing elements on your own website. Off-Page SEO is building trust and authority outside your site.

On-Page vs Off-Page SEO Explained:

• On-Page SEO = Content, title tags, meta description, headings, images, internal linking.
• Off-Page SEO = Backlinks, guest posts, social media signals, brand mentions.

Example of On-Page and Off-Page SEO:

• On-Page → Adding a keyword-rich H1 title like “Top 10 Healthy Recipes for 2025”.
• Off-Page → Another blog linking to your recipes as a reference.

Best Practices:

• Master On-Page SEO first (content, structure).
• Build quality backlinks gradually for Off-Page SEO.
• Balance both for better results.

5. What is Technical SEO?

Answer:
Technical SEO is the process of optimizing a website’s backend so search engines can easily crawl, index, and rank it.

What Does Technical SEO Include?
It focuses on site speed, mobile-friendliness, crawlability, indexability, and secure browsing (HTTPS).

Example of Technical SEO:

• Fixing broken links.
• Creating an XML sitemap.
• Making sure pages load under 3 seconds.

Key Areas of Technical SEO:

Best Practices for Technical SEO:

• Use tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog.
• Optimize Core Web Vitals (LCP, CLS, FID).
• Ensure secure browsing with SSL (HTTPS).

6. What are backlinks and why are they important?

Answer:
Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to your website. They act like “votes of trust” in the eyes of search engines.

What Do Backlinks Mean in SEO?

When a reputable site links to your page, it signals Google that your content is valuable. More quality backlinks → higher chances of ranking.

Example of Backlinks in SEO:

• A news website linking to your article on “Top Digital Marketing Trends in 2025.”
• A blogger citing your guide as a source.

Types of Backlinks:

Best Practices for Backlinks:

• Focus on quality, not quantity.
• Avoid spammy links (can harm SEO).
• Build relationships with bloggers/journalists.

7. What are meta tags in SEO?

Answer:
Meta tags are snippets of text that describe a page’s content to search engines and users.

What Do Meta Tags Do in SEO?

They don’t appear on the page but in the page’s code. They help search engines understand content and influence click-through rate in SERPs.

Example of Meta Tags:

• Meta Title: “Free Resume Builder Online – Create Resume in Minutes”
• Meta Description: “Build a professional resume online for free. Easy templates, ATS-friendly, and downloadable in PDF.”

Common Meta Tags in SEO:

Best Practices for Meta Tags:

• Keep title under 60 characters.
• Write compelling meta descriptions (150–160 characters).
• Include keywords naturally.

8. What is the difference between Title Tag and Meta Description?

Answer:
A Title Tag is the clickable headline in search results, while a Meta Description is the short summary shown below it.

Title Tag vs Meta Description in SEO:

• Title Tag: Directly impacts ranking.
• Meta Description: Doesn’t affect ranking but improves CTR (click-through rate).

Example:
Search “What is SEO?” →

• Title: “SEO Basics – What is Search Engine Optimization?”
• Meta Description: “Learn what SEO means, how it works, and why it’s important for websites in 2025.”

Best Practices:

• Title → Include main keyword once.
• Description → Make it persuasive with benefits/CTA.

9. What is robots.txt in SEO?

Answer: Robots.txt is a file that tells search engine crawlers which pages they can or cannot access on your site.

Why is Robots.txt Important in SEO?

It helps control crawl budget and prevent indexing of duplicate, private, or irrelevant pages (like admin panels, checkout pages).

Example of Robots.txt File:

User-agent: * Disallow: /admin/ Disallow: /cart/ Allow: /blog/ 

This tells crawlers to skip admin & cart pages but index blog pages.

Best Practices for Robots.txt:

• Never block important pages (home, category, blogs).
• Use Google Search Console to test robots.txt.
• Combine with meta robots tags for precise control.

10. What is a sitemap and its types?

Answer:
A sitemap is a file that lists all important pages of a website to help search engines crawl and index them better.

Types of Sitemaps in SEO:

1. XML Sitemap → For search engines (machine-readable).
2. HTML Sitemap → For users (human-readable navigation).

Example of XML Sitemap:

https://scholar247.org/sitemap.xml 

Why Sitemaps Are Important in SEO:

• Ensure new/updated pages are discovered quickly.
• Improve indexing of deep pages on large websites.

Best Practices for Sitemaps:

• Keep sitemap size under 50,000 URLs.
• Submit sitemap in Google Search Console.
• Update regularly when new content is published.

11. What is the difference between Crawling, Indexing, and Ranking?

Answer

Crawling is when search engines discover pages, Indexing is when they store them, and Ranking is how they order results on SERPs.

What Do Crawling, Indexing, and Ranking Mean in SEO?

• Crawling: Googlebot scans websites to find pages.
• Indexing: Found pages are stored in Google’s database.
• Ranking: Google decides where to display your page in search results.

Example of Crawling, Indexing, and Ranking

• You publish a blog → Googlebot crawls it.
• Google adds it to the index → Now it’s searchable.
• When users search → Google ranks your blog based on SEO quality.

Best Practices

• Submit XML sitemaps for crawling.
• Avoid blocking key pages in robots.txt.
• Optimize On-Page SEO to improve ranking.

12. What is an Alt Tag and why is it used?

Answer

An Alt Tag is text added to images to describe them. It helps search engines understand the image and improves accessibility.

What Does an Alt Tag Do in SEO?

Since Google cannot “see” images, Alt Text tells it what the picture is about. It also helps visually impaired users through screen readers.

Example of Alt Tag in SEO

Image: A red sports car

• Bad Alt Text: “car123.jpg”
• Good Alt Text: “Red Ferrari sports car parked on a road”

Best Practices for Alt Tags

• Describe images clearly and naturally.
• Include relevant keywords without stuffing.
• Keep Alt Text under 125 characters.

13. What are header tags (H1, H2, H3) in SEO?

Answer

Header tags (H1–H6) structure content into sections and help search engines understand page hierarchy.

Importance of Header Tags in SEO

• H1: Main page title (only one per page).
• H2: Subtopics of the main title.
• H3–H6: Further breakdowns.

Example of Header Tags

Blog Topic: “Digital Marketing Strategies”

• H1: Digital Marketing Strategies in 2025
• H2: Social Media Marketing
• H3: Instagram Reels Marketing Tips

Best Practices for Header Tags

• Use only one H1 per page.
• Include keywords naturally in H1 and H2.
• Keep hierarchy logical for better readability.

14. What is Keyword Density?

Answer

Keyword density is the percentage of times a keyword appears in content compared to the total word count.

What Does Keyword Density Mean in SEO?

It helps search engines understand the topic of the page. Too high (keyword stuffing) can harm rankings.

Example of Keyword Density

Article length: 1,000 words
Keyword used: 20 times
Keyword density = (20 ÷ 1000) × 100 = 2%

Best Practices for Keyword Density

• Aim for 1–2%.
• Use synonyms and related terms (LSI keywords).
• Focus on natural, human-friendly writing.

15. What is Anchor Text in SEO?

Answer

Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink that points to another page.

Why is Anchor Text Important in SEO?

It tells search engines what the linked page is about. Relevant anchor text boosts the SEO value of links.

Example of Anchor Text

• Bad: Click here
• Good: Learn more about SEO best practices

Types of Anchor Text in SEO

Best Practices for Anchor Text

• Keep it descriptive and relevant.
• Avoid overusing exact-match anchors.
• Ensure links feel natural in the content.

21. What is Bounce Rate in SEO?

Answer

Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page without taking any action.

What Does Bounce Rate Mean in SEO?

A high bounce rate usually means visitors didn’t find what they expected. While it’s not a direct ranking factor, it signals poor user experience or irrelevant content.

Example of Bounce Rate

• Blog post about “Best SEO Tools” → Visitor lands, doesn’t click or scroll, and leaves = bounce.
• Visitor reads article, clicks an internal link, and stays longer = not a bounce.

Best Practices to Reduce Bounce Rate

• Improve content quality and relevance.
• Add internal links to guide readers.
• Ensure fast loading speed and mobile-friendliness.

22. What is the difference between 301 and 302 redirects?

Answer

A 301 redirect is permanent, while a 302 redirect is temporary.

301 vs 302 Redirects in SEO

• 301: Tells search engines to transfer ranking power to the new page.
• 302: Keeps original page indexed since the change is temporary.

Example of Redirects

• 301: Old blog URL → new blog URL after rebranding.
• 302: Redirecting users during a site maintenance window.

Best Practices for Redirects

• Use 301 for permanent moves.
• Use 302 only when you plan to revert back.
• Avoid chains of multiple redirects.

23. What is the importance of mobile SEO?

Answer

Mobile SEO ensures your website is optimized for mobile devices, which is critical because most searches today happen on phones.

Why Mobile SEO Matters in SEO

Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it checks the mobile version of your site first when ranking. If your mobile site is poor, your rankings suffer.

Example of Mobile SEO

• Responsive design that adjusts to screen size.
• Fast-loading mobile pages with compressed images.

Best Practices for Mobile SEO

• Use responsive web design.
• Improve Core Web Vitals (loading, interactivity, stability).
• Avoid intrusive pop-ups on mobile.

24. What are Long-tail Keywords?

Answer

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases with lower competition but higher conversion rates.

Why Long-tail Keywords Are Important in SEO

They target users who are closer to making a decision. While search volume is smaller, intent is stronger.

Example of Long-tail Keywords

• Short-tail: “Shoes”
• Long-tail: “Best running shoes for women under 2000 in India”

Best Practices for Long-tail Keywords

• Use them in blog posts and FAQs.
• Focus on user intent instead of just volume.
• Combine long-tail keywords with content clusters.

25. Name a few popular SEO tools used by beginners.

Answer

Some popular beginner-friendly SEO tools are Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Ubersuggest, Ahrefs (lite version), and SEMrush.

Why SEO Tools Are Important for Beginners

They help analyze traffic, find keywords, track rankings, and identify issues that affect SEO.

Example of SEO Tools and Their Uses

Best Practices for Using SEO Tools

• Start with free tools like Search Console and Analytics.
• Use keyword research tools to plan content.
• Track progress monthly to measure growth.