SEO is no longer a one-size-fits-all discipline. It has splintered into a sophisticated web of 65 distinct SEO types with Courses Buddy each shaped by platforms, behaviours, technologies, and content formats. From the foundational pillars of on-page, off-page, and technical SEO to nuanced branches like React SEO, Voice SEO, YouTube SEO, AI SEO, and even Forensic SEO, today’s strategies demand far more than just keywords and backlinks.

We now optimise for platforms like Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, Wix, and WordPress. We refine search experiences with Semantic SEO, Programmatic SEO, and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation). We tailor approaches for industries like B2B SEO, Travel SEO, and Academic SEO and user preferences, such as Mobile SEO, Podcast SEO, and Featured Snippet SEO.

This guide takes you beyond generic definitions into a structured breakdown of all 65 SEO types. Whether you're an eCommerce marketer, SaaS founder, local business owner, or a curious strategist, this is your full-spectrum view of SEO as it exists today.

1. On-Page SEO

On-Page SEO is the foundation of any successful SEO campaign.

It involves directly optimising elements within your website like title tags, headings, content quality, internal linking, and image alt text. These factors help search engines better understand and rank your content.

If your on-page elements are solid, your SEO efforts have a strong base to build on.

2. Off-Page SEO

Off-Page SEO works outside your website to build its authority and trustworthiness.

Through link building, brand mentions, guest posts, influencer collaborations, and social signals, this SEO type helps demonstrate your site’s relevance and credibility to search engines.

It’s the digital word-of-mouth that boosts your site’s ranking reputation.

3. Technical SEO

Technical SEO is the silent force that ensures your site gets indexed and ranked correctly.

It includes site speed, crawlability, indexing, HTTPS security, and structured data—technical elements that ensure your content is accessible to both users and search engines.

Great content means little if your site can’t be crawled and indexed effectively.

4. Mobile SEO

With most traffic coming from mobile devices, Mobile SEO is no longer optional. It ensures your site is responsive, fast-loading, and user-friendly on smartphones and tablets. Google’s mobile-first indexing makes this a top priority.

Optimising for mobile equals optimising for the majority of your users.

5. Accessibility SEO

Accessibility SEO champions inclusivity for all users including those with disabilities. This involves making your website navigable via screen readers, using ARIA roles, keyboard-accessible navigation, and proper heading structure. 

Bonus Tip: Google appreciates accessible sites too. It’s where ethical design meets technical advantage.

6. JavaScript SEO

JavaScript SEO makes modern, interactive websites indexable. It ensures that content dynamically rendered with JavaScript is accessible to search engines. This involves proper rendering, hydration handling, and ensuring key content is not hidden from bots.

A must-have for websites using dynamic frameworks or SPAs.

7. React SEO

React SEO is critical for visibility in modern frontend frameworks. Since React apps are often single-page applications (SPAs), SEO involves Server-Side Rendering (SSR), dynamic routing optimisation, and metadata handling to ensure bots can crawl your content.

Done right, React sites are as SEO-friendly as traditional websites.

8. Next.js SEO

Next.js SEO is tailored for developers building with the powerful React-based framework. Thanks to built-in support for SSR and Static Site Generation (SSG), Next.js makes implementing technical SEO smoother covering metadata, canonical tags, and performance metrics.

Next.js offers the performance edge that modern SEO demands.

9. Headless SEO

Headless SEO brings structure and SEO harmony to decoupled systems. When using a headless CMS, your content is delivered via APIs. SEO involves optimising the frontend presentation, metadata, URLs, and schema to maintain search visibility.

It’s the key to marrying flexibility with search-friendliness in modern web architecture.

10. Edge SEO

Edge SEO allows for near-instant SEO changes, even before content reaches users. Using serverless platforms and CDNs, it allows SEOs to implement redirects, header changes, and A/B testing at the edge—no backend access needed. 

It's fast and scalable. Also, it’s a game-changer for enterprise sites that need agility.

11. Blog SEO

Blog SEO turns every article into a potential traffic magnet. It includes keyword research, structuring content with subheadings, optimising meta descriptions, and using internal links. It ensures blog posts are informative, crawlable, and relevant.

Well-optimised blog content can drive long-term, compounding traffic gains.

12. Landing Page SEO

Landing Page SEO bridges content with conversion. This type of SEO focuses on optimising standalone pages designed for specific campaigns. It includes persuasive copy, keyword targeting, and performance enhancements.

It’s where SEO meets user intent and business goals.

13. Content SEO

Content SEO ensures your content meets both user needs and search engine criteria. It revolves around high-quality writing, topic relevance, keyword integration, and semantic structuring. 

The goal is to provide value while meeting search intent. It’s content with purpose and power.

14. Semantic SEO

Semantic SEO decodes meaning behind keywords. Rather than just matching words, it focuses on context, search intent, and entities. This allows search engines to better connect user queries with relevant content.

Context is king in the age of intelligent search.

15. Multimedia SEO

Multimedia SEO brings your visuals to search visibility. It includes optimisation of images, videos, and audio with relevant file names, alt text, captions, and compression. These elements enhance content accessibility and engagement. Multimedia that’s optimised multiplies reach.

16. Image SEO

Image SEO unlocks search traffic from visuals. By using descriptive filenames, alt attributes, correct formats, and compression, images become search-friendly and faster to load boosting UX and rankings.

Every image is an opportunity for visibility.

17. Video SEO

Video SEO makes your visual stories findable. Optimise videos with titles, descriptions, closed captions, and structured data. This enhances visibility on platforms like Google and YouTube.

Get your message seen where your audience watches.

18. App Store SEO (ASO)

App Store SEO helps your mobile app stand out. Focuses on optimising app titles, keywords, screenshots, and reviews on platforms like the Apple App Store and Google Play. 

App visibility starts with searchability.

19. YouTube SEO

YouTube SEO boosts your video’s reach on the world’s second-largest search engine. Includes keyword-optimised titles, thumbnails, descriptions, playlists, and engagement signals. Helps videos rank higher in YouTube and Google.

Optimise where your audience is already searching.

20. Local SEO

Local SEO helps nearby customers find you first. It involves optimising your Google Business Profile, local keywords, citations, reviews, and NAP consistency. Crucial for businesses serving a physical location or region.

Think global, optimise local.

21. Voice SEO

Voice SEO prepares your content for the future of search—spoken queries. It involves using natural language, question-based queries, and featured snippet optimisation to ensure your content is found via voice assistants.

It’s about being the answer to questions people speak, not just type.

22. International SEO

International SEO extends your site’s reach across global markets. Optimising content for multiple languages and regions using hreflang tags, localised URLs, and country-specific keyword strategies helps connect with diverse audiences.

Speak their language, win their clicks.

23. E-commerce SEO

E-commerce SEO powers product visibility in a crowded online marketplace. Optimising product titles, descriptions, structured data, internal linking, and technical performance ensures better rankings and more conversions.

More visibility means more sales.

24. Enterprise SEO

Enterprise SEO tackles the complexities of large-scale websites. With thousands of pages and multiple stakeholders, this involves scalable strategies, automated reporting, workflow integration, and consistent technical standards.

Enterprise SEO is about scale, strategy, and structure.

25. Franchise SEO

Franchise SEO balances local presence with brand-wide consistency. It includes optimising individual franchise locations for local search while maintaining brand cohesion across all digital assets.

It’s SEO that scales with your footprint.

26. Shopify SEO

Shopify SEO fine-tunes your store for discoverability and sales. From optimising product pages to URL structures and apps, this SEO focuses on enhancing the visibility of Shopify-powered online shops.

Turn your storefront into a search engine favourite.

27. Wix SEO

Wix SEO makes no-code websites discoverable. It involves using built-in tools for meta tags, SEO-friendly URLs, site speed, and integrations making SEO accessible even to beginners.

Wix has evolved and so has its SEO power.

28. WordPress SEO

WordPress SEO gives your content the visibility it deserves. By leveraging plugins like Yoast or Rank Math, you can easily optimise content, manage sitemaps, and enhance technical and on-page factors.

WordPress and SEO go hand in hand when configured correctly.

29. News SEO

News SEO brings breaking stories to the top of SERPs. It focuses on Google News eligibility, structured data, rapid indexing, and headline optimisation to ensure time-sensitive content is visible instantly.

In news SEO, speed and accuracy rule.

30. Real Estate SEO

Real Estate SEO attracts homebuyers and sellers through search. This includes optimising listings, location keywords, mobile experience, and schema for property details to increase local discovery.

Make your listings the first thing buyers see.

31. Voice Search SEO

Voice search SEO adapts your content for spoken queries. It includes using natural language, question-based keywords, and concise answers to match how users speak rather than type. Featured snippets and FAQs play a major role.

Optimise for the way people talk, not just how they type.

32. Podcast SEO

Podcast SEO amplifies your audio content’s discoverability. It involves optimising titles, show notes, transcripts, and embedding structured data so podcast platforms and search engines can index and rank episodes.

Turn your voice into a search magnet.

33. International SEO

International SEO takes your content global. It includes hreflang tags, regional keyword targeting, and localisation of content to appeal to different language-speaking and regional audiences.

Speak the language of your customers wherever they are.

34. Multilingual SEO

Multilingual SEO ensures each language version of your site ranks well. Focuses on translating and adapting content while maintaining SEO integrity like metadata, slugs, and structure in multiple languages.

Be discoverable in every tongue your users speak.

35. Regional SEO

Regional SEO zooms in on country-specific targeting. It includes creating subdomains or directories for different regions, aligning content with cultural norms, and using geo-targeted keywords.

Tailor your presence to fit each regional market.

36. News SEO

News SEO keeps your articles timely and visible. Includes optimising headlines, using structured data like NewsArticle, and fast indexing strategies to surface your news in Google News and Top Stories.

Speed and structure are everything in news SEO.

37. Ecommerce SEO

Ecommerce SEO brings shoppers to your virtual shelves. Involves optimising product pages, categories, schema markup, and user-generated content like reviews to drive organic shopping traffic.

It’s the difference between a product listing and a sale.

38. Shopify SEO

Shopify SEO fine-tunes your online store for discoverability. Involves optimising Shopify’s built-in SEO settings, URL structure, collections, product descriptions, and apps to improve ranking and usability.

Make your Shopify store search-ready from homepage to checkout.

39. Amazon SEO

Amazon SEO gets your product found in the world’s largest marketplace. Focuses on optimising product titles, bullet points, backend keywords, reviews, and pricing strategies to rank higher in Amazon’s A9 algorithm.

Be seen where buyers are already shopping.

40. B2B SEO

B2B SEO targets decision-makers with search precision. Involves long sales cycles, niche keywords, high-value content like whitepapers, and LinkedIn optimisation to reach business clients.

Optimise for intent-driven searches that lead to real deals.

41. B2C SEO

B2C SEO speaks to everyday consumers. Focuses on user experience, emotional language, trending topics, and visual appeal to attract and convert a broader audience.

Engage hearts and wallets with smart B2C SEO.

42. SaaS SEO

SaaS SEO is the fuel behind recurring digital sales. Includes educational content, feature pages, demo optimisations, and targeting high-intent use cases relevant to SaaS decision-makers.

Scale visibility, leads, and sign-ups with precision.

43. Franchise SEO

Franchise SEO aligns national branding with local visibility. Involves building local landing pages, local citations, and brand consistency across multiple locations and markets.

Unify brand power with regional reach.

44. White Hat SEO

White Hat SEO stays within Google’s rulebook. Focuses on ethical tactics like quality content, earned backlinks, and proper technical practices to ensure sustainable growth.

It’s the long game but the lasting one.

45. Black Hat SEO

Black Hat SEO bends or breaks search engine guidelines. Uses deceptive practices like cloaking, keyword stuffing, and link farms. Results may be quick but come with high penalties.

Short-term wins often lead to long-term bans.

46. Grey Hat SEO

Grey Hat SEO straddles the ethical line. Mixes approved and borderline tactics like expired domain usage, aggressive link exchanges, and duplicate content strategies.

It’s a risk-reward zone that demands caution.

47. Negative SEO

Negative SEO is sabotage, not strategy. Involves unethical attacks on competitors’ rankings using spammy backlinks, fake reviews, or DDoS attacks. 

It’s unethical, dangerous and ultimately damaging to all.

48. Enterprise SEO

Enterprise SEO manages large-scale digital visibility. Focuses on scalability, complex site structures, automation tools, and workflow collaboration across departments and massive content libraries.

Think of it as SEO at corporate scale.

49. Small Business SEO

Small Business SEO is about doing more with less. Emphasises hyperlocal keywords, Google Maps optimisation, and lean content strategies to help small businesses compete online.

A tight budget doesn’t mean low visibility.

50. Niche SEO

Niche SEO targets small, specialised markets with precision. It includes deep keyword research, long-tail optimisation, and content tailored to very specific interests or industries.

Own your niche—one keyword at a time.

51. Cloaking SEO (Black Hat)

Cloaking SEO tricks search engines with hidden content. It serves different content to bots than users to manipulate rankings, violating guidelines and risking penalties.

Avoid cloaking—it’s a fast track to deindexing.

52. Duplicate Content SEO

Duplicate Content SEO tackles the pitfalls of redundancy. Involves identifying and removing or canonicalising identical content across pages to prevent ranking confusion and penalties.

Clean content ensures clearer ranking signals.

53. Schema Markup SEO

Schema SEO adds intelligence to your content. Implements structured data to enhance how search engines understand your content and display rich results in SERPs.

Stand out with stars, FAQs, reviews, and more.

54. Google Discover SEO

Google Discover SEO targets content for Google’s AI-powered feed. It’s about creating evergreen, visually engaging, mobile-friendly content that matches user interests not keywords.

Be found before users even search.

55. Crawl Budget SEO

Crawl Budget SEO manages how often Google indexes your pages.

Includes reducing duplicate URLs, improving site speed, and prioritising important content to maximise crawl efficiency.

Help bots crawl smarter, not harder.

56. Indexing SEO

Indexing SEO ensures your content gets seen.

It’s about technical fixes like sitemaps, robots.txt, canonical tags, and noindex attributes to guide search engine indexing.

No index = no ranking. Get it seen.

57. Page Speed SEO

Page Speed SEO boosts UX and rankings. Focuses on reducing load time through optimised media, caching, minified code, and lightweight themes to meet Core Web Vitals.

Fast sites don’t just rank, they convert.

58. Core Web Vitals SEO

Core Web Vitals SEO optimises for key user experience metrics. Includes improving Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) to meet Google’s page experience standards.

Vital metrics for vital rankings.

59. HTTPS SEO

HTTPS SEO adds trust and security to your site. Migrating from HTTP to HTTPS protects data and is now a ranking factor. It’s crucial for all modern sites.

Secure sites rank better and convert more.

60. Penalty Recovery SEO

Penalty Recovery SEO helps regain lost rankings. It involves identifying and fixing violations, disavowing harmful backlinks, and resubmitting your site after manual actions or algorithm hits. Turn penalties into comebacks with smart recovery.

61. Redirect SEO

Redirect SEO manages traffic flow after URL changes. Uses 301, 302, and canonical tags to preserve SEO value when restructuring or consolidating web pages.

Don’t lose SEO juice—redirect it wisely.

62. Anchor Text SEO

Anchor Text SEO guides both users and bots. Focuses on using descriptive, relevant text in internal and external links to signal the destination’s topic and relevance. 

Link with intent and clarity.

63. Internal Linking SEO

Internal Linking SEO strengthens your site’s architecture. Strategically connects pages to distribute link equity, boost crawl depth, and guide users to related content.

Build a web within your site for better UX and SEO.

64. External Linking SEO

External Linking SEO boosts authority through citation. Citing trustworthy sources signals credibility and helps search engines understand content context.

Good outbound links make great content stronger.

65. Conversion SEO

Conversion SEO aligns rankings with results. Optimises content, layout, and CTAs to not just attract traffic but turn visitors into leads or customers.

Traffic is good. Conversions are better.

Closing Thoughts on the Key SEO Types

Search engine optimisation is no longer confined to a handful of techniques. As we've explored, there are 65 distinct types of SEO with Courses Buddy, each serving a specific purpose whether it's enhancing technical performance, building brand authority, or targeting niche platforms like YouTube or app stores.

The beauty of SEO lies in its adaptability. No matter your industry, audience, or platform, there's an SEO approach designed to amplify your visibility. But here's the catch: real success doesn't come from knowing all the types—it comes from knowing which ones matter most to your goals.

So, whether you're a business owner, content creator, marketer, or developer, use this guide not just as a checklist but as a strategy map. Prioritise, experiment, optimise, and grow. Because when SEO is done holistically, it's not just about ranking—it’s about relevance, reach, and long-term results.