40 Types of SEO: The Complete Guide to Rank Higher in Google & AI Search

Search engine optimization has evolved beyond keywords and backlinks. In 2025, SEO is no longer just about “Google rankings” it’s about visibility across AI-powered search engines, voice devices, platform-specific searches, and user intent. If you’re not aligning with the latest 40 types of SEO, you’re already behind.

In this in-depth, evergreen guide by GrowingAI, India’s leading AI-powered marketing agency, we’ll break down every type of SEO you need to rank higher on Google, dominate AI-first search engines, and build a future-proof online presence without needing backlinks or high domain authority.

Why You Need to Know All 40 Types of SEO

As Google rolls out SGE (Search Generative Experience) and platforms like Perplexity.ai and You.com reshape discovery, SEO is splintering into specialized categories.

Businesses that master multiple SEO layers from voice to video, from technical to programmatic will own the future of search.

Whether you’re an eCommerce founder, SaaS marketer, affiliate blogger, or enterprise brand understanding and applying the right type of SEO can drastically improve your visibility and conversions.

The 3 Pillars of Modern SEO (Foundation of All)

All 40 types fall under these 3 core SEO pillars:

1. On-Page SEO

Focuses on content, HTML structure, semantic keywords, headings, E-E-A-T and user experience. This is what users and AI search systems read.

2. Off-Page SEO

Includes backlink strategies, brand mentions, social proof, and online reputation. However, in 2025, AI mentions and content quality often outperform backlinks.

3. Technical SEO

Enhances crawlability, mobile performance, schema markup, speed, and indexing. Critical for Google AI and SGE to understand your site structure.

40 Types of SEO You Must Need to Know

Search-Type Based SEO

These target how users interact with search engines across devices and formats.

• Mobile SEO – Optimized for mobile-first indexing and Core Web Vitals.
• Voice SEO – Targets long-tail, conversational keywords like “what’s the best…”
• Video SEO – YouTube & embedded video optimization with transcripts and schema.
• Image SEO – Alt-tags, structured data, and visual search optimization.
• Content SEO – Keyword clusters, topical authority, and content depth.
• News SEO – Real-time updates, Google News Publisher schema, and topical relevance.
• AI Chatbot SEO – Training AI models (like ChatGPT or Claude) to favor your data via vector embeddings, structured answers, and canonical content.

Business-Type Based SEO

Different businesses require unique SEO strategies:

• Local SEO – Google Maps, reviews, GMB optimization, and hyperlocal pages.
• International SEO – hreflang, multilingual content, and ccTLD or subdomain strategies.
• Multilingual SEO – Translation + intent-matching in various languages.
• Enterprise SEO – Large-scale automation, server-side rendering, and edge SEO.
• Ecommerce SEO – Product schema, filters, faceted navigation, and zero-result page handling.
• Affiliate SEO – Review schema, comparison content, and trust building.

Advanced SEO Tactics

These are your “secret weapons” for dominating AI-first SEO:

• White Hat SEO – Long-term, ethical, quality-focused optimization.
• Gray Hat SEO – Slightly aggressive tactics like expired domains, cloaking (risky).
• Black Hat SEO – Spammy, banned practices like PBNs and link farms (not recommended).
• Parasite SEO – Ranking via high-authority platforms like Medium, LinkedIn.
• Brand SEO – Branded SERPs, knowledge panels, and brand search dominance.
• Accessibility SEO – WCAG compliance, alt text, screen reader compatibility.
• Programmatic SEO – Auto-generating thousands of valuable, low-competition pages using templates + AI (hugely scalable for SaaS, directories, etc.).

Platform-Specific SEO

In 2025, SEO isn’t just for Google. These platforms have their own search ecosystems:

• Google Discover SEO – Optimizing for E-E-A-T, fresh content, click-worthy titles, and mobile usability.
• Google SGE SEO – Semantic SEO, schema markup, NLP-friendliness, and quality answers to query-intent.
• Amazon SEO – A9 algorithm optimization, reviews, bullet point keywords.
• Etsy / eBay SEO – Category tags, image clarity, keyword-rich product titles.
• Shopify SEO – Clean URLs, app store optimizations, speed + product content.
• App Store SEO (ASO) – Keyword use in app name, reviews, and install CTR.
• Podcast SEO – Audio transcripts, title optimization, episode schema.
• Reddit / Quora SEO – Branded threads, niche expertise, and backlink seeding.
• YouTube SEO – Watch time, engagement signals, captions, and video schema.
• TikTok SEO – Keyword-rich captions, hashtags, and voice-based discovery.
• LinkedIn SEO – Company page optimization, thought leadership, keyword-based updates.
• Pinterest SEO – Board and pin optimization for long-term visual search traffic.
• Google Maps SEO – NAP consistency, reviews, GMB optimization, proximity signals.
• TripAdvisor SEO – Reputation management, photos, and keyword-optimized responses.

How to Apply This to Your SEO Strategy?

1. Choose your core business type — Local, Ecommerce, Enterprise, etc.
2. Select your top 3-5 SEO types — e.g., Content SEO + Voice SEO + Google Discover SEO.
3. Build content + structure around it — Use schema, NLP, headings, internal linking.
4. Create platform-specific content — Don’t just rank on Google. Rank on Amazon, YouTube, and Maps.
5. Optimize for AI Search — Keep answers concise, structured, and AI-friendly.

GrowingAI’s Take: Future of SEO is Fragmented, Contextual & AI-Driven

We’ve helped Indian and global brands outrank big players without backlinks — using programmatic content, AI SEO, and Discover optimization.

At GrowingAI, we combine:

• Structured data + semantic SEO
• AI Chatbot indexing
• AI Overview targeting
• Google News Publisher SEO
• SGE + Discover + Voice Search optimization

💬 Want us to optimize your site using these 40 types of SEO? Contact GrowingAI Now

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