What SEO actually means
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is everything you do so your website appears higher when someone searches on Google. Not paid ads - the free results below them, which get the vast majority of clicks.
How Google decides who comes first
Simplified, in three steps: Google crawls the web with automated bots, indexes what it finds in a giant catalogue, and then ranks results for each search. Your job is to make all three easy.
The foundation: technical SEO
This is where most websites lose without knowing it.
- Speed - a slow website ranks lower. Check it on PageSpeed Insights.
- Mobile - Google indexes the mobile version first. If your site is awkward on a phone, you lose.
- Sitemap and robots.txt - tell Google what pages exist and which to index.
- HTTPS - the padlock in the browser. Without it, both Google and visitors distrust you.
- Clean structure - one H1 per page, logical headings, descriptive URLs.
Keywords: what people actually search for
Do not guess. Type your service into Google and look at the suggestions, and at "People also ask" and "Related searches" at the bottom. Those are real queries.
Target specific phrases. "Web design" is nearly impossible to rank for. "Web design for dental clinics" is realistic, and the visitor is far closer to buying.
On-page: what you put on each page
- Title tag - the blue line in Google results. Around 60 characters, with the keyword near the start.
- Meta description - the grey text below. It does not affect ranking directly, but it decides whether people click.
- Headings - one H1 with the main topic, H2s for sections.
- Text that answers the question - Google is very good at telling apart content written for people from content stuffed with keywords.
- Internal links - link your own related pages. It helps both visitors and Google.
- Image alt text - describe what is in the image, honestly.
Local SEO: for businesses with clients nearby
If you serve one city, this is the highest-return channel. Claim your Google Business Profile, fill in everything (hours, photos, services), and ask happy clients for reviews. Consistency matters: the same name, address and phone everywhere online.
Content: the long game
A blog is not decoration. Every article that answers a real client question is another door into your website. Two useful articles a month beat ten thin ones.
What NOT to do
- Buying links in bulk - a fast route to a penalty.
- Copying text from other sites.
- Stuffing keywords into every sentence.
- Believing anyone who guarantees "position 1 in one month".
Realistic expectations
Technical improvements show in weeks. Serious ranking gains take 3-6 months, sometimes longer in competitive niches. SEO is a marathon - but unlike ads, the results stay.
Want to know where your website stands? Ask for a free SEO evaluation - concrete recommendations within 24 hours, not a sales pitch.