Search engine optimisation (SEO) can feel complicated, but the foundations are straightforward. Search engines want to show people pages that are relevant, trustworthy and easy to use. Your job is to make it as clear as possible what each page is about and to remove anything that gets in the way.
1. Make sure your pages can be found
Before a page can appear in search results, it has to be discovered and indexed. Check that your important pages are not blocked by robots.txt or a noindex tag, and that you have an XML sitemap submitted in Google Search Console. Search Console is free and shows which pages are indexed and any problems found.
2. Give every important page a clear focus
Each key page should target one main topic. A plumber, for example, might have separate pages for boiler repairs, bathroom installations and emergency call-outs rather than listing everything on the homepage. This helps both visitors and search engines understand what you offer.
- Write a unique, descriptive title tag for every page
- Use one H1 heading that describes the page
- Break content into sections with logical H2 and H3 headings
- Answer the questions customers ask before buying
3. Fix the technical basics
You do not need to be a developer to spot common technical problems. Broken links, slow mobile pages and duplicate pages are among the most frequent issues on small business websites. A technical check will surface these quickly.
4. Be patient and avoid shortcuts
SEO is a long-term investment. Be cautious of anyone promising guaranteed rankings or offering to sell you thousands of links — these tactics break search engine guidelines and can damage your website's visibility.