If you're a website owner looking to get more traffic from Google (and who isn't?), then you’ve probably heard about SEO - Search Engine Optimization.

But what does SEO really mean? And how can you do it without getting lost in jargon and complex strategies, or paying big bucks for 12 to 18-month SEO contracts? (Just as an FYI, we have 3-week SEO packages that guarantee results)

Read on for some simple, practical steps you can take to improve your website’s SEO - even if you're not a tech wizard.

1. Start With Great Content

Google loves content that helps people. Think of it like this: if someone types a question into Google, your website should aim to be the helpful, trustworthy answer.

Here are a couple Tips:

• Write blog posts that answer common questions that your best audience would have.

• Use clear, natural language (like you’re talking to a customer).

• Break content into easy-to-read sections with properly formatted HTML headings and bullet points.

2. Use Keywords the Smart Way

Keywords are the words or phrases people type into search engines. Including these in your content helps search engines understand what your page is about.

How to do it:

• Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to find relevant keywords.

• Include keywords in your page titles, headings, URLs, and naturally throughout your content.

• Don’t stuff keywords—keep it natural and useful for the reader.

3. Optimise Page Titles and Meta Descriptions

Your page title and meta description appear in Google search results. Think of them as your first impression.

What doesn't really work anymore are other META tags.

Make them count:

• Keep titles under 60 characters and ensure they are relevant to the content on the page.

• Write compelling, relevant meta descriptions (under 155 characters) which will encourage clicks.

• Include your primary keywords in everything.

4. Improve Website Speed

A slow website turns people away - and Google notices this too. Faster sites get better rankings.

Quick wins:

• Compress images (tools like TinyPNG help).

• Use website caching and a content delivery network (CDN).

• Choose reliable hosting, it pays to spend a bit extra for security and quality.

5. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly

More than half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices. Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily looks at the mobile version of your site.

Checklist:

• Test your site using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

• Use responsive design (your site adapts to screen size without reloading the page).

• Keep menus and buttons easy to tap on small screens.

6. Get Quality Backlinks

A backlink is when another website links to yours. Google sees this as a vote of confidence.

Ideas to earn backlinks:

• Write guest posts for reputable blogs.

• Share your content on social media.

• List your business on directories and local listings.

• Build relationships with industry influencers.

7. Use Internal Links

Linking to your own pages helps users navigate and helps search engines understand your site structure. Adding 'title text' with relevant keywords to each link will also help.

Example:
If you’re writing a post about choosing the right product, link to a detailed page about that product.

8. Track Your Progress

SEO takes time, but it’s important to track what’s working.

Free tools to get started:

• Google Analytics: Understand who’s visiting and what they’re doing.

• Google Search Console: See how your site performs in search and fix technical issues.

Noah's 2 Cents:

SEO doesn’t have to be overwhelming. These tips won't replace the morew technical work of doing proper on-page SEO, but if you follow these steps each week, you'll definitely be getting better traction in search results.

Think of it as making your website more helpful, more trustworthy, and easier to find. By taking a few consistent steps every week, creating great content, optimizing your pages, and improving your site’s user experience, you’ll start to see results over time. And yes I'm aware that time is a valuable commodity so if you don't have enough to do this in-house, that's where we come in ????

Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Start small, stay consistent, and keep learning!

Need help improving your SEO? Reach out to our team for a free website audit!