How Does SEO Work?
To begin your SEO journey, it’s helpful to understand how search engine optimisation (SEO) actually works.
Think of starting SEO as giving your website a makeover so that it not only looks good to visitors, but also makes sense to search engines like Google. The goal? To rank higher in search results for keywords that matter to your business, so more people can discover your site organically (without paying for ads).
When someone types something into Google, the search engine has to decide which websites are most relevant and useful for that search. That’s where SEO comes in.
How Google Ranks Websites
Google uses hundreds of factors in its ranking algorithm, but the three most important ones are:
Relevance
Does your content match what the user is searching for? Google looks for pages that directly answer the query and use related keywords throughout the content.
Authority
Is your website trustworthy? Google measures this by looking at things like backlinks—links from other reputable websites to yours. The more high-quality links you have, the more authoritative your site appears.
User Experience
Is your site fast, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly? Google favours websites that load quickly and provide a smooth experience on all devices.
SEO is an ongoing process, not something you do once and forget. You’ll need to regularly update your content, add new information, improve technical performance, and keep building trust with search engines.
It’s like a never-ending game of tug-of-war where staying ahead means staying active.
The Key Stages of Your SEO journey
Understanding how SEO works is one thing. Knowing what to actually do is another.
This SEO beginners guide gives you the key stages of an effective SEO journey:
1. Keyword Research
This is key to starting SEO. Keyword research helps you understand what your potential customers are searching for online. It allows you to find terms you can realistically rank for and create content around those topics.
Tools like Ubersuggest, Google Keyword Planner, or SEMrush can help you identify the right keywords for your niche.
2. Boost SEO
Once you have your keywords, you’ll need to optimise your pages. This includes:
- Optimising images with alt text and compression
- Using keywords in titles, headings, and body text
- Writing helpful meta descriptions
- Structuring your content clearly with H1, H2, and H3 tags
3. Technical SEO
This ensures your site is healthy from a technical point of view. It includes:
- Improving site speed
- Making your site mobile-friendly
- Fixing broken links or redirects
- Creating and submitting XML sitemaps
Technical SEO might sound intimidating, but many fixes are straightforward with the right tools or plugin (like Yoast for WordPress).
4. Content Creation
Content is how you attract and engage your audience. Blog posts, service pages, guides, and FAQs can all help you show up in search results, especially when they’re built around useful information.
Focus on quality over quantity. One strong, well-targeted blog post is better than five vague ones.
5. Link Building
Links from other websites (known as backlinks) are like votes of confidence in your content. You can build links by:
- Guest blogging
- Getting listed in directories
- Reaching out to industry websites
- Creating shareable content or infographics
Not all links are equal so aim for quality over quantity. Relevant and trusted websites linking to you have the biggest impact.
6. Monitoring and Improving
SEO is not a one-time task. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your performance:
- Which pages are getting traffic?
- Which keywords are performing best?
- Are people staying on your site or bouncing off?
From there, you can improve underperforming content, refine your keywords, and continue growing.
What Next?
These are just the first steps in your SEO journey, but the world of SEO can be complex. By taking these initial steps, you’ll be well on your way to getting more organic traffic to your site and a much better chance of outperforming your competitors.
Now that you know where to start, let’s kick things off! Explore your options when it comes to SEO for small businesses.
Give It A Go Yourself
If you want to have a go at starting SEO yourself then you can check your SEO health score, keyword research or backlinks then sign-up for a FREE trial with SEMrush
You can also use my SEO Checklist to review your site’s SEO essentials and find quick wins you can act on today.