SEO Basics for Small Businesses: Where to Start

SEO (search engine optimisation) is the work of helping your website appear when people search on Google for what you offer. Unlike ads, you don't pay per click, but it takes time and consistency. Here's where every small business should begin.

Start with what your customers actually search for

Think about the words your customers use, not the words you use internally. A customer is more likely to search “skin clinic for acne” than “dermatological solutions”. Make a short list of these phrases and use them naturally on your website.

Give every service its own page

One page that lists everything you do is hard for Google to rank. A separate page for each main service, with a clear heading and helpful detail, gives each one a real chance to appear in search results.

Get the on-page essentials right

• A unique, descriptive page title for every page
• A meta description that makes people want to click
• One clear main heading (H1) per page
• Descriptive alt text on images
• Internal links between related pages

Make your website fast and mobile-friendly

Most searches happen on phones. If your website loads slowly or is hard to use on a small screen, visitors leave, and Google notices. Compress images, avoid unnecessary plugins and test your site on your own phone.

Publish genuinely helpful content

Answer the questions your customers ask you every day. Helpful articles, guides and FAQs build trust with readers and give Google more reasons to show your website.

The best SEO content is simply the most helpful answer to a real customer's question.

Be patient and measure progress

SEO usually takes several months to show meaningful results. Set up Google Search Console and Google Analytics so you can see which searches bring visitors and which pages perform best, then keep improving.