6 minutes
In a world where almost every buying journey begins online, understanding Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is no longer optional – it’s essential.
Whether you're a small business owner, a marketer, or simply someone trying to get more eyes on your website, SEO is the tool that ensures your brand shows up when it matters most.
And while it can get quite technical, there are some core principles that apply to every website.
What is SEO and why does it matter?
Let’s start with the essentials. SEO is the practice of improving your website to increase its visibility when people search for products or services on search engines like Google. SEO helps your website appear higher in search results, making it more likely that potential customers will find and visit your site.
Think of search engines as the modern high street. Just as you'd want your shop to be in a busy location with clear signage, you want your website to be easily found when people are looking for what you offer. The difference is that the digital high street serves millions of people every day, and the ‘location’ of your business is determined by how well you've optimised for search engines.
68% of online experiences begin with a search engine (According to a report by BrightEdge) and 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results (HubSpot). If your business isn't ranking on that first page for relevant searches, you're missing out on most potential customers who are actively looking for what you provide.
Key SEO components every business should know
SEO might seem complicated, but it breaks down into several key sections that work together to improve your visibility. Understanding these elements helps you appreciate what goes into a successful SEO strategy.
On-page SEO
This refers to everything you can control directly on your website. This includes the content you write, the keywords you target, your page titles, meta descriptions, header tags and image alt text. Good on-page SEO means creating valuable, relevant content that answers your customers' questions while naturally including the terms they're searching for. For a Hull business, this might mean writing about local topics, mentioning your Hull location and ensuring your content speaks directly to the needs of your local audience.
Technical SEO
This focuses on the behind-the-scenes elements that affect how search engines crawl and index your site. This includes your website's loading speed, mobile-friendliness, site structure, URL structure and security (HTTPS). Google prioritises websites that offer excellent user experiences and technical SEO ensures your site meets those standards. With around 71% of searches now happening on mobile devices (SMA Marketing), having a mobile-responsive website isn't optional, it's essential.
Local SEO
This is particularly important for Hull businesses serving a local area. This involves optimising your Google Business Profile, ensuring your business name, address and phone number are consistent across the web, getting listed in local directories and earning reviews from satisfied customers. Local SEO helps you appear in the local pack. This is key as the local pack always shows near the top of a Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
Content marketing
Search engines want to provide users with the most relevant and helpful information. By creating blog posts, videos and other content that addresses your customers' questions and needs, you establish your expertise and give search engines more reasons to rank your site. Quality content also encourages other websites to link to you, which brings us to the next component.
Link building
Link building involves earning links from other reputable websites back to yours. Links are like a vote of confidence. When established websites link to your content, search engines interpret this as a sign that your site is trustworthy and authoritative. For Hull businesses, this might involve getting featured in local news outlets, partnering with other local businesses, or creating content that naturally attracts links.
Measuring SEO success
Understanding whether your SEO efforts are working requires tracking the right metrics. Fortunately, free tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console provide valuable insights.
Organic traffic is a key indicator of SEO success. Monitor how this number changes over time. Increasing organic traffic means more people are finding you through search engines, which is exactly what SEO aims to achieve.
Keyword rankings show where your website appears in search results for specific terms. Whilst rankings change daily, the overall trend should be upward for your target keywords.
Remember that SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. You're building sustainable, long-term growth rather than chasing quick wins. Most businesses see improvements within three to six months, with more substantial results developing over time. The key is consistency and patience.
Moving beyond the basics
Mastering the basics of SEO is a powerful first step toward improving your online visibility, attracting more customers and building long-term digital momentum. By understanding how on‑page optimisation, technical foundations, local SEO and quality content all work together, you’re already ahead of many businesses that still overlook these essentials.
However, while these fundamentals will take you far, fully optimising a website often requires deeper expertise, ongoing analysis and a strategic approach tailored to your industry and competition.
Search engines evolve constantly, and keeping up with best practices can be challenging when you're also running a business. That’s where partnering with an experienced SEO agency can make a significant difference.
Take a look at our blog about the power of an SEO audit agency for website growth.
