SEO – or search engine optimisation – is the process of making your website more visible in Google’s organic search results. When someone searches for something relevant to your business, you want your page to show up – ideally on the first page.
Organic search traffic is one of the most valuable traffic sources you can have. Unlike paid advertising, the traffic doesn’t stop when the budget runs out. A well-optimised page can deliver returns for years.
How does Google work?
Google uses automated programs – called crawlers – to scan the internet and index websites. When someone searches, Google’s algorithm decides which pages are most relevant and ranks them accordingly.
The algorithm considers hundreds of factors. The most important can be grouped into three areas:
The three pillars of SEO
1. Technical SEO
Technical SEO is about giving Google the best conditions to crawl and index your site. This includes:
- Page speed and Core Web Vitals
- Mobile-friendliness
- Secure connection (HTTPS)
- Clean URL structure and sitemap
- No broken links or indexing errors
A page that loads slowly, is hard to crawl or has technical errors will rank lower – no matter how good the content is.
2. On-page SEO
On-page SEO is about the content on your page and how it’s structured. The most important elements are:
- Clear, keyword-focused headings (H1, H2, H3)
- Meta title and meta description for each page
- Natural use of relevant keywords in the text
- Alt text on images
- Internal links between related pages
- Content that actually answers the user’s question
Google rewards pages that give users what they’re actually looking for. Write for people first – Google will take care of the rest.
3. Off-page SEO
Off-page SEO is about your website’s reputation outside your own site. The most important factor is backlinks – links from other websites to yours. A link from a credible site signals to Google that your content is valuable.
Other off-page factors include brand mentions, reviews and your presence in relevant directories and listings.
What is search intent and why does it matter?
Search intent is the reason behind a search. Someone searching “buy WordPress website” has different intent than someone searching “what is WordPress”. The first person is ready to buy, the second is looking for information.
Google is extremely good at determining intent. If your content doesn’t match what the user actually wants, it will rank lower – no matter how well-optimised it is otherwise.
How long does SEO take?
This is one of the questions we get most. Honest answer: it depends. A brand new website can take 6–12 months before any results show. An existing site with a good foundation can see improvements within 1–3 months.
What affects the timeline is the competition for your keywords, how established your domain is, the quality of your content and how actively you work on link building.
SEO vs paid advertising – which should you choose?
It’s not either-or. They complement each other.
SEO is a long-term investment that builds over time and delivers returns for years. Paid advertising gives quick results but stops the moment you turn off the budget. For most businesses, a combination of both is the optimal strategy.
Local SEO – especially important for local businesses
If you run a local business – a shop, an agency, a clinic – local SEO is crucial. It’s about showing up when someone searches for your type of service in your city.
The most important factors for local SEO are an optimised Google Business Profile, reviews and locally adapted content on your website.
Getting started with SEO
The most important first steps are making sure your site is technically sound, doing keyword research to find the right terms to target, creating content that genuinely helps your audience and building authority over time.
Want help getting started? Read more about our SEO service where we offer everything from technical SEO audits to ongoing search optimisation. Or read our related guides on keyword analysis and backlinks. Contact us for a free review.
