SEOJet Flight Blog

Learn to fly your own SEO. We’ll guide from the tower.

SEO Basics for Business Owners

Start here if you're new to SEO. These posts cover the essential tips, tools, and techniques every business should know. Clear explanations without confusing language, perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to understand the basics.

SEO for Beginners: A Practical Guide to Search Engine Optimisation Success

Want your website to appear higher in Google Search? You’re not alone. This is a no-nonsense guide to SEO written for beginners who want to get results. Whether you're launching a brand new site or trying to fix an underperforming one, this article explains what SEO is, how search engines work, and how to improve your visibility step-by-step.

This isn’t theory. It’s practical advice for business owners, marketers, or anyone responsible for a website. You’ll learn the core principles of SEO and how to apply them without being overwhelmed.

Article Index

What is SEO and Why Does It Matter?
How Do Search Engines Work?
SEO Basics: Where Should You Start?
What Does It Mean to Optimise a Page?
What’s the Role of Keywords in SEO?
Why Is Keyword Research So Important?
What Are the Different Types of SEO?
What Is On-Page SEO and How Does It Work?
What is Technical SEO and Why Should You Care?
How Do You Fix Technical SEO Issues?
What is Off-Page SEO and Does It Really Help?
How Does Google Index and Rank Pages?
How Can You Help Google Understand Your Website?
Why Meta Descriptions Still Matter
What Is Local SEO and Who Needs It?
How Do You Track and Measure SEO Performance?
What Are Key SEO Metrics to Watch?
How to Build an SEO Strategy from Scratch
SEO Tools to Support Your SEO Work
What Should Beginners Focus on First?
Why User Experience Affects SEO
How Important Is Mobile Optimisation?
How to Optimise Images for SEO
What Are SEO-Friendly URLs?
Should You Use HTTPS for SEO?
How to Create Content That Ranks
What Is Duplicate Content and Why Is It Bad?
How Do You Get Your Pages Indexed?
What Are Ranking Factors in SEO?
How to Build Backlinks the Right Way
What is a Sitemap and Why Should You Have One?
What’s the Role of HTML in SEO?
What Does It Mean to "Crawl" a Website?
What Are SEO Reports and Why Create Them?
How Often Should You Update SEO Content?
What’s the Difference Between Organic and Paid Search?
What Are Some Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid?
Does Social Media Impact SEO?
What is International SEO?
Why Does SEO Take Time?

1. What is SEO and Why Does It Matter?

SEO stands for search engine optimisation. It’s the process of improving your website so that it appears in search engine results when people type in something relevant.

Most people use Google or other search engines to find information, services, or products. If your site doesn’t show up in those results, you're missing out on traffic and potential business. SEO helps bring that traffic to your website by making sure it’s easy for search engines to find, read, and understand your content.

Done properly, SEO can help you attract more visitors without paying for ads. It’s one of the most effective ways to build long-term, organic search traffic.

2. How Do Search Engines Work?

Search engines work in three key steps: crawl, index, and rank.

First, they crawl the internet by using bots to find web pages. Then, they store the information they find in a vast database called the index. Finally, when someone types in a search query, Google ranks the indexed pages based on how relevant and useful they are.

Search engines look at hundreds of factors when ranking pages, including keywords, site speed, and backlinks. Your job is to make your website easy to crawl, clear to understand, and relevant to what people search for.

3. SEO Basics: Where Should You Start?

If you’re new to SEO, begin with the basics of site structure and content. Make sure your website is being indexed by search engines. You can check this using tools like Google Search Console.

Next, look at your most important pages. Are they targeting the right keywords? Do they load quickly and work well on mobile? Can users find what they need without clicking around too much?

Start by fixing anything that blocks search engines from crawling your site. Then make sure your pages are useful, clear, and fast.

4. What Does It Mean to Optimise a Page?

To optimise a page means improving how it performs in search. That includes using relevant keywords, writing a strong page title and meta description, and organising the content in a logical way.

Search engines rely on signals like your headings, internal links, and how long people stay on your page. Users care about speed, layout, and how easy the information is to understand.

A well-optimised page does both. It satisfies the person searching and makes it easy for search engines to decide where the page belongs in the results.

5. What’s the Role of Keywords in SEO?

Keywords are the words and phrases people type into search engines. They help Google understand what your page is about.

Using keywords in the right places - like your page title, main heading, and first few paragraphs - helps search engines match your content with the right search queries.

But it’s not about stuffing them in as many times as possible. It’s about relevance. Use the keyword naturally and focus on writing a page that clearly answers the search intent behind the term.

6. Why Is Keyword Research So Important?

Keyword research helps you find out what your audience is searching for and how competitive those search terms are.

Without keyword research, you're guessing. With it, you can create content that answers real questions people ask. It shows you which topics are worth writing about and which ones might be too difficult to rank for right now.

You can use free tools like Google’s Keyword Planner or paid tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to get data on search volume, keyword difficulty, and related terms. That data helps you build a content plan that brings in organic traffic.

7. What Are the Different Types of SEO?

There are three main types of SEO:

On-page SEO - things you do on your website, like content, meta tags, and internal linking.
Technical SEO - improving the backend of your site, like fixing errors, speeding up load time, and ensuring it works on mobile.
Off-page SEO - actions taken outside your site, mainly building backlinks from other reputable websites.

You need all three to get the best results. On-page SEO makes your content relevant. Technical SEO makes your site usable. Off-page SEO builds trust and authority.

8. What Is On-Page SEO and How Does It Work?

On-page SEO focuses on the individual elements on each page that help search engines understand the topic.

This includes writing a clear and descriptive title, using headings to break up content, adding internal links to other pages, and writing a keyword-focused meta description. It also means using proper HTML structure and making sure the page loads fast.

Good on-page SEO helps search engines understand your content and helps users find what they’re looking for quickly.

9. What is Technical SEO and Why Should You Care?

Technical SEO deals with how well search engines can access and index your website.

If your site is slow, hard to navigate, or full of broken links, it affects your ranking. If search engines can’t crawl your site, they won’t index it, and it won’t appear in search results at all.

Common technical SEO fixes include compressing images, improving mobile usability, fixing crawl errors, and submitting a sitemap. These help both search engines and users get the best experience from your site.

10. How Do You Fix Technical SEO Issues?

Start by running a site audit. You can use tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console to spot problems. Look for crawl errors, slow-loading pages, and any important pages that aren’t being indexed.

Make sure your pages use HTTPS, work on mobile, and don’t have broken links. Use a robots.txt file carefully - don’t block important pages by mistake.

Once your technical SEO is in good shape, search engines will have an easier time indexing and ranking your content.

11. What is Off-Page SEO and Does It Really Help?

Off-page SEO includes everything that happens outside your website to improve search visibility. The main element is link building - getting links from other websites that point to yours.

Search engines use backlinks as a measure of trust. A link from a relevant, high-authority site tells Google that your content is useful. It’s one of the strongest ranking signals.

You can earn links by creating helpful resources, being mentioned in directories, submitting guest posts, or sharing original research. Focus on quality over quantity. One good link is worth more than a dozen poor ones.

12. How Does Google Index and Rank Pages?

Indexing means adding your pages to Google's database. Once a page is indexed, it’s eligible to appear in a search result. But to rank well, the page needs to meet certain criteria.

Google looks at how relevant the content is, how fast the page loads, how mobile-friendly it is, how many links it has from other sites, and how users interact with it.

You can't control the algorithm, but you can improve the way your content is written, organised, and presented. That helps Google trust your page and show it to more people.

13. How Can You Help Google Understand Your Website?

Make your content easy for search engines to read. Use short paragraphs, clear headings, and logical structure. Focus on one topic per page and use your main keyword in key places like the title and first paragraph.

Link between related pages using descriptive text. Write keyword-rich meta descriptions. Use alt text on your images to explain what they show.

If your site is confusing or scattered, Google won’t know how to rank it. A tidy, well-structured site helps search engines understand what you do and who it’s for.

14. Why Meta Descriptions Still Matter

A meta description is the short summary of a page that appears in the search result. It won’t directly move you up or down in rankings, but it affects how often people click on your link.

A strong meta description includes your main keyword and clearly describes what the page is about. Keep it under 160 characters and avoid vague claims.

Even though Google sometimes rewrites them, writing your own gives you more control. It’s one more signal that helps your result stand out.

15. What Is Local SEO and Who Needs It?

Local SEO helps businesses show up in searches for nearby services. If you serve a specific town or region, or have a physical location, it matters.

Create or claim your Google Business Profile. Add your name, address, phone number, and business hours. Upload photos and ask your customers to leave reviews.

Use location-based keywords on your website and make sure your contact details match everywhere online. These steps help your business appear in map results and local packs.

16. How Do You Track and Measure SEO Performance?

Use Google Search Console to see how your site performs in search. It shows what keywords you rank for, how often people click, and which pages are indexed.

Google Analytics helps track user behaviour - like how long people stay, what pages they visit, and where they leave. These give clues about content performance.

Tracking lets you see what’s working and where to focus next. Without data, you’re guessing. With it, you’re making informed decisions.

17. What Are Key SEO Metrics to Watch?

Start with these:

Organic traffic: visitors from unpaid search results
Keyword rankings: your position for important search terms
Click-through rate: how often people choose your result
Bounce rate: how quickly users leave
Indexed pages: how many pages Google is showing in search
Crawl errors: problems stopping your site being read

These show the health of your SEO and highlight issues before they become serious.

18. How to Build an SEO Strategy from Scratch

Begin by identifying your main topics. Research the keywords people use to search for those topics. Map one keyword to one page.

Fix technical issues first. Make sure your site is indexable, fast, and mobile-friendly. Then focus on content and internal links.

Work consistently. Publish useful pages. Measure what works and adjust. A good SEO strategy doesn’t need to be clever - just clear, focused, and maintained.

19. SEO Tools to Support Your SEO Work

You don’t need expensive software to get started, but a few tools help:

Google Search Console: track performance and index status
Google Analytics: understand visitor behaviour
Screaming Frog: scan for technical problems
Ahrefs or SEMrush: for keyword research and link tracking
PageSpeed Insights: test loading time

Use these to spot problems, find opportunities, and track results over time.

20. What Should Beginners Focus on First?

Start with your homepage and a few key landing pages. Make sure they’re fast, mobile-friendly, and properly indexed.

Write clear titles and meta descriptions. Use headings that make sense. Link between pages and remove broken links.

Don’t chase perfection. Get the basics right, track what happens, and build from there. SEO is not about tricks - it’s about doing the simple things consistently.

21. Why User Experience Affects SEO

Google pays attention to how people interact with your site. If users land on a page and leave straight away, that sends a bad signal. If they stay, click around, and find what they need, that’s a good sign.

Improving user experience helps keep people on your site longer. That means clear navigation, readable content, and fast loading pages. These elements don’t just make the site nicer to use - they support your SEO directly.

The downside is that user experience changes can take time and may need developer help, especially for layout and speed fixes.

22. How Important Is Mobile Optimisation?

Mobile-first indexing means Google uses the mobile version of your site to decide how it ranks. If your mobile layout is poor, it will harm your visibility even if the desktop version is fine.

Use a responsive layout, test your pages on different screen sizes, and avoid small buttons or hard-to-read text. Most visitors use mobile, so this isn’t optional.

The only drawback is that mobile fixes can sometimes impact desktop design. You’ll need to balance both experiences carefully.

23. How to Optimise Images for SEO

Large images can slow down your website. That affects both user experience and search performance. Always compress images before uploading and use modern formats like WebP where supported.

Use descriptive file names and add alt text. This helps search engines understand the image and improves accessibility.

Image SEO is one of the easier wins. The downside is that going back to fix every image on a large site can be time-consuming.

24. What Are SEO-Friendly URLs?

SEO-friendly URLs are short, relevant, and easy to read. They include keywords and avoid random numbers or unnecessary words.

Example: yourdomain.com/seo-guide is better than yourdomain.com/article?id=8723.

Good URLs help users understand where they are and give search engines extra context. On the downside, changing existing URLs can cause broken links, so always use proper redirects if you update them.

25. Should You Use HTTPS for SEO?

Yes. HTTPS is a confirmed ranking factor. It also protects your visitors and builds trust.

Google will show a warning for non-HTTPS sites, which can drive people away. If you haven't moved to HTTPS yet, it’s a quick win.

Switching requires technical setup and updating your internal links. That can be a bit of work, but the benefits outweigh the hassle.

26. How to Create Content That Ranks

Ranking content solves a problem clearly and matches search intent. It needs to be relevant, useful, and well structured.

Start with a keyword. Write a page that directly answers the related search query. Use headings to organise your ideas and internal links to help users explore further.

The downside is that it takes time. Well-written content doesn’t rank instantly. But once it does, it works day and night.

27. What Is Duplicate Content and Why Is It Bad?

Duplicate content means the same or very similar text appears on multiple pages. Search engines don’t know which page to show, so they may show none.

Avoid copy-pasting content across your site. If similar content is necessary, use canonical tags to tell Google which version to prefer.

There are edge cases where duplication happens by accident - like filter pages in ecommerce. Use tools to detect and manage it early.

28. How Do You Get Your Pages Indexed?

Make sure your sitemap includes the new pages. Submit it through Google Search Console. Link to the new pages from existing content so Google can discover them naturally.

Avoid noindex tags, blocked robots.txt rules, or pages buried too deep in the site structure.

Indexing is usually straightforward. Problems arise when technical SEO hasn’t been reviewed, so it’s worth checking often.

29. What Are Ranking Factors in SEO?

Ranking factors are the criteria Google uses to decide where a page appears in the search results. These include:

Keyword relevance
Site speed
Mobile usability
Page quality
Internal and external links
Structured data and HTML tags

There are hundreds of factors, and their weight changes over time. The benefit is that no single trick dominates. The downside is that SEO takes a mix of things working together to see results.

30. How to Build Backlinks the Right Way

Backlinks are still one of the strongest signals of authority in SEO. But not all links help. Focus on links from trusted, relevant sites.

You can earn them by writing useful guides, publishing original research, or reaching out to relevant blogs or directories.

The downside is that good backlinks are hard to get. It takes effort and patience. But they make a real difference.

31. What is a Sitemap and Why Should You Have One?

A sitemap is a file that lists the pages you want search engines to find and index. It’s especially useful for large or complex websites.

You can create one using most CMS platforms or SEO tools. Then submit it in Google Search Console. This helps Google discover new pages faster.

It doesn’t guarantee better rankings, but it does improve indexing - and that’s the first step to getting found.

32. What’s the Role of HTML in SEO?

HTML tells search engines what’s important on each page. Proper use of tags helps clarify your content.

Use one H1 per page for the main heading. Subheadings should use H2 and H3. Include title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text on images.

Clean HTML supports accessibility, faster loading, and better crawling. Avoid bloated code or unused elements that slow down the page.

33. What Does It Mean to "Crawl" a Website?

Crawling is the process where search engines read your website. They follow links, read content, and decide what to index.

If your pages are hidden behind login screens, blocked by robots.txt, or not linked anywhere, they might not be crawled.

Regular audits help you catch crawl issues before they hurt your visibility.

34. What Are SEO Reports and Why Create Them?

SEO reports track what’s working and what needs fixing. They help you see changes in rankings, traffic, and performance.

You can report on keyword positions, indexed pages, crawl errors, and user behaviour. Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console.

Reporting isn’t just for agencies. If you’re doing your own SEO, a simple monthly check keeps you focused.

35. How Often Should You Update SEO Content?

Content can become outdated or lose relevance. Updating pages helps keep them accurate and competitive.

You might add new examples, change the structure, or improve internal links. Even small tweaks can make a difference.

Aim to review core pages every few months. Don’t let useful content drift into obscurity.

36. What’s the Difference Between Organic and Paid Search?

Organic search results are based on relevance. Paid search results are ads that show above or beside organic listings.

Organic traffic is earned by SEO. Paid traffic comes from advertising platforms like Google Ads.

SEO takes longer but gives lasting results. Paid ads bring faster visibility, but only while you keep paying.

37. What Are Some Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid?

Watch out for these:

Using the wrong keywords
Ignoring mobile performance
Overusing exact match anchor text
Skipping meta descriptions
Failing to link internally
Blocking pages by mistake in robots.txt

These mistakes can undo good work. Keep your site clean and follow best practices.

38. Does Social Media Impact SEO?

Social signals aren’t a direct ranking factor, but social media still plays a role.

If your content is shared widely, it may earn more backlinks or brand searches - both of which help SEO.

Use social platforms to promote useful content. It supports your visibility even if it doesn’t move your rankings directly.

39. What is International SEO?

International SEO helps you target users in different countries or languages. You’ll need to set up hreflang tags, localised URLs, and translated content.

Search engines use this setup to deliver the right version of your page to the right audience.

If you have global customers, it’s worth the effort. Just make sure the content feels natural for each region.

40. Why Does SEO Take Time?

SEO isn’t instant. Google needs time to crawl and index your content. Then it waits to see how users respond.

It can take weeks or months to move up in the results - especially in competitive niches.

The key is consistency. SEO rewards sites that stay active, fix problems, and keep publishing useful content over time.

Summary: What to Remember About SEO

SEO stands for search engine optimisation. It helps your website appear in search results without paying for ads.
Search engines crawl, index, and rank pages based on relevance, speed, usability, and trust.
Start with the basics: a fast, mobile-friendly site with useful content and clean structure.
Use keyword research to find what people actually search for and write focused content for those terms.
On-page SEO includes headings, titles, internal links, and meta descriptions.
Technical SEO involves site speed, indexing, mobile usability, and fixing crawl issues.
Off-page SEO is mostly about building backlinks from reputable sites.
Local SEO helps businesses appear in nearby searches. Set up your Google Business Profile and use local terms.
Use free tools like Google Search Console and Analytics to measure performance and fix problems.
Avoid shortcuts. SEO takes time but pays off in long-term, consistent traffic.