SEO Basics: A guide for beginners
What is SEO, and why does it matter?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It is the process of helping search engines like Google understand what your website is about, so they can show it to the right people at the right time.
When someone types a question into Google, Google scans millions of pages and decides which ones to show first. Good SEO helps your page appear near the top of those results, without paying for adverts.
You do not need to be technical to do this. Most of it is common sense applied to how you write and organise your content.
1. Keywords: say what people actually search for
A keyword is the word or phrase someone types into a search engine. Your job is to use those same words on your website.
How to find keywords
Think about what your audience would type into Google if they were looking for you. For example: "sustainable business consultant UK" or "how to reduce my company's carbon footprint."
A free tool to try: Google itself. Start typing your topic into the search bar and look at the suggestions that appear. Scroll to the bottom of the results page and look at "Related searches." These are real phrases real people are using.
Where to use your keywords
Once you have a keyword for each page, use it in:
- The page title
- The first paragraph of your content
- One or two headings
- The page URL (the web address)
Do not repeat the same word in every sentence. Write naturally. Google is good enough to understand context.
SiteSEO tip: When you edit a page in WordPress, scroll down to the SiteSEO panel. Type your main keyword into the "Focus keyphrase" field. SiteSEO will score your content and show you where to improve.
2. Page titles and meta descriptions
These are the two lines of text that appear in Google search results before someone clicks your link. They are your shop window.
Page title
This is the clickable blue link in search results. It should:
- Describe the page clearly
- Include your main keyword
- Be no longer than 60 characters (roughly 8 to 10 words)
"Regenerative Business Strategy | REGENASYST" is better than "Home" or "Welcome to our website."
Meta description
This is the short paragraph beneath the title in search results. It does not directly affect your ranking, but it does affect whether people click. Write it like a one-sentence advert for the page.
- Keep it to 150 to 160 characters
- Include your keyword naturally
- Tell the reader what they will get if they click
3. Headings: structure your content clearly
Search engines read your headings to understand what a page covers. Think of them like a book's chapter structure.
- H1: The main title of the page. Use it once only.
- H2: Main sections within the page.
- H3: Sub-sections within an H2.
In WordPress, you set the heading level using the toolbar when editing a block. Choose the heading level based on structure, not on how it looks. If you want to change the size of a heading, that is a design job, not an SEO one.
SiteSEO tip: SiteSEO will flag it if your page is missing an H1, or if you have used more than one. It will also check whether your focus keyword appears in a heading.4. Write for people, not for search engines
Google's job is to surface the most useful, trustworthy content for any given search. The best thing you can do for your SEO is write content that genuinely helps people.
Practical tips:
- Use short sentences and plain language
- Answer the question your reader came with
- Break up long sections with headings and bullet points
- Aim for at least 300 words on any page you want to rank. Longer, more thorough content tends to rank better for competitive topics.
SiteSEO tip: The SiteSEO panel includes a readability score. It flags things like sentences that are too long, or sections with no subheadings. You do not need a perfect score, but aim for green where you can.5. Images: small changes, big difference
Images do not speak to search engines the way text does. You need to tell Google what each image shows.
Alt text
Every image should have "alt text" — a short written description of what the image shows. This is also important for accessibility: screen readers use alt text to describe images to people who cannot see them.
Bad alt text: "image1.jpg" Good alt text: "A team of four people collaborating around a whiteboard covered in sticky notes."
File names
Before you upload an image, rename the file to something descriptive. "team-workshop-london.jpg" is better than "DSC_0047.jpg."
File size
Large image files slow your page down. Slow pages rank lower. Before uploading, compress your images using a free tool like Squoosh (squoosh.app) or TinyPNG (tinypng.com).
6. Page speed: do not make people wait
Google measures how fast your pages load and uses it as a ranking factor. Slow pages also frustrate visitors, who leave before reading anything.
Common causes of slow pages:
- Large, uncompressed images
- Too many plugins installed in WordPress
- A poor-quality hosting provider
How to check your speed: Go to pagespeed.web.dev and paste in your website address. Google will give you a score and a list of specific things to fix.
You do not need to fix everything on the list. Focus on image compression and anything marked as "high impact."
7. Links: build trust and connections
There are two types of links that matter for SEO.
Internal links
These are links from one page on your website to another. They help Google understand how your site is structured, and they keep visitors on your site longer.
When you write a blog post or page, look for opportunities to link to other relevant pages on your own site. For example, a page about your services might link to a related case study.
External links (backlinks)
These are links from other websites pointing to yours. Google treats them as a vote of confidence. The more reputable sites that link to you, the more Google trusts your site.
You cannot force this, but you can encourage it by:
- Writing content that is genuinely useful and worth sharing
- Getting listed in relevant directories or membership bodies
- Asking partners or collaborators to link to your site where relevant
Glossary
Algorithm: The process Google uses to decide which pages to show in results.
Alt text: A written description of an image, used by search engines and screen readers.
Backlink: A link from another website pointing to yours.
Focus keyphrase: The main keyword or phrase you want a specific page to rank for.
Index: When Google has found and stored your page in its database, ready to show in results.
Meta description: The short paragraph of text that appears beneath your page title in search results.
Organic traffic: Visitors who found you through a search result, not a paid advert.
Ranking: Where your page appears in search results for a given keyword.
SERP: Search Engine Results Page — the page Google shows after someone searches.
Related Articles
Resource Preparation & Maintenance Guide
(For before you send me content, and for keeping your site light and sustainable in the future) This guide will help you prepare files in a way that keeps your site fast, accessible, and aligned with the Sustainable Web Manifesto. It also sets you up ...UK Website Legal Requirements: Your 2025 Compliance Guide
Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal advice. I provide these resources to support responsible website building. You remain responsible for ensuring your business complies with all applicable laws. Consult a qualified legal professional ...UK E-Commerce Legal Requirements: Your 2025 Compliance Guide
Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal advice. I provide these resources to support responsible website building. You remain responsible for ensuring your business complies with all applicable laws. Consult a qualified legal professional ...What costs should I expect besides design?
You’ll need: ✦ A domain (your web address) – usually £5–15* per year. ✦ Hosting (where your site lives online) – if you use Krystal, plans start at about £5/month. ✦ Premium plugins (optional) – these add features like advanced forms, SEO, or ...Do you work with Squarespace or Wix?
Not from scratch. Squarespace makes it hard to build efficient, low-carbon sites. If you already have one, I can help refine or simplify it. I don’t work with Wix at all. Wix is listed on the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement website ...