SEO and online marketing: get found on Google

Search engine optimisation rests on three pillars. The first is the technology: a fast, error-free site where search engines can find and read every page. The second is the content: pages that answer what people search for, in the words they use. The third is trust: other sites linking to you, reviews and details that are correct everywhere.

For most small businesses the first pillar is quick to put in order and the second delivers the most. That is why we begin with the free website check and a list of what gives the biggest gain.

Someone searching nearby sees a map and a list of businesses. Whether you are on it depends on an accurate Google Business Profile, on details that are identical everywhere and on a website that makes clear where you work. If you work from home, you can hide your address and set a service area.

On the website we describe the service area in plain words and give each service its own page. In addition, you fill out the profile with photos and ask satisfied customers for a review.

SEO without measurement is guesswork. With Google Search Console you see which searches your site appears for and which pages get clicked. With analysis of visits you see what visitors do and which pages lead to an enquiry. Both show what works and what does not.

We report on what counts for your business: enquiries, phone calls or orders, and not on visitor numbers alone.

An agency that guarantees first place on Google is promising something outside its control. Search engines decide the order, competitors move too, and what worked yesterday can change tomorrow. What can be done: improve the odds with a good site, good content and an accurate profile, and measure whether it works.