You finally Googled yourself, didn’t you?

You typed in what you do. You scrolled. You squinted. You scrolled some more.

And there you were…hiding way, way down in the Google search results while other websites take the top spots.

That’s usually when SEO jumps back onto the to-do list. 

Now don’t get yourself stressed about that. There’s a ton you can do to get your website ranking higher. You need to look at the right things in the right order.

If I was sitting down with you right now, here’s the advice I’d give you:

#1 Start with what people are actually searching for

Open Google search right now. Type in your main service. Don’t overthink it. Just type what you think people search for. Now look at:

They show you how your target audience phrases things.

Now go one step further. Open keyword research tools (Google Keyword Planner is fine) and check:

For example: You might say: “Custom furniture solutions.” People might search: “Custom furniture manufacturer near me” or “How much does custom furniture cost?” Those are very different. Make a simple list of 5–10 realistic target keywords that:

Don’t chase the biggest phrases with hundreds of thousands of people searching for them every month. Go for the most relevant ones.

Make each page about one thing, and one thing only

Now open your website. Click on one of your main service pages. Ask yourself: “If someone searched for X, would this page clearly answer that?” Search engine optimization works best when each web page has one job, it’s the foundation of strong on-page seo.

Here’s what to do:

A clear focus for each page = easier for search engines to understand = better search engine rankings over time.

Ever wonder how SEO actually makes money? Find out in my other blog here.

Improve pages that are already doing well

Most people jump straight to “I need more blog posts.” Hold off. Open Google Search Console, and go to the Performance section. Click “Pages.” Look for:

These are your low-hanging fruit. 

Now look at improving the SEO fundamentals for those pages.

Meta Title

Your page title should clearly say what the page is about. Bad: “Services” Better: “Car Maintenance Services in Dallas | Charlie’s Auto Repair”

Meta Description

Write your meta description like a mini ad for the page. Clearly say what someone will learn or get. Match the wording to the search and include your main keyword. Keep it specific, natural, and under 155–160 characters.

Headings (H1 & H2s)

Clear structure helps accessibility tools (like screen readers) and search engines understand your page. Your H1 should name the service and include your main keyword. Your H2s should break the page down logically: process, pricing, FAQs, etc. If someone skimmed just the headings, they should easily understand the page. 

Page Content

If the page feels light on content, expand it. Add detail about:

Internal Links

Link to related services and useful blog posts. Guide visitors somewhere helpful next.

Improve page speed and mobile friendliness (AKA technical SEO)

Open your site on your phone.

If it takes ages to load, jumps around, or feels fiddly to use, you’ll lose search engine value.

Fix the basics:

Most content management systems like WordPress or Squarespace have built-in tools or simple plugins to help with this (but you might need to ask a developer to help).

Add details people are looking for in your website content

Here’s what I mean by “helpful.” 

If someone’s planning a kitchen renovation, they’re not searching for “quality building solutions.” They’re searching:

If they land on a site that says, “We provide tailored construction services,” that doesn’t answer anything.

A stronger version would say: “Most kitchen renovations range between $18,000–$35,000 depending on layout and finishes. Projects typically take 4–6 weeks from start to completion.”

That kind of detail builds trust and keeps people reading. Now apply that to your own business. Look at your service pages and ask:

The more clearly you answer real questions, the longer people stay on your page, and that’s exactly the kind of thing that supports organic search performance.

Be clear about where you serve

If your target audience is from a specific area, don’t assume Google automatically connects the dots. Add your location:

Your target audience often searches locally, even if they don’t type the city every time. Local visibility is usually easier to improve than national visibility. Take advantage of it!

Optimize for other search engines, not just Google rankings

More people are getting answers straight from AI summaries now, not just clicking through links. So your content needs to get to the point fast.

If someone searches “How much does web design cost?” don’t dance around it. Give a clear range first. Then explain what affects the price.

Use headings that match real questions. Break answers into short paragraphs. Add simple bullet points where it makes sense.

Basically, make your page easy to skim and easy to quote.

If a tool can quickly spot the answer without digging through waffle, you’re far more likely to show up in AI-driven results.

Make small changes and measure them

Please don’t check rankings every morning. That way lies stress. Once a month,
open Google Analytics:

Then choose one improvement. Just one. SEO works when you tweak things slowly, measure what worked, and repeat. 

What to do from here

At the end of the day, SEO is just about helping the right people find you.

If your site isn’t doing that yet, that’s okay. It can.
If you want someone to walk through it with you and point out what actually needs fixing (and what doesn’t), reach out.