SEO Basics for Small Businesses: How to Get Found on Google
2026-04-07
SEO (search engine optimization) isn’t magic and you don’t need a degree. If you have a website and follow a few basic rules — you can outrank your competitors on Google.
What is SEO, simply?
When someone types “hair salon Dallas” into Google — Google decides which websites to show. SEO is what you do to make sure your site appears at the top of that list.
The 5 most important things you can do
1. Use your keywords
Think about what your customers search for. If you’re a plumber in Austin, they search: “plumber Austin”, “emergency plumber near me”, “pipe repair Austin”. These words need to be on your site — in headings, in the text, in page titles.
2. Make your site fast
Google loves fast websites. If your site takes more than 3 seconds to load, Google ranks you lower. Test yours: PageSpeed Insights.
3. Be mobile-friendly
Google looks at the mobile version first. If your site doesn’t work on phones — it doesn’t matter how good the desktop looks, Google won’t rank you higher.
4. Set up Google Business Profile
46% of local searches start from Google Business Profile. Fill out all your data, upload photos, and collect reviews.
5. Create content
Google likes websites with regularly updated content. A blog section where you write 1-2 articles per month about your field significantly improves your ranking.
What NOT to do
Don’t stuff keywords. Text like “plumber Austin best plumber Austin plumber” doesn’t help — Google penalizes it.
Don’t buy links. Google recognizes artificial links and penalizes you for it.
Don’t copy competitor text. Duplicate content hurts your ranking.
How long until you see results?
Honestly: 2-6 months. SEO doesn’t deliver instant results like an ad. But what comes is lasting — and free. If you set up the basics today, in six months you’ll have organic traffic that you don’t pay for.
Don’t want to do it yourself?
Every website package includes basic SEO setup: keyword optimization, meta descriptions, fast loading, mobile-friendly design. If you need more, our SEO Monitoring service tracks your position with automated monthly reports. Check our pricing.