The complete guide
SEO: the complete guide for business owners
IN SHORT
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the work of making your website easy for search engines to find, understand and rank, so the right buyers reach you. These guides explain every concept, with examples for your industry.
THE CONCEPTS
Every concept, in detail
What is SEO (search engine optimization)?
SEO is the work of helping search engines find, understand and show your pages to people who are ready to buy. What it covers, how it works and where to start.
Read the guideHow do search engines work?
Search engines work in three stages: crawling, indexing and serving results. Learn what happens to your page at each stage and where pages get stuck.
Read the guideWhat is a technical SEO audit?
A technical SEO audit checks whether search engines can reach, read and index your site. See what to check, in what order, and how to prioritise the fixes.
Read the guideWhat is crawlability (and indexation)?
Crawlability is whether search engines can reach your pages. Indexation is whether they store them. Learn the controls, the common errors and how to fix them.
Read the guideWhat are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are Google's three measures of loading, responsiveness and visual stability. See the thresholds, how to test them and how to fix each one.
Read the guideHow to do keyword research
Keyword research finds the words your buyers search and the intent behind them. A step-by-step method, with how to judge volume, difficulty and intent.
Read the guide
Questions
What is SEO and how does it work?
SEO is the work of making your website easy for search engines to find, understand and trust, so your pages appear when people search for what you sell. It works through three stages Google describes: crawling pages, indexing what it finds, and serving the most relevant results. You influence each stage with technical access, content that matches real questions and signs of credibility. No one controls the result.
How long does SEO take to show results?
Google says changes can take from a few hours to several months to appear, and suggests waiting a few weeks before judging a change. Competitive topics and new sites sit at the slow end. Treat six months as a fair first test, with earlier signs such as more indexed pages and more impressions in Search Console. Be wary of anyone who promises a fixed timeline.
Can anyone guarantee a first-page ranking?
No. Google states that no technique automatically ranks a site first, that it does not guarantee crawling, indexing or showing any page, and that it does not accept payment to rank sites higher. A provider can improve the conditions that make ranking possible, but not promise the outcome. Treat guaranteed rankings as a warning sign and ask what work is delivered each month.
Are Core Web Vitals important for SEO?
They matter, but modestly. Google says its ranking systems use Core Web Vitals and recommends good scores, yet it also says good scores do not guarantee top rankings and that it will show the most relevant content even when page experience is weaker. Fix pages that fail, because slow pages also lose enquiries, then return to relevance and content.
What is the difference between SEO and AEO?
SEO aims to rank your pages in search results. Answer engine optimization (AEO) aims to get your business named or cited in answers from assistants such as ChatGPT and Google AI features. AEO builds on SEO, because assistants usually retrieve pages that search engines can already find. Read our guide to AEO vs SEO vs GEO for detail, and our AEO service for how we run both together.
Where should a business owner start with SEO?
Verify your site in Google Search Console, then check that your main pages are indexed. List the questions buyers ask before they hire or buy and make sure each has a clear page. Fix any technical blockers, such as noindex tags or broken links. Review Search Console monthly. This order puts access first, relevance second and measurement third.
