First of all, what is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. In short, its a process for helping Google understand your business so people can find you. Think of your website as a cafe, just having a website is like having a cafe in an alleyway nobody knows, SEO would be the signage that directs customers from the main street to your shop.
If you have a website, but are not getting traffic, SEO is what is what might be letting you down. SEO is not an exact science, in fact, Google doesn’t even know exactly what works and why. Overall, there are over 200 factors that Google look at to determine where your site ranks on a search page. This sounds like a lot, but if you focus on a handful of the most important ones, you can still earn that coveted #1 spot.
Here is how you can do that
1. Backlinks
This is by far the most important signal for Google. Backlinks are when another site links to your site, you can think of this like another business having a flyer or sign to your cafe. Now, the business who has this flyer also matters, this is called Domain Authority.
Not all backlinks are created equal, the more influential the website linking to yours is the better that signal is considered. If your cafe had a flyer on the local post offices bulletin board, this is not very helpful, but now imagine the City Council put up an official signs pointing to your cafe, this is going to increase your traffic much more than a bulletin board.
So, how can i get good backlinks?
- My favourite way to get good backlinks is a well-thoughtout strategy. Everybody has value to provide, you need to consider yours. If you can provide some value to an influential local or national business, you could get a backlink. Lets say you are a local builder, you have expert knowledge about renovation (which people love to hear about), why not try to get a quick interview with a radio station (Beat, WLR) or an interview with a journalist – this is a great mutually beneficial way to get a backlink. Remember, always provide value.
How can i get easy backlinks?
If that sounds like too much work, besides breaking it into smaller bits, there are some much easier ways to get backlinks of lower quality – but still good.
- Write for Us: One of the best SEO tips you will ever get for free, Google: “Your industry” intitle:”write for us”. This will show you websites willing to take submissions from anybody. Follow their guidelines and submit an informative on-topic article with a link to your site in the article (better if its a similar blog post, also providing value).
- Create high-quality content on your own blog: This not only gets people to look at your site and repost your content – it also leads customers to your site organically.
- Directories: Depending on your industry, you can sign up for many free Irish directories, some I recommend are: GoldenPages.ie, RedBook.ie, Hotfrog.ie, IrelandLookup.com, CityLocal.ie, & AskSpud.ie
2. SEO Optimised website
Without a well optimised site, its very difficult for customers to find you (unless they literally search for your name)
- Be intentional: Do SEO research and create intentional content. For example, if customers are searching for “cheap painting Waterford” you should create a page on your website with that title and content to address that. That is how you will start to come up #1 on Google.
- Make it mobile-friendly: Most searches happen on phones. If your site doesn’t load well on mobile, you’re losing customers.
- Use clear page titles and headings: Each page should tell Google (and customers) exactly what it’s about.
- Speed matters: A slow site can hurt your rankings and frustrate visitors.
- Focus on your audience: You don’t need to be everywhere online. Figure out where your customers spend their time and concentrate your efforts there.
3. High-quality Blog content
Content is the fuel that keeps SEO running. A blog allows you to show up for more search terms and gives potential customers a reason to trust your expertise.
For example, if you’re a café owner, writing a blog post about “The best coffee beans for home brewing” talking about the beans your sell and this might attract coffee lovers in your area – and some of them could turn into loyal customers.
A good blog post should:
- Answer common customer questions.
- Include relevant keywords naturally (not stuffed in).
- Provide genuine value that encourages sharing (perfect for backlinks)
The more useful your content is, the more likely people are to link to it, talk about it, and help you grow your online presence.
Extra tip: Followers are purely a vanity metric. Its much better to have 100 engaged and relevant followers than 10,000 people who followed you because you ran a competition.
Final Thoughts
SEO might seem complicated, but for small businesses the key is to keep it simple. Focus on earning backlinks, making sure your website is optimised, and creating content your audience cares about. Over time, these efforts build trust with Google – and more importantly, with your customers.
Think of SEO as the signposts that guide people from the crowded street straight to your door. Without them, your business stays hidden. With them, you give your bsuiness – or your website – the chance to thrive and grow.
