When it comes to getting your website found on Google, on-page SEO is one of the most important things you can get right. If you’re a small business owner, you might have heard of SEO but feel unsure where to start, or perhaps you’re relying purely on word of mouth or social media to get new customers. While there’s nothing wrong with that, a well-optimised website has the power to consistently attract the right people without you needing to lift a finger.
In this guide, I’ll break down what on-page SEO is, why it matters for your business, and how you can implement it step-by-step – even if you’re not particularly techy. We’ll stick to plain English and actionable tips, so by the time you reach the end, you’ll feel confident about making improvements to your website that can actually make a difference.
What is On-Page SEO?
On-page SEO refers to all the things you can do on your website to help search engines understand what your content is about. It’s different from off-page SEO, which is more about links from other websites or social signals. On-page SEO covers everything from your page titles and content to images and internal linking.
Think of it like preparing a shop window – if you lay things out clearly, label everything properly, and make it easy to navigate, you’re more likely to attract and keep the right customers.
Why It Matters for Small Businesses
Search engines like Google want to deliver the best possible results to people searching online. If your website clearly tells them what you do, where you are, and why you’re relevant to the search query, you stand a better chance of showing up in those results.
For small businesses, that means more visibility, more enquiries, and ultimately more customers. And because on-page SEO is under your control, it’s something you can start improving today without needing a big marketing budget.
- Start with Your Page Titles
Your page title (also called a title tag) is one of the first things both users and search engines see. It appears in browser tabs and in search engine results, so it needs to be clear, relevant, and include your target keyword.
For example, if you run a gardening business in Leeds, a good homepage title might be:
“Professional Gardening Services in Leeds – GreenLeaf Gardens”
Avoid vague titles like “Home” or “Welcome” – they don’t tell Google anything useful.
Aim to include your main keyword near the beginning and keep the total length under 60 characters.
- Write for Humans First (But Optimise for Search Too)
Your content should always be helpful and easy to read. Forget keyword stuffing – Google’s smarter than that. Instead, focus on answering your visitors’ questions clearly and naturally.
However, do include relevant keywords where it makes sense. Think about what your potential customers might type into Google – phrases like “electrician in Leeds”, “best cake shop near me” or “affordable website design”.
Use headings (like H2 and H3) to break up your content and include those keywords in at least some of them.
- Optimise Your Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions don’t directly impact rankings, but they can massively affect whether someone clicks your listing or scrolls past.
A good meta description should:
- Be between 140-160 characters
- Include your main keyword
- Make it clear what the page is about
- Encourage people to click
Example: “Looking for expert website design in Leeds? We create fast, modern websites that help small businesses grow. Get a free quote today.”
- Use Header Tags to Structure Content
Search engines (and readers) love well-structured content. Header tags like H1, H2 and H3 are your way of showing the hierarchy of information on a page.
- Use one H1 tag for the main page title
- Use H2s for key sections (like the ones in this blog post)
- Use H3s for sub-sections within those H2s
Not only does this help with SEO, but it also makes your page much easier to skim-read.
- Add Internal Links
Linking to other pages on your own website helps both users and search engines navigate your site more effectively. It also spreads “link equity” (ranking power) around your site.
For example, in this post, I might link to my homepage or my WordPress web design services to help readers discover more.
Where relevant, link naturally within your content using descriptive anchor text. For example:
- “Take a look at our full website design portfolio for inspiration.”
- “Find out more about our affordable website packages.”
- Optimise Image Files
Large image files can slow your site down, which affects user experience and rankings. Before uploading images, compress them to reduce file size.
Also, make sure to:
- Use descriptive file names (e.g. “leeds-plumber-van.jpg”)
- Add relevant alt text that describes the image accurately
This not only helps with SEO but improves accessibility too.
- Ensure Your URLs Are Clean and Descriptive
Avoid messy URLs full of numbers and symbols. A good URL should be short, descriptive, and include the main keyword if possible.
Instead of:
yourdomain.com/page?id=123
Use:
yourdomain.com/seo-services-leeds
You don’t need to change old URLs unless they’re really bad, but going forward, aim for clarity and simplicity.
- Improve Page Speed
Website speed is a ranking factor. A slow site can also put off visitors quickly.
Here’s what you can do:
- Compress images
- Use a lightweight theme if you’re on WordPress
- Reduce unnecessary plugins
- Use browser caching
- Consider a content delivery network (CDN)
You can check your site speed for free using Google PageSpeed Insights.
- Make Sure Your Site is Mobile-Friendly
Google uses mobile-first indexing, which means it primarily looks at the mobile version of your site to decide where to rank it.
Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check your site. If it’s hard to use on a phone or tablet, you’ll want to get that fixed quickly.
- Keep Your Content Fresh and Up to Date
Websites that are regularly updated tend to perform better. That doesn’t mean rewriting everything every month, but it does mean:
- Keeping your blog active
- Updating outdated pages
- Adding new case studies or services when they become relevant
If your last blog post was written in 2021, it’s probably time for a fresh one.
Need Help with Your Website SEO?
If all of this feels a bit overwhelming or you’d rather have someone do it for you, that’s exactly what I help small businesses with. From full website builds to SEO improvements and content guidance, you can count on me for honest advice and no-nonsense service.
Get in touch for a free quote or request a call back to chat about your goals.
Whether you need help tweaking your current site or want to start from scratch, I’ll make sure your website works hard for your business.
