SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation
Search engines crawl, index, and rank websites based on hundreds of different factors
The three main types are on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO
SEO is a cost-effective way to reach customers actively searching for your services
SEO requires ongoing attention because search engines constantly update how they rank websites
You’ve probably heard “you need SEO” more times than you can count. Web designers mention it. Marketing agencies push it. Even well-meaning friends insist your business needs it.
But very few people actually explain what SEO means in terms that make sense.
If you’re a small business owner or sole trader in the UK, this lack of clarity creates a real problem. Without understanding what SEO actually is, you can’t make sensible decisions about your website.
You don’t know whether you need it, how much to spend on it, or whether someone is offering genuine value or just throwing buzzwords at you to make a sale.
This guide explains SEO in plain English. By the end, you’ll understand what SEO is, how it works, and why it matters for getting your business found online.
Table of Contents
What Does SEO Actually Stand For?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation.
A search engine is a website like Google or Bing where people type questions and find answers.
When someone searches for “plumber near me” or “best coffee shop in Leeds,” the search engine provides a list of results. Optimisation simply means making something work better.
Put those together, and search engine optimisation is the process of improving your website so that search engines understand what your business offers and show it to people searching for those services.
You’re making your website easier for Google to find, understand, and recommend to potential customers.
How Search Engines Find and Rank Your Website
To understand SEO properly, you need to know how search engines actually work. The process happens in three stages.
Crawling: How Search Engines Discover Your Pages
Search engines send out automated programs called crawlers or bots. These crawlers move from website to website, following links like someone clicking through web pages. They read the content on each page and note what it contains.
If your website is new or has pages that aren’t linked from anywhere else, crawlers might not find them. This is why website structure matters for SEO.
Indexing: Getting Added to the Library
Once crawlers find your pages, the search engine decides whether to add them to its ‘index’. Think of the index as a massive library catalogue containing billions of web pages.
Being indexed means your page is in the catalogue and could appear in search results.
However, being indexed doesn’t guarantee you’ll rank well. It simply means the search engine knows your page exists.
Ranking: Deciding Where You Appear
When someone types a search, the search engine looks through its index and decides which pages to show first. Google uses hundreds of different factors to make this decision.
These include the words on your page, how fast your website loads, whether other websites link to you, and how well your content matches what the person is looking for.
Ranking on page one versus page three makes an enormous difference. Most people never scroll past the first few results, which is why SEO focuses so heavily on improving your ranking position.
The Three Main Types of SEO
SEO covers a lot of ground, but it generally falls into three main categories. Most businesses need attention on all three to see good results.
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO involves everything on your actual web pages.
This includes the words you write, your page titles, your headings, and how you describe your images. It also covers how you structure your content and whether you include the words and phrases that people actually search for.
On-page SEO makes sure your content matches what your customers are looking for.
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO covers factors outside your own website that affect your rankings. The biggest factor is backlinks, which are links from other websites pointing to yours.
When a trusted website links to your page, search engines treat it like a vote of confidence. It suggests your content is useful and worth recommending. Building these links naturally takes time, which is why off-page SEO is often the most challenging area for small businesses.
Other off-page factors include online reviews, social media mentions, and listings in business directories like Yell or Thomson Local.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO focuses on how your website is built and how well it performs.
This includes whether your site loads quickly, works properly on mobile phones, uses secure connections (the padlock symbol in your browser), and has a logical structure that crawlers can follow.
Technical issues can hold back even the best content. A slow website frustrates visitors and gets ranked lower. A website that doesn’t work on mobile misses most of its potential audience, since over half of all searches now happen on phones. Technical SEO makes sure the foundation is solid before you build on it.
Why SEO Matters for UK Small Businesses
For sole traders and small businesses, SEO offers something that paid advertising can’t: long-term visibility without ongoing ad spend.
When you pay for Google Ads, you appear at the top of results as long as you keep paying. The moment you stop, you disappear.
SEO builds your presence over time. Once you rank well for relevant searches, you continue receiving visitors without paying for each click.
Local SEO is particularly valuable if you serve customers in a specific area. When someone searches for services “near me” or includes a location name, Google prioritises local businesses.
Appearing in these results puts you in front of people actively looking for what you offer, right when they need it.
This doesn’t mean SEO is free.
It requires time, effort, and often professional help. But the return on investment can be significant compared to continuously paying for advertising month after month.
SEO Is Not a One-Time Fix
One common misconception is that SEO is something you do once and forget about. In reality, search engines constantly update their ranking methods.
Google makes thousands of changes to its algorithm every year. Some are small adjustments while others significantly change how websites rank.
Your competitors are also working on their SEO.
If you improve your website once and then stop, others will eventually overtake you. It’s a bit like maintaining a garden: you can’t just plant it once and expect it to thrive without ongoing care.
Effective SEO requires regular attention. This means updating your content, monitoring your rankings, fixing technical issues as they arise, and adapting to changes in how people search.
What Comes Next
Understanding what SEO is gives you the foundation for making better decisions about your website. You now know that SEO helps search engines find, understand, and recommend your business to people searching for what you offer.
If you want to improve your search visibility but aren’t sure where to start, a technical SEO audit can identify what’s working well and what needs attention.
From there, you can decide whether to tackle improvements yourself or get professional support.
The most important thing is that you now understand what people mean when they talk about SEO, and why it matters for getting your business found online.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they’re different. Google Ads are paid advertisements that appear at the top of search results, and you pay each time someone clicks. SEO focuses on organic results, which are the regular listings below the ads. With SEO, you don’t pay for clicks, but it takes longer to see results compared to paid advertising.
SEO typically takes three to six months to show noticeable results, though this varies depending on your competition and starting point. Some improvements, like fixing technical issues, can have quicker effects. Competitive keywords in crowded markets may take a year or more to rank well for.
Read more: How Long Does SEO Take to Work?
Many basic SEO tasks are achievable yourself, especially with guidance. Writing clear page titles, adding useful content, and setting up a Google Business Profile are things most business owners can handle. Technical issues or competitive markets often benefit from professional help.
Local SEO is a specific type of SEO focused on appearing in location-based searches. If you serve customers in a particular area, local SEO helps you appear when people search for services “near me” or include location names. It involves your Google Business Profile, local directories, and location-specific content on your website.
Having a website is only the first step. Without SEO people can’t find you unless they already know your exact address. SEO helps people who are searching for your services actually discover your business online.
Keywords are the words and phrases people type into search engines. If you’re a plumber in Manchester, relevant keywords might include “plumber Manchester” or “emergency boiler repair.” Using these keywords naturally in your content helps search engines understand what your business offers and match you with the right searchers.
Related: What Are Long-Tail Keywords (And Why Small Businesses Should Care)
While Google handles about 90% of UK searches, SEO principles apply to other search engines like Bing too. Most SEO work that improves your Google visibility also helps with other search engines. You don’t usually need separate strategies for each one.
SEO costs vary widely. DIY approaches cost mainly your time. Freelancers might charge £300 to £1,000 per month. Agencies typically start from £1,000 to £2,000 monthly for small business packages. One-off audits or projects range from £400 to several thousand pounds depending on scope and complexity.
On-page SEO covers everything on your website that you control directly, like content, page titles, and images. Off-page SEO involves external factors like backlinks from other websites, online reviews, and mentions of your business elsewhere online. Both affect your rankings and work together.
No legitimate SEO provider can guarantee specific rankings. Google uses hundreds of factors and doesn’t reveal exactly how they work. Anyone promising guaranteed number one positions is either being dishonest or doesn’t understand how SEO actually works. Good SEO improves your chances significantly but can’t guarantee specific positions.