How to Optimize Your Website for SEO: A Comprehensive Guide

Ever feel like your website is hiding in plain sight on the internet? Optimizing your site for SEO can change that, helping your business get noticed by search engines and customers alike. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) might sound technical, but it simply means making your website more visible on Google and other search engines without paying for ads. In this guide, we’ll walk you through practical steps – from creating quality content to fixing technical issues – to help your site climb the rankings. Consider this a friendly roadmap (with a touch of Soderman SEO’s expertise) that any business owner can follow.

Every website is unique, so the path to better SEO depends on where you’re starting. What works for a brand-new site won’t be the same for an established site that’s losing traffic. Below are a few common scenarios and the first SEO steps you should take in each case:

• If your site is brand new (under 6 months old): First, set up Google Search Console to get your site on Google’s radar. Next, start creating content around specific keywords relevant to your business. Why? This helps Google find your site and gives you initial content that can rank in search results.
• If your site isn’t getting much traffic: Begin by researching keywords that people actually use when searching for your products or services. Then improve your page titles and meta descriptions using those keywords to encourage more clicks. Why? This ensures you’re creating content people are actively searching for and makes your search listings more enticing to click.
• If you have visitors but they’re not converting (e.g., not buying or contacting you): Focus on user experience improvements. Simplify your site’s navigation and improve page load speed. Also, enhance your content with clear examples, visuals, or details that address customer concerns. Why? A faster, easy-to-navigate site keeps visitors engaged and builds trust, making them more likely to take action.
• If your traffic is declining over time: Conduct an SEO audit to check for technical issues (broken links, missing pages, etc.). Then update your older content with fresh information and modern best practices. Why? Fixing hidden technical problems helps Google crawl your site effectively, and refreshing outdated content can regain lost search rankings.
• If your site ranks well for some topics but not others: Use internal links to connect high-performing pages to those that are struggling. Also, consider adding more depth or new sections to underperforming content. Why? Linking from popular pages helps Google discover and value your weaker pages, while adding content makes those pages more useful to readers and search engines.

Now that you’ve identified your starting point, let’s dive into the four key areas of SEO optimization. We’ll cover each area with actionable steps you can implement right away.

1. Create High-Quality Content

High-quality content is the foundation of successful SEO. Without compelling and valuable pages that satisfy user needs, other optimization efforts won’t reach their full potential. Creating great content starts with understanding what your target audience is actually searching for.

Find and Target the Right Keywords

The first step to great content is finding the right keywords – the exact words and phrases people type into Google when looking for information, products, or services. Targeting the right keywords ensures you’re aligning your content with what real people want, which makes it more likely your pages will show up in search results.

How to do basic keyword research:

1. Start with a broad topic. Think of a broad topic related to your business or niche. For example, if you run a baking supplies store, a broad topic might be “stand mixers” or “gluten-free baking.”
2. Use a keyword research tool. Free or paid tools (like Google’s Keyword Planner or other SEO tools) can show you related searches and how often people search for them. For instance, a broad topic “gluten-free baking” might reveal related keywords like “gluten-free bread recipe” or “vegan baking tips.”
3. Look for volume and feasibility. Identify keywords that have a decent number of searches and aren’t overly competitive. The sweet spot is keywords enough people are searching for, but where you still have a fighting chance to rank. For example, “easy gluten-free bread recipe” might have moderate search volume and manageable competition – a good target for a newer site.

Once you have a list of target keywords, use them strategically on your website:

• Place keywords in key spots. Include your primary keyword in critical areas of the page – the title tag, the URL, your main heading (H1), and within the first 100 words of your content. This helps signal to search engines what your page is about.
• Use keywords naturally. Write for people first. Incorporate your keywords in a way that reads naturally and makes sense. Avoid “keyword stuffing” (repeating keywords too often or out of context) – it harms user experience and can hurt your rankings.
• One primary topic per page. If you have a set of important keywords, consider giving each its own page (when it makes sense) rather than trying to cram everything onto one page. For example, separate pages for “wedding cake baking tips” and “cupcake baking tips” will perform better than one page trying to target both.
• Include variations and synonyms. Sprinkle related terms throughout your content. Search engines have gotten smarter about understanding context, so using synonyms or related phrases (like “dairy-free baking” alongside “gluten-free baking”) reinforces what your content is about.

For example, if you’re targeting “gluten-free bread baking guide,” make sure that exact phrase (gluten-free bread baking guide) appears in your title tag and H1. Your URL might be something like yourwebsite.com/gluten-free-bread-baking-guide. Throughout the content, use the term naturally and include variations like “how to bake gluten-free bread” or “gluten-free bread recipe tips.” This comprehensive use of the keyword and its variations tells Google that your page is highly relevant to that topic.

Identify and Match Search Intent

Not only do you need the right keywords, you also need to understand search intent – the why behind a given search. In other words, what is the user really looking for? Aligning your content with the searcher’s intent is crucial. If your page doesn’t deliver what the searcher wants (even if you targeted the right keyword), Google is unlikely to rank it highly.

There are four main types of search intent (or keyword intent):

• Transactional intent: The user wants to do something, usually a purchase or sign-up. These searches often include words like “buy,” “order,” or specific product names. Example: “where to buy gluten-free flour online.” Here, the person is ready to purchase and looking for a place to do so.
• Informational intent: The user wants to learn something. These are often questions or how-to searches. Example: “how to use a bread machine for sourdough.” The searcher is seeking knowledge or instructions.
• Commercial (investigational) intent: The user is researching options before making a decision. They might compare products or look for the “best” something. Example: “best stand mixer for baking reviews.” This person isn’t buying yet but is comparing choices (perfect for a blog post or buying guide).
• Navigational intent: The user wants to go to a specific website or page. They often type the name of a website or brand. Example: “Gluten-Free Expo 2025 schedule” or “Soderman SEO services page.” They have a particular destination in mind.

When you choose a keyword to target, ask yourself what the dominant intent is behind that search and make sure your content delivers on it. Here’s how you can align with search intent:

1. Google your target keyword. Look at the top results. Are they blog posts, product pages, videos, reviews? The type of content ranking is a big clue to intent. For instance, if you search “best stand mixer for baking” and the top results are all comparative blog articles or “top 10 mixers” lists, that tells you searchers want a comparison or review, not a single product page.
2. Match the content format and depth. If people expect a how-to guide, write a thorough how-to guide. If they expect a list of products, consider creating a detailed comparison or list post. Analyze what subtopics or questions those top pages cover. Maybe all the top “best stand mixer” articles talk about mixing power, bowl size, and price – you’ll want to cover those too, plus anything important they missed.
3. Provide the intended solution. Make sure your content satisfies the query completely. If the intent is informational (e.g., “how to use a bread machine”), your page should ideally give step-by-step instructions, tips, maybe a video or images of each step – everything needed to fully answer that query. If the intent is transactional (e.g., “buy gluten-free flour”), your page should make it easy to find the product and purchase it.

By aligning your content with search intent, you greatly increase the chance that Google will see your page as the right answer for the query. For example, if you decide to target “best stand mixer for baking” and you notice Google’s front page is filled with comparison guides, you should create a comprehensive comparison guide (perhaps “Best Stand Mixers for Home Bakers – 2025 Review”) rather than just a product listing. That way, you’re giving searchers (and Google) exactly what they’re looking for.

Offer High-Quality, Useful Information

Quality content isn’t just about keywords and intent – it’s about offering genuine value to your readers. As a business owner, think about your content from the customer’s perspective: does it answer their questions? solve their problems? teach them something new? The more you can check those boxes, the more likely your content will succeed in SEO. For the best practices when creaing content, you'll want to follow the E-E-A-T guidelines.

Here are some hallmarks of truly valuable content:

• Unique insights or expertise: Share something that sets your content apart. This could be your personal experience, results from an experiment you conducted, a case study from your business, or data from a survey you ran. Original content that readers can’t find elsewhere makes your page stand out. (At Soderman SEO, for instance, we’ve found that including brief case studies of client success can make an article more credible and link-worthy.)
• Thorough coverage of the topic: Don’t just skim the surface. If you’re addressing a question or topic, cover it in full. Anticipate related questions a reader might have and answer those too. For example, a “complete guide to home composting” might also cover which bins to use, how to maintain the compost, and common mistakes – leaving readers with no gaps in their understanding.
• Clarity and simplicity: Explain things in simple terms and use a logical structure (we’ll talk about structure more next). Break down complex ideas into steps or list items. Use examples that relate to your audience’s life or business. Visuals like images or charts can also help explain key points. The easier it is to read and grasp your content, the more useful it is.

For example, let’s say you’re writing an article about “best cake frosting techniques.” To make your content high-quality and unique, you could conduct your own little experiment: try out five popular frosting methods on identical cakes. Document the process and results:

• Which technique was easiest?
• How did the frosting texture and appearance turn out for each?
• Include photos of each method in action and the final decorated cakes side by side.

By showing your own results for each frosting method (and maybe even taste-testing them or getting feedback from friends), you’re providing insights and visuals readers can’t get from a generic rehash. This kind of original, detailed content is likely to engage readers and even earn shares or backlinks because it’s genuinely helpful and interesting. The bottom line is if your content offers something valuable and one-of-a-kind, both your audience and Google will take notice.

Use a Clear Content Structure

Even the best information can fall flat if it’s not presented well. That’s why using a clear content structure is important for SEO and user experience. A logical structure helps readers skim and find what they need, and it helps search engines understand the hierarchy and importance of information on a page.

Here are some tips for structuring your content effectively:

• Use headings to create an outline. In HTML, that means using heading tags like H1, H2, H3, etc. The H1 tag is usually your page title (you should have only one H1 per page, containing the main topic or keyword). Use H2 tags for major sections or themes on the page. Under each H2, if you have sub-points or subsections, use H3 tags, and so on. Think of it like a book: the title is H1, chapters are H2, and sub-chapters are H3. Avoid skipping levels (don’t jump from an H2 to an H4 without a H3 in between). This hierarchy acts like signposts for both readers and Google, indicating how ideas are organized and which points are primary vs. supporting.
• Keep paragraphs and sentences short. Aim for paragraphs of no more than 3-4 sentences. Large blocks of text can overwhelm readers, especially on mobile devices. Break things up to make it digestible. In fact, even one-sentence paragraphs are fine if it drives a point home.
• Use bullet points or numbered lists for clarity. Whenever you have a series of items, tips, or steps (like we’re doing in this guide), using a list format makes it easier to scan. Readers love lists because they know they can quickly pick out the key points. You’re reading one right now!
• Highlight important terms or ideas. Feel free to use bold text sparingly to draw attention to critical concepts or phrases. This can help a reader who is skimming to not miss the main takeaways. Just don’t overdo it, or it loses effect.

A clear structure not only improves readability but also can give you an SEO boost. For example, using descriptive headings with keywords can improve relevancy. And a well-structured page is more likely to earn “featured snippets” (the answer boxes on Google) because Google can easily extract a well-defined section or list from your page.

In summary, always organize your content in a logical, easy-to-follow way. A reader should be able to glance at your headings or list items and understand the gist of your article. If you achieve that, you’ve made your content approachable for users and effectively optimized it for search engines.

2. Make Your Website Easy to Understand (On-Page SEO)

Now that we’ve covered content, let’s look at on-page elements – things on your website that help both visitors and search engines understand what your pages are about. This includes things like your page titles, descriptions, links, and URLs. Optimizing these elements makes your site more user-friendly and gives Google clear signals about your content.

Write Compelling Titles and Meta Descriptions

Your page’s title tag is the blue clickable headline that appears in Google search results. It’s also usually what shows up as the tab name in a web browser. Title tags are a major factor for SEO – they tell search engines (and people) what the page is about. A good title can improve your rankings and your click-through rate (how many people click your listing).

Your meta description is the snippet of text (a short summary) that appears below the title in the search result. While meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor, a well-written description can convince more users to click your link instead of others.

Here are tips for optimizing your titles and descriptions:

• Craft unique, descriptive titles. Every page on your site should have its own unique title tag that clearly describes what’s on that page. Include your main keyword for that page near the beginning of the title if possible. Keep the title around 60 characters or less so that it doesn’t get cut off in search results. Also, try to match the title’s message with the search intent. For example, if you're looking to improve your home services SEO, a page about scheduling appointments shouldn’t have a vague title like “Our Services” – it should be specific like “Book an Appointment for Home Cleaning – [Your Company].”
• Align the title with your content and headings. Your title tag and your on-page H1 (main headline) should be closely related, if not identical. This consistency reinforces the topic. If your H1 on the page is “Complete Guide to Organic Gardening,” your title tag could be “Organic Gardening Guide – How to Start an Organic Garden.” They’re very similar and both clearly communicate the topic.
• Write for humans, entice the click. While we include keywords, the title still needs to be compelling to a reader. Think of it like a headline in an advertisement – why should someone click? You might hint at a benefit or stir curiosity. For instance, “5 Secrets to Boosting E-commerce Sales (Proven by Data)” is more enticing than “E-commerce Sales Tips.” Just make sure the title isn’t clickbait; it should accurately reflect your content.

For example, a good title might be: “Best Stand Mixers: 7 Models Tested for Home Bakers.” This title is under 60 characters, starts with the keyword “Best Stand Mixers,” and suggests an interesting, specific piece (7 models tested, which implies real evaluation). Compare that to a boring or too generic title like “Stand Mixers – Home Baking Equipment | YourSite.com.” The first one is far more likely to attract clicks from someone searching for a mixer.

Now, for meta descriptions, consider these tips:

• Keep it concise and relevant. Aim for about 1–2 sentences (around 50–160 characters). Some experts suggest around 155 characters maximum, but Google might truncate after ~120 characters on mobile. The original guide we’re drawing from suggests ~105 characters to be safe. In practice, anything under about 155 is usually fine. The key is to make those characters count.
• Include the target keyword (naturally). If the search term appears in the meta description, Google will often bold it in the results, which can draw the eye. But use the keyword in a way that reads naturally and makes sense in the sentence.
• Highlight a benefit or call to action. Think about what might make a user click your result instead of the others on the page. You could include a call to action like “Learn how,” “Discover,” or “Get tips,” etc. You can also mention a unique selling point or benefit. For example: “Free templates included” or “updated for 2025” might be the thing that convinces someone your page has what they need.

A decent example meta description for the stand mixer article could be: “Find the best stand mixers for home baking. We tested 7 top models to help you choose the perfect mixer for your kitchen.” In about 120 characters, it tells the reader exactly what they’ll get (a tested comparison of 7 mixers) and uses the keyword “best stand mixers” in a natural way. It also has a bit of a call to action vibe (“to help you choose”) implying the article will guide them.

Remember, Google sometimes rewrites meta descriptions, but it’s still worth crafting a good one. A compelling title and description combo can significantly improve your search traffic by attracting more clicks.

Connect Your Pages with Internal Links

Internal links are simply hyperlinks that point from one page on your website to another page on your website. Building a strong internal linking structure helps visitors and search engines navigate your site better.

Why are internal links important? For users, they keep people engaged and guide them to related information. For example, if someone is reading your blog post about email marketing and you mention landing pages, you might link to another post you wrote about landing page tips. If the reader is interested, they’ll click and stay on your site longer instead of going back to Google to find more info. This longer engagement sends positive signals to Google that people find your site useful.

For search engines, internal links establish relationships between your content. Google’s bots follow these links to discover new pages and understand context. If your homepage links to a new blog post, Google will find that post faster. If your services page links to several related case studies on your site, Google learns those case studies are connected to that service.

Here’s how to optimize internal linking:

• Link naturally within your content. Whenever you mention a topic that you have another page for, consider adding a hyperlink. For example, “As we mentioned in our [email marketing guide]…” could link to that guide. The link should feel helpful, not forced. Don’t overdo it – a few relevant internal links per page is great; dozens will look spammy.
• Use descriptive anchor text. The anchor text is the clickable text of a link. Instead of linking a generic phrase like “click here,” hyperlink keywords or descriptive phrases that indicate what the target page is about. For instance, if you’re linking to a page about cake decorating tips, the anchor could be “cake decorating tips for beginners” rather than “read more.” Descriptive anchors with keywords can slightly boost your SEO for the target page and definitely help readers know what to expect.
• Link from strong pages to new or weaker ones. If you have some pages that already get good traffic or rank well (say your blog post that went viral or a high-ranking service page), leverage them by adding links from those pages to other relevant pages you want to boost. This passes some SEO authority internally. For example, if your “Beginner’s guide to baking” is a popular page, within that guide you could link to your newer page on “advanced baking techniques” to give it a little boost.
• Organize content with topic clusters. A topic cluster is a group of pages around a common theme, interlinked among each other. For instance, you might have a main “Ultimate Guide to Baking” page, and separate detailed pages for “Bread Baking,” “Cake Baking,” and “Pastry Making.” If each detailed page links back to the guide and to each other where relevant, you’ve created a tightly knit cluster. This signals to Google that you have a depth of content on that topic, and the internal links help users seamlessly find all related info.

To illustrate, if you run a baking blog and have a post about frosting techniques, you might naturally include links like: “Before you start frosting, it helps to have a well-made cake base – check out our guide on baking a perfect sponge cake.” Later, when discussing tools, you could link “using the right tools (see our baking tools checklist for recommendations) makes decorating easier.” These internal links would guide a reader to other useful content on your site, and also help search engines see the connections between your baking articles.

Overall, a well-thought-out internal linking strategy makes your site “sticky” (people stick around) and helps distribute SEO value throughout your pages. It’s one of those small tweaks that can yield significant benefits over time.

Use Simple URL Slugs

A URL slug is the part of the page’s web address that comes after the domain name. For example, in “www.yoursite.com/organic-gardening-tips”, the slug is “organic-gardening-tips.” Optimizing your URLs might not be the first thing you think of for SEO, but it’s a helpful best practice.

Clean, descriptive URLs offer a few benefits:

• They give users a quick idea of what a page is about just by looking at the link.
• They can include keywords (which is a minor ranking factor, but still).
• They look nicer and are easier to remember or share.

Compare two URLs:

1. example.com/best-stand-mixers-for-baking
2. example.com/p?id=1234&cat=appliances&page=56

The first is clearly understood as a page about “best stand mixers for baking,” likely an article or list. The second is indecipherable to a human (and looks a bit ugly, honestly). While search engines can handle messy URLs, they prefer simplicity too. A descriptive URL is just another hint at the page’s topic.

Tips for SEO-friendly URLs:

• Make them descriptive but concise. Include the core topic or keyword of the page, but don’t make it a sentence. “/best-stand-mixers-for-baking” is great. “/all-our-top-7-stand-mixers-tested-and-reviewed-for-home-baking-enthusiasts” is overkill. Shorter is generally better, as long as it’s clear.
• Use lowercase letters and hyphens. URLs are case-sensitive in some contexts, so stick to lowercase to avoid confusion. Use hyphens (-) to separate words; this is standard practice because it improves readability. Avoid underscores or spaces (spaces often get encoded as “%20” which looks messy). For example, use /gluten-free-cake-recipe rather than /GlutenFreeCakeRecipe or /gluten_free_cake_recipe.
• Avoid using parameters, special characters, or numbers if possible. Sometimes your platform might add these (especially e-commerce filters or tracking parameters), but for static content pages or blog posts, you usually have control. Stick to words. A date or number is okay if it’s part of the natural title (like “2025-trends” or “5-tips”), but random numbers or symbols don’t help anyone.
• Keep it consistent. If your site is new, set a standard for URLs and try to follow it. If your site is old and has non-SEO-friendly URLs, you can change them, but be careful to set up proper redirects from the old URLs to new ones to avoid breaking links (and losing any SEO value from the old link).

In short, strive for user-friendly URLs. It’s a one-time tweak for each page that can have long-term benefits.

Include and Optimize Images

Images can make your webpages more engaging and help illustrate your points. But images can also bring SEO opportunities and challenges. On one hand, optimized images can rank in Google Images and drive traffic, and they make your content more link-worthy. On the other hand, large or unoptimized images can slow down your site (hurting SEO because of page speed, which we’ll cover later). So it’s important to handle images thoughtfully.

Here’s how to make the most of images on your site:

• Use descriptive file names. Before you upload an image, name the file something relevant. Instead of IMG_001234.jpg, use a name like chocolate-cake-frosting.jpg. This gives search engines a clue about the image content and looks more professional.
• Add alt text to every image. Alt text (alternative text) is a short description you add to an image in HTML. It was originally intended to help visually impaired users (screen readers will read the alt text so the person knows what the image contains). Alt text also helps search engines understand the image. When adding alt text, describe the image in a brief phrase or sentence, and if appropriate, include a keyword. For example, for an image showing a person frosting a cake you might write: alt="Baker spreading chocolate frosting on a layered cake". This is much more informative than alt="cake" or leaving it blank. Good alt text is specific and relevant – it should accurately represent the image.
• Compress and resize images. Large image files can drastically slow down your page. Before uploading, use an image compression tool or plugin to shrink file size with minimal quality loss. Also, don’t use an image much larger than it will appear on your site. If a photo will display at 800px width on your site, there’s no need to use a 3000px wide image – that just adds bytes. There are many free tools that compress images (TinyPNG, ImageOptim, etc.). This step helps your pages load faster (and we know faster pages = better SEO and user experience).
• Choose the right format. Common image formats like JPEG and PNG each have strengths: JPEGs are great for photos (good quality with smaller size), PNGs are good for graphics or logos that need transparency or crisp lines, SVGs are ideal for icons or logos that need to scale, and newer formats like WebP or AVIF can provide even smaller file sizes for the same quality (not all older browsers support them, but most modern ones do). You don’t need to get too technical; just use JPEG for most photographs and PNG for images that need transparency or high detail, unless you have the capability to use advanced formats.
• Use captions if helpful. Captions (the text immediately below images) are optional, but they can be useful if the image needs some context. Users often do read image captions, so if an image contributes something important, a one-line caption can reinforce the point.

Properly optimized images can even appear in image search results. If someone searches Google Images for “chocolate cake with frosting”, an image from your site with good alt text, file name, etc., could show up, potentially bringing a visitor who might then read your recipe or guide.

One more example on alt text to really hit home: Instead of alt=“cupcake”, use something like alt=“hand piping pink icing onto a chocolate cupcake”. The second one paints a clear picture of the image content and even sneaks in a keyword (“chocolate cupcake” or “icing”) in a natural way. This level of detail in alt text is great for accessibility and for SEO.

By taking these steps for images, you ensure visuals enhance rather than hinder your SEO efforts.

3. Build Authority with Backlinks

Another crucial aspect of SEO is building your site’s authority. Even if you do everything right on your website, your rankings can be limited if other sites aren’t talking about or referencing your content. That’s where backlinks come in. Backlinks are links from other websites to your site, and they act like “votes of confidence” in the eyes of search engines. If a lot of reputable sites link to yours, Google interprets that as, “This site has valuable content.”

However, not all backlinks are equal. A single link from a highly trusted site (imagine a news site or an authoritative blog in your industry) can be more impactful than dozens of links from low-quality sites. Quality matters more than quantity in most cases.

So how do you get more of these valuable backlinks? There are two main strategies: creating link-worthy content and doing outreach to promote your content.

Create Link-Worthy Content

“Link-worthy content” (sometimes called link bait, though that makes it sound schemy) is content that is inherently useful or interesting enough that other site owners want to link to it as a reference or resource. Essentially, you make something so good that people cite it.

Types of content that naturally attract links include:

• Original research or data: If you can provide new statistics, survey results, case studies, or any kind of data that isn’t widely available, other writers will reference your findings. For example, if you conduct a survey of 500 bakeries about their most popular cupcake flavors and publish the results, someone writing about dessert trends might link to your data as a source.
• Comprehensive guides or ultimate resources: Think of content that becomes the go-to reference on a topic. An extremely thorough guide (like “Everything You Need to Know About Local SEO – 2025 Edition”) or a big list of resources (“100 Free Tools for Small Business Marketing”) can attract links simply because they’re useful references. When others mention the topic, they might say “according to [Your Guide]…” and link it.
• Visual assets (infographics, charts, videos): People love to share and reference visuals. If you create a compelling infographic that illustrates a process or a chart that shows an insightful trend, other sites might use that graphic (with a link back to you as credit). Even unique photos or diagrams can earn links if they fulfill a need.
• Free tools or calculators: Offering something interactive and free can be a huge link magnet. For instance, if you have on your site a simple ROI calculator or a cost savings estimator related to your industry, bloggers and companies may link to it as a recommended resource. “Check out this ROI calculator by [Your Company]” – that’s a natural link you could get. Another example could be a free template or a downloadable checklist; if it’s genuinely helpful, people will share and link to it.

For example, imagine you run a finance blog and you publish a free ROI calculator for small businesses. If it’s the kind of tool that saves people time and is easy to use, other sites might start linking to it in their articles about business finance (e.g., “...to figure out marketing return, you can use this free ROI calculator from [YourSite] that simplifies the math.”). A real-world analogy: many SEO sites link to Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool when talking about site speed, because it’s a useful free tool. If you can create something even on a smaller scale for your niche, it can steadily earn backlinks.

The key is to fill a gap or solve a problem with your content. Ask yourself: What resource do I wish I had, that doesn’t really exist (or isn’t good enough) right now? That could be an opportunity to create link-worthy content. It could even be as simple as a more up-to-date or better-designed version of something that exists elsewhere.

One word of caution: Creating this kind of standout content often takes more effort (research, design, etc.), but it’s an investment. A single exceptional piece of content can continue to attract traffic and backlinks for years. As Soderman SEO would tell any business owner – producing one high-value resource can often outperform dozens of average blog posts in terms of SEO impact.

Conduct Simple Link Outreach

After you’ve created content that deserves links, sometimes you need to give it a little push. Link outreach is the process of reaching out to other website owners, bloggers, or publishers and suggesting that they link to your content. While it can feel a bit awkward to ask for links, it’s a common practice – as long as you do it politely and strategically.

A straightforward outreach approach looks like this:

1. Find sites that might be interested. These could be sites that have linked to similar content in the past, run resource lists, or have articles on a related topic. You can search for your topic and see who’s talking about it. For example, if you wrote a “50-state guide to business taxes” and you find a blogger who wrote “Tips for business taxes”, they might find your state-by-state guide useful to reference. Also, if someone mentioned your business or content without linking, that’s an easy win – just ask them to turn that mention into a link.
2. Research the contact and context. Before emailing, learn a bit about the website and the author if possible. What angle do they usually take? Have they linked out to external resources before (and if so, what kind)? Also, find the right person to email – maybe the editor or the specific author of an article. And use their name in the email for a personal touch.
3. Send a personalized, friendly email. Keep it short and to the point, but not robotic. Start with a friendly greeting and maybe a compliment or acknowledgement of their work (“I loved your article on XYZ...” or “Your blog has been super helpful for me...”). Then mention your content and why you think it could add value to one of their articles or be useful to their audience. Provide the link and politely ask if they’d consider adding it as a reference. Emphasize the benefit to their readers, not just “please link to me.” And of course, thank them for their time.

Here’s an example of what an outreach email might look like in practice:

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CopyEdit

Subject: Loved your cake decorating guide!

Hi Amanda,

I’m Alex, a baking enthusiast and writer at BakeCrafters.com.

I just read your guide on cake decorating techniques and really enjoyed how you explained the differences between fondant and buttercream. Your step-by-step photos were super helpful!

I noticed you mentioned the importance of crumb coating a cake, but didn’t include specific chilling times before adding the final layer of icing.

It so happens I recently published a detailed guide on achieving the perfect cake frosting texture – including recommended chilling times between layers (based on lots of trial and error!). I think it would complement the section of your article where you discuss crumb coating.

If you’re interested, you can check it out here: [link to my frosting guide].

I believe your readers might find those extra timing tips useful for improving their cake decorating results.

Either way, thanks for the great content – I’ve picked up a few new tricks from your site!

Cheers,  
Alex

P.S. Love the cake designs you share on Instagram – very inspiring!


This email does a few things:

• It addresses Amanda by name and mentions her specific article (so it’s not a generic blast email).
• It gives a genuine compliment about something specific in her content, showing that the sender actually read it.
• It points out a small gap (no specific chilling times) in her article and offers something that fills that gap.
• It frames the suggestion as a benefit to her readers (extra tips to help her readers).
• It’s friendly and not demanding. It doesn’t say “Please link to me,” it says “here’s something that might complement your article.”
• It closes politely and even adds a P.S. with another personal touch.

Not everyone will respond or add your link, but even a handful of successes can help your SEO. Over time, as your site gains more authority, you might attract plenty of organic backlinks and need to do less outreach. But in the beginning, don’t be shy about promoting that awesome content you worked hard on.

Remember, quality over quantity applies here too. It’s better to build 5 great backlinks from relevant, reputable sites than 50 links from random, low-quality sites. Avoid any sketchy “we’ll build 1000 links for $50” offers – those can do more harm than good. With a combination of link-worthy content and smart outreach, you’ll steadily grow your backlink profile the right way.

4. Check Your Site’s Technical SEO

The last major area to tackle is the technical side of SEO. This might sound intimidating, especially if you’re not a “tech” person, but the basics of technical SEO are quite manageable. It’s about ensuring that your website can be properly accessed, crawled, and understood by search engines. Think of it as the foundation — if there are cracks in the technical foundation, your other SEO efforts might not achieve full results.

Here are some key technical SEO checks you should do:

Make Sure Google Can Find and Index Your Pages

For your site to appear in Google search results at all, Google needs to find your pages and add them to its index (which is like Google’s database of all web pages). If a page isn’t indexed, it simply won’t rank.

Steps to ensure your site is crawlable and indexable:

1. Set up Google Search Console (GSC). This is a free tool directly from Google that gives you insight into how your site is doing in search. If you haven’t done this yet, it should be step one (especially for new sites). Once you verify your site on GSC, you can see which pages Google has indexed, any errors encountered while crawling, and more.
2. Check the Index Coverage report. In GSC, navigate to the “Indexing” section and then “Pages” (Google updates their interface occasionally, but the idea remains). This report shows which pages are indexed and alerts you to any that aren’t and the reasons why (e.g., “Excluded by ‘noindex’ tag” or “Page not found (404)”). Scroll through and see if there are any important pages that Google is missing. If you find issues, GSC often gives details. For example, if some pages are marked “Discovered – currently not indexed,” it might mean Google saw the URL but hasn’t indexed it yet (could be due to low content or it’s new). If you see “Not found (404)” errors, that means Google tried to crawl a page that doesn’t exist (more on fixing those in a moment).
3. Create and submit a sitemap. A sitemap is basically a map of your website that you want search engines to use. It’s an XML file listing the URLs on your site that you want indexed. Many website platforms auto-generate this for you (often at yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml). Check if you already have one by typing that URL. If you see a page full of code listing URLs, that’s your sitemap. If you don’t have one, you can use online tools or plugins to create one. Once you have a sitemap, go to GSC -> “Indexing” -> “Sitemaps” and submit the sitemap URL. This tells Google directly, “Here are all the pages on my site, please make sure you know about them.” A submitted sitemap can speed up indexing of new or updated pages.
4. Ensure critical pages aren’t blocked. Sometimes, a site’s settings might accidentally block search engines from certain pages. Check your site’s robots.txt file (visit yourwebsite.com/robots.txt) to see if it’s disallowing any important sections. Also, if you know how to view your page’s HTML code, ensure that important pages do not have a <meta name="robots" content="noindex"> tag (which tells Google to skip indexing that page). Usually, unless you or a developer explicitly set these, you should be fine.

By following the above, you’re basically rolling out the red carpet for Google’s crawlers. Often, just using Search Console and fixing any errors it flags is enough to keep your site index-friendly.

Find and Fix Broken Links (404 Errors)

Broken links are links that lead to dead ends – typically a “404 Not Found” error page. They can occur when a page is removed or the URL is changed without updating internal links, or if someone linked to your site with a typo in the URL.

Why fix them? Two big reasons:

• User experience: If visitors hit a 404 page, it’s frustrating. They might leave your site immediately (which can increase bounce rate, an indirect SEO signal).
• Crawl efficiency: When Google’s bot hits a bunch of 404s, it can waste the crawl budget (the limited time/resources Google allocates to crawl your site). Too many broken links might mean Google doesn’t discover some of your important pages as quickly.

How to find broken links:

• In Google Search Console, the Index Coverage (Pages) report we discussed will list “Not found (404)” errors. That’s one way to see which URLs Google tried that resulted in 404.
• You can also use crawling tools (like Screaming Frog SEO Spider, which has a free version) or an SEO audit tool to scan your site for broken internal links.
• Additionally, check if GSC’s “Pages” report or “Enhancements” section mentions broken links or if there’s a “crawl errors” section (Google changes the interface but usually gives some clue about 404s).

Once you identify broken links, the fix is usually:

• If the page is gone for good: Set up a 301 redirect from that old URL to the most relevant alternative page. For example, if you had a page for a service you no longer offer, maybe redirect it to a general services page or a blog post about why it’s discontinued. A redirect sends visitors (and search engines) automatically to the new page instead of the dead end.
• If it was a mistake that the page is missing: Restore the page (if you removed it accidentally or the link was wrong). Or if the link was a typo, correct the link. For instance, if many sites or your own site linked to yourdomain.com/baking-tip but the actual page is yourdomain.com/baking-tips (plural), you could either correct those links or set a redirect from the singular to plural URL.

Regularly fixing broken links keeps your site healthy in the eyes of users and Google. It’s like fixing broken paths in a garden – you want visitors to stroll through without hitting a dead end.

Improve Your Page Speed

We touched on page speed earlier when discussing image optimization, but improving page load speed is a crucial technical SEO (and user) consideration on its own. Both Google and visitors love fast sites. In fact, Google has made page speed a ranking factor, especially for mobile searches. So a slow site can actively hurt your rankings, not to mention annoy your would-be customers.

Here’s how you can tackle page speed:

• Test your current speed: Use Google PageSpeed Insights (a free tool by Google). Just enter your URL and it will give you a performance score along with specific suggestions. It will show results for both mobile and desktop. Pay special attention to mobile performance, since Google primarily uses the mobile version for ranking. The tool might highlight things like “reduce image sizes” or “eliminate render-blocking scripts.” Don’t worry if you don’t understand every suggestion – focus on the basics that you can do.
• Optimize images: As mentioned, large images are a common speed killer. Compress images and scale them properly. This often yields the biggest improvement with relatively little effort.
• Minimize and combine code: If you have control over your site’s code or if you use a platform with plugins, try to minify your CSS and JavaScript files (removing unnecessary spaces/comments) and combine them if possible. Also, remove any plugins or scripts you don’t truly need; each one can add load time. For example, if you had a plugin for a feature you’re no longer using, uninstall it. Sometimes website themes come with lots of bells and whistles – disable what you’re not using.
• Use better hosting or caching: If you’re on a very cheap shared hosting plan, your site might be slow simply because the server is slow or overloaded. Upgrading to a better host or plan can drastically improve speed. Additionally, ensure you have caching enabled (many hosts or CMS platforms have caching plugins). Caching means the server can serve pages faster by storing pre-generated versions of them instead of building the page from scratch for each visitor.
• Consider a CDN (Content Delivery Network): A CDN stores copies of your site’s static files (like images, CSS, JS) on servers around the world, so they load from a location closer to the user. Many CDN services (Cloudflare, for example) offer free plans that are fairly easy to set up and can help with speed globally and reduce the load on your main server.
• Advanced things: There are other techniques like lazy-loading images (only loading images as they come into view), deferring offscreen scripts, etc., but those get a bit technical. They can be worth exploring if you’re still not satisfied with your speed after doing the basics.

A quick win: Many beginners see immediate improvement by just tackling images and maybe using a caching plugin. If your site loads in, say, 4-5 seconds, try to get it down to under 3 seconds if possible. Under 2 seconds is even better, especially for mobile users who might be on slower connections.

One more benefit: A faster site isn’t just about appeasing Google’s algorithm; it directly affects user satisfaction. People are far more likely to stay, browse, and convert (buy something, fill a form) on a fast site. It just feels more professional and trustworthy. So speed optimizations pay double dividends.

Optimize for Mobile Devices

Last but certainly not least, mobile optimization is paramount. More than half of all web traffic these days is on mobile devices. Google knows this and has shifted to a “mobile-first indexing” approach, which means Google predominantly uses your site’s mobile version when evaluating content and rankings. If your site doesn’t work well on a phone, it will hurt your SEO, period.

What to do for mobile SEO:

• Ensure responsive design: A responsive website automatically adjusts its layout based on the device’s screen size. If you’re using any modern website builder or CMS template from the last few years, chances are it’s responsive. But it’s worth testing. Shrink your browser window or check on your own phone/tablet to see how things look. If elements are cut off or you have to scroll horizontally, that’s a problem. If your site isn’t responsive, consider updating your design/theme or using plugins that create a mobile version.
• Check text and button sizes: On a small screen, text needs to be readable without zooming. If you find yourself pinching to zoom in on your site, increase the font size for mobile in your site’s CSS or settings. Likewise, buttons and links should be easy to tap with a finger. A common guideline is a tap target should be at least 44px by 44px. Ensure there’s enough space between links so that fat-fingered users (or anyone, really) don’t tap the wrong link by accident.
• Test key pages on mobile: Go through your homepage, menu, product pages, contact form, etc., on a smartphone. Is everything functional? Does the menu work nicely? Are images properly scaled? Perhaps even ask a friend to navigate your site on their phone without your guidance – see if they get confused or stuck anywhere. That can reveal issues with mobile usability.
• Use PageSpeed Insights mobile report: We already mentioned this, but when you use the tool, it gives separate mobile and desktop scores. The mobile tab will also flag things like if clickable elements are too close or content is wider than the screen, which are direct issues affecting mobile usability.
• Pop-ups and interstitials: One thing to be careful about on mobile is intrusive pop-ups (like those “subscribe to our newsletter” splash screens). Google can penalize mobile pages that show a large pop-up covering content, especially immediately when the page loads. If you use pop-ups, make them as unobtrusive as possible (or consider disabling them on mobile devices).

Mobile optimization is often about simplifying. A clean, fast-loading site with easy navigation will usually translate well to mobile. Sometimes that means hiding certain elements on mobile that are fine on desktop (for instance, a wide image gallery might be condensed or turned into a swipe carousel on mobile).

Given Google’s mobile-first approach, you might say mobile SEO is SEO nowadays. So make it a priority to have your site perform great on phones and tablets. The reward is not just better rankings, but keeping the ever-growing base of mobile visitors happy.

Take the First Step Toward Better SEO

We’ve covered a lot of ground – from content and keywords to links and technical tweaks. If it feels overwhelming, remember that SEO is a step-by-step journey, not an overnight switch. The key is to start with the areas that will make the biggest impact for your situation (think back to the scenarios we discussed at the beginning) and take it one step at a time.

As a business owner, you don’t have to become an SEO guru all at once. Start by implementing a few changes:

• Maybe this week you’ll set up Google Search Console and fix any glaring issues it reports.
• Over the next month, you might focus on updating or expanding some content and improving your page titles.
• Perhaps you’ll set aside time to brainstorm a great piece of content that could earn backlinks, or reach out to a couple of industry blogs with your latest guide.

Each action you take is progress. Websites that succeed in SEO are usually the ones that consistently work at it. A little improvement here, a little tweak there – it adds up.

And remember, you’re not alone in this. There are plenty of tools and resources to help you, and you can always seek guidance from SEO professionals if needed. (At Soderman SEO, for example, we often help businesses craft a game plan and prioritize what will move the needle most for their site.)

The bottom line: SEO optimization is one of the best investments you can make in your website’s long-term success. It may take some effort and patience, but the payoff – a steady stream of organic traffic and customers finding you through search – is well worth it. So take that first step today, and then the next. Your future self (and your business’s bottom line) will thank you. Good luck, and happy optimizing!

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