When someone in your city searches for what you sell, does your business show up? Search engine optimisation (SEO) is how you make sure the answer is yes. You don't need to be a developer to get the basics right – you need a clear website, accurate business information and content that answers real questions.

Claim and complete your Google Business Profile

For local businesses this is the single most important step. Add your exact business name, address, phone number, opening hours, category and real photos. Ask happy customers for reviews and reply to every one of them, good or bad. Keep your hours updated for public holidays – an accurate profile builds trust before anyone visits your website.

Use the words your customers use

People search the way they speak: "haulage company in Lagos", "affordable event decorator Abuja", "SEO agency near me". Write those phrases naturally into your page titles, headings and the first paragraph of each page. One page should focus on one main topic, so each service deserves its own page rather than a single long list.

Get the technical basics right

  • Speed: many of your visitors are on mobile data. Compress images and avoid heavy pop-ups.
  • Mobile first: check every page on a phone. Buttons should be easy to tap and text easy to read.
  • Titles and descriptions: give every page a clear title (around 50–60 characters) and a description (around 150–160 characters) that says what the page offers.
  • Secure site: your address should start with https://.

Answer questions with helpful content

Think about the questions you hear every week from customers and answer them properly on your website – pricing factors, timelines, how a service works, what to prepare. Helpful, specific answers are exactly what search engines want to show, and they also make your sales conversations easier.

Be consistent everywhere

Your business name, address and phone number should match exactly across your website, Google profile, social media and directory listings. Small differences confuse both customers and search engines.

SEO is a long game: the work you do this month keeps paying back for years, long after an ad campaign has ended.

Measure and improve

Set up Google Search Console to see which searches bring people to your site and which pages need work. Revisit your most important pages every few months, update them with fresh information and keep improving.

Not sure where your website stands? Ask us for a free SEO check and we'll show you the quickest wins.