What SEO actually is (short version)
SEO = "Search Engine Optimisation" = making your website such that Google ranks it higher when someone searches for something relevant. In 2026 it has three layers:
- Technical SEO — that Google can read and understand your site
- On-page SEO — that your content matches what people search for
- Off-page SEO — that other sites link to you (authority)
1. Technical SEO — what Google checks first
Even the best content gets nowhere if the site is technically broken. Checklist:
- Speed — under 2.5 seconds load time. Use PageSpeed Insights to check.
- Mobile-friendly — Google ranks based on the mobile version (mobile-first indexing).
- HTTPS — obvious in 2026, but verify it's everywhere.
- Sitemap.xml — tell Google which pages exist.
- Robots.txt — tell Google what to/not to crawl.
- Schema.org markup — structured data so Google understands content (Organization, LocalBusiness, FAQPage, Article).
- Canonical URLs — to avoid duplicate content penalties.
- Hreflang — if you have bilingual content.
2. Local SEO — critical for UK and Nordic SMBs
Most small businesses sell locally. "Plumber London", "Hairdresser Manchester", "Dentist Oslo". To rank for these, do local SEO right.
Google Business Profile (GBP)
This is the free tool that places you on Google Maps and in the "local pack" (the three boxes that appear at the top of local searches). 80% of local ranking comes from GBP optimisation + reviews.
- Create GBP, verify via video or postcard
- Fill out 100%: photos, hours, services, categories
- Ask 5–10 happy customers for reviews
- Post regularly (1× per week is enough)
- Reply to all reviews (positive and negative)
LocalBusiness schema
Schema.org markup telling Google "I'm a LocalBusiness in London with these coordinates and hours". We include this on all Velanor deliveries.
3. On-page SEO — what your content must do
- Title tag — 50–60 characters, includes main keyword
- Meta description — 150–160 characters, tempts clicks
- H1 — one per page, contains main keyword
- H2/H3 — logical structure, contains related keywords
- Content — at least 500 words for service pages, ideally 1000+ for articles
- Internal linking — link between relevant pages on your own site
- Image alt text — describe what's in the image
- FAQ section — use FAQPage schema for "rich results"
4. Off-page SEO — backlinks
When other websites link to yours, it signals to Google that you're an authority. The factor that takes longest to build, but also often the one that decides who is #1.
5. What you should NOT do
- Buy backlinks — Google detects this and penalises.
- Keyword stuffing — hasn't worked since 2012.
- PBNs (Private Blog Networks) — risky, heavily penalised.
- "Guaranteed #1" agencies — no one can guarantee that. It's a scam.
"SEO in 2026 isn't tricks. It's technical foundation + patience + real content + time."
Realistic timeline
- Week 1–2: Technical SEO in place — schema, sitemap, robots, speed
- Week 2–4: Local SEO — GBP, LocalBusiness schema, directories
- Month 1–3: Long-tail queries start ranking (under 100 searches/month)
- Month 3–6: Mid-tail queries rank (100–500 searches/month)
- Month 6–12: Main queries can start ranking (1000+ searches/month)
Conclusion
SEO isn't magic. It's technical hygiene + GBP + consistent content + time. Most small businesses have bad SEO not because they're doing it wrong, but because they haven't done the work at all. Massive opportunity for those who actually put in the effort.