How to get your website to show up on Google (basic SEO)

Google is your best salesperson (if you know how to use it)

Imagine having a salesperson who works 24/7, attracting potential customers to your business without paying commission. That's what SEO (Search Engine Optimization) does when properly implemented.

SEO is the set of techniques that make your website appear in the top Google results when someone searches for what you offer. It's not magic, it's not instant, but it works — and the results are cumulative.

Step 1: Understand how Google thinks

Google has a simple goal: show the best possible result for each search. To decide what's "best," it evaluates three things:

1. Relevance. Does your page talk exactly about what the person searched for?

2. Authority. Do other websites trust you and link to your content?

3. User experience. Does your site load fast, look good on mobile, and is easy to navigate?

If you meet these three things better than your competition, Google puts you on top. That simple (and that hard).

Step 2: Research what your customer searches for

Before optimizing anything, you need to know what words your customer uses when searching Google. This is called "keyword research."

Practical example: If you have an accounting firm in Austin, your clients probably search: "accountant in Austin," "CPA Austin TX," "tax filing Austin," "bookkeeping services Austin."

Free keyword research tools:

Google Suggest — Type your service in Google and look at the automatic suggestions. Those are real searches.

Google Trends — Compare which terms are searched more in your region.

Answer The Public — Shows you questions people ask about your topic.

Ubersuggest — Limited free version but useful for starting.

Step 3: Optimize your page (On-Page SEO)

Now that you know what people search for, you need Google to understand your page is the answer. These are the most important elements:

Page title (Title Tag). It's what appears in the browser tab and as the blue title on Google. It should include your main keyword and city. Example: "Accounting Firm in Austin | Smith & Associates."

Meta description. The gray text that appears below the title on Google. Should be persuasive and contain your keyword. Maximum 155 characters.

Headings (H1, H2, H3). Structure your content with clear headings. Google uses them to understand what each section is about.

Quality content. Write content that truly helps your visitor. No filler, no copies from other sites. Google detects duplicate content and penalizes you.

Optimized images. Use descriptive names ("accounting-firm-austin.jpg" instead of "IMG_4532.jpg") and add alt text.

Clean URLs. Use short, descriptive URLs: `/services/accounting` instead of `/page?id=4532&ref=home`.

Step 4: Speed and mobile first

Google prioritizes sites that load fast and look good on mobile. These are the metrics that matter (Core Web Vitals):

LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) — How long does the largest element on your page take to load? Goal: under 2.5 seconds.

CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) — Does your page "jump" while loading? Buttons that move, images that push text. Goal: under 0.1.

INP (Interaction to Next Paint) — How long does your page take to respond when someone clicks? Goal: under 200ms.

How to measure? Use Google's PageSpeed Insights (it's free). It gives you a score and tells you exactly what to improve.

Step 5: Google Business Profile (for local businesses)

If your business serves customers at a physical location, Google Business Profile is mandatory. It's free and puts you on Google Maps and in the "local pack" (the 3 businesses that appear with a map in search).

How to optimize it:

1. Complete ALL information: hours, phone, website, category, description.

2. Add real photos of your business, team, and products. Minimum 10 photos.

3. Ask satisfied customers for reviews. Reviews are the #1 factor for local ranking.

4. Respond to ALL reviews — positive and negative.

5. Post weekly updates (offers, news, events).

Step 6: Get other sites to link to yours (Link Building)

Links from other websites to yours are like "trust votes" for Google. The more relevant sites that link to you, the more authority you have.

Legitimate ways to get links:

1. Create content so useful that others want to share it (guides, statistics, free tools).

2. Register in your industry and city directories.

3. Collaborate with other local businesses and link to each other.

4. Write guest articles on blogs in your sector.

Never buy links. Google detects them and penalizes you severely.

How long does it take to see results?

SEO is a medium-term investment. First results are usually seen between 3 and 6 months, with cumulative growth that maintains (and grows) over time.

Unlike paid advertising, SEO doesn't turn off when you stop paying. A well-positioned article can bring customers for years.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Stuffing your page with keywords. Google detects "keyword stuffing" and penalizes you. Write naturally.

2. Copying content from other sites. It's the fastest way for Google to ignore you.

3. Ignoring mobile. Over 60% of searches are done from phones.

4. Expecting immediate results. If someone promises "first place on Google in a week," they're lying.

5. Not measuring. If you don't install Google Analytics and Search Console, you're working blind.

Need help with your SEO?

At Nexora all our web projects include basic SEO optimization. For more advanced strategies, we offer our Digital Strategy service. Let's talk about positioning your business.