Simple SEO for Online Business Owners: 10 Tips to Boost Website Traffic

Dec 5

Let’s be honest: the words “Search Engine Optimization” don’t exactly spark joy for most online business owners. SEO feels like one of those “you should really do this” chores when working on your website for the first (or 100th) time.

In fact, most people are so focused on choosing colors, writing copy, and making everything look perfect that they skip SEO altogether.

But here’s the good news: SEO doesn’t have to be complicated, intimidating, or overly technical. And it definitely shouldn’t be skipped!

A handful of small SEO improvements can make your website more accessible, build trust with people who need your services, and bring in organic traffic behind the scenes (without relying on social media).

Because at the end of the day, SEO matters just as much as good design.

A Good Website is More Than Design: How Simple SEO Can Improve Your Site

When most business owners think about their website, they picture what’s happening front and center: the photos, the fonts, the layout, the branding.

But design is only one aspect of what your audience sees. The behind-the-scenes work (ahem…SEO!) is what keeps everything running smoothly in the background.

Simple SEO helps your website:

Tell search engines what your business is about
Get discovered by people who are already searching for you
Improve functionality and user experience

That’s why your website shouldn’t just look good; it should work hard for you. And that means making sure you have some simple SEO in place, so your design and content actually get seen.

10 Simple SEO Tips for Online Business Owners

1. Choose Keywords Your Audience is Searching For

Simply put, keywords are the words or phrases people type into Google when they’re looking for a service like yours.

Start by creating a master keyword list of 5-10 terms your ideal client is searching for, avoiding industry jargon or clever wording. Add your main keywords in places like your page titles, headings, URL slugs, and the first paragraph of your homepage.

If you’re unsure what people are searching for, explore tools like AnswerThePublic and Ubersuggest to help populate your keyword list.

2. Use Clear, Purposeful Page Titles

Your page titles are what search engines and site visitors use to understand what a page is about. A strong title sets the stage for everything else on the page to perform well.

Make sure your titles are clear, direct, and descriptive, and include your main keywords. For example, if someone wanted to hire me as their web designer, here’s the page title they’d see on Google:

3. Write Helpful Meta Descriptions

If your page title tells visitors what your page is, your meta description tells them why they should click on it. It’s the short sentence you see under a page title on Google, and its job is to clearly explain what someone can expect when they visit that page.

In the screenshot above, notice how the meta description reinforces what the page offers, with more specific search terms. Keep your meta descriptions under 155 characters, and highlight the benefit of clicking through.

4. Structure Your Page with Headings (H1, H2, H3)

Headings help readers and search engines understand the hierarchy of information on your website pages. Your H1 should introduce the main topic of the page, while H2s and H3s break it down into organized, skimmable sections.

5. Add Alt Text to Describe Images

Alt text is a short description that tells search engines and screen readers what an image shows.

It helps Google better understand your content, and more importantly, makes your website accessible for people using assistive technology. Aim to describe what’s most important about the image in context, not just what it looks like (and bonus points if you can include a few keywords!).

6. Make Your URLs Clean and Readable

Your page URLs should be simple, descriptive, and easy to read. Avoid long strings of numbers or symbols, and use short phrases that include your target keyword for the page.

For example, the URL slug for this blog post could have looked like this: /blog/simple-seo-for-online-business-owners-10-tips-to-boost-website-traffic

But instead of using the blog title (the default for most website builders), I changed it to something much simpler and optimized for SEO: /blog/seo-for-online-business-owners

7. Add Internal Links to Your Other Content

Make sure you link to related blogs, services, case studies, and your contact page throughout your website, so people stay on your site longer and move naturally through your content.

Search engines also use internal links to understand how your pages are related, which can improve your visibility in search results. Look for natural opportunities to guide readers to more helpful information. Here’s an example:

If you’re looking for more web design tips, read this next: Hiring a Web Designer? Here are 5 Non-Negotiables to Look For

8. Check and Improve Your Site Speed

A slow website can drive visitors away before they ever read your content, and search engines take that into account when ranking your pages.

Large image files, outdated themes, and too many plugins are some of the biggest culprits behind slow load times. A few quick fixes, like compressing your images, reducing unnecessary plugins, and keeping your platform updated, can make a noticeable difference in performance.

9. Make Sure Your Site Is Mobile-Friendly

More than half of website traffic today comes from mobile devices, and Google ranks mobile performance before desktop!

Fonts, spacing, buttons, and layouts should be easy to read and “finger-friendly” (no tiny links or cut-off sections). Remember to design with mobile in mind, and visit your own website on your phone to see what your audience experiences.

10. Add Fresh Content Regularly

Search engines prioritize websites that stay relevant, updated, and helpful over time, which is why fresh content can improve your visibility and ranking.

The good news is, you don’t need to constantly churn out new blog posts to see results. Instead, aim for a library of evergreen content (even just 4–12 solid posts) that helps people understand your services better.

Other updates like service page improvements, new testimonials, case studies, or resource pages also count as valuable website content. Choose updates you can maintain and that genuinely support your audience.

Your Website Deserves a Strong SEO Foundation

Whether you need a new website or want to give your outdated site a much-needed facelift, now is the perfect time to set your SEO up the right way. A beautiful website is great, but a beautiful website that people can actually find is even better.

That’s why every website I design is created with both strategy and visibility in mind.

And once your new or updated site is launched, you won’t have to worry about keeping up with technical updates on your own. With ongoing website maintenance, I help you keep things running smoothly on the back end so your site continues working for you over time.

If you’re ready for a website that looks good, functions well, and actually shows up for the people who need your services, I’d love to support you! Click below to learn more about BizMagic’s web design services:

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