What SEO Really Is
SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is a general term that people use to describe “getting found on Google”. But in reality, SEO is not one single job. It is an umbrella that covers many different areas of your website and your online wider presence.
Most business owners think SEO only means adding keywords or improving a page title. In truth, keywords are just a tiny part of it. The real work happens across several areas that affect how Google understands your business, how your website performs, and how easily customers can find you – from on-page optimisation, to technical SEO, and your Google Business Profile and local visibility.
SEO works across several layers. Some of those layers are visible to your visitors, while others work quietly behind the scenes. When one of these parts isn’t working well, the whole website is affected — even if everything else looks fine on the surface.
A good way to understand SEO is to think of it like looking after a car. It has parts you can see, parts you can’t, and parts that affect how others view it. If you only focus on the paintwork but ignore the engine, the car won’t take you very far. SEO works in exactly the same way — every part matters.
On-Page Optimisation is the paintwork, interior and dashboard.
Technical SEO is the engine, tyres and the parts that keep it running.
Local visibility & trust signals is your driving record and reputation.
The Three Main Areas Under The SEO Umbrella
SEO is made up of three main areas that work together. When one of them is weak, the whole website is affected. Understanding these areas helps explain why “SEO” can mean different things depending on what your website needs at any given time.
On-Page Optimisation – What people can see
This is everything on your website that your visitors read or interact with. It includes your content, your headings, your images, your layout and the overall clarity of your message.
Good on-page optimisation helps Google understand what your business does and helps your visitors find the information they need quickly. When this part is done well, your pages make sense to both people and search engines.
Technical SEO – What people cannot see
This is the behind-the-scenes foundation that keeps your website running smoothly. It covers your speed, your mobile performance, your security, your sitemaps and all the parts that help Google crawl and index your website properly.
If the technical setup is poor, your site will struggle even if your content is excellent. Technical SEO makes your website stable, fast and easy for Google to read.
Local visibility & trust signals – What happens away from your website
This covers everything that helps Google trust your business beyond your website. It includes your Google Business Profile, Bing Places listing, customer reviews, consistent business information and your overall online reputation.
These signals show search engines that your business is genuine, active and trusted locally. When they are strong, they support your website SEO and help your business appear more often in local search results.
When all three areas are healthy, your visibility naturally improves and you start appearing more often in the searches that matter to your business. When one area is weak, the others have to work much harder — and that is when websites begin to slip.
Why an SEO Audit is the Right Starting Point
Because SEO covers so many different areas, it is rarely obvious what is actually holding a website back. Two businesses can have very similar websites on the surface, yet completely different problems underneath.
An SEO audit gives clarity. It looks at your website as a whole and highlights the areas that need attention, without guesswork or assumptions. You get a clear overview of where issues exist and which areas are likely to have the biggest impact.
We provide a free initial audit and outline what needs improving. From there, we talk you through the next steps and explain how we can help put those improvements in place. There is no pressure and no obligation — just clear information and sensible advice.
Who This Service is For
This service is ideal for business owners who know their website could be performing better but aren’t sure why. It suits established sites that are not getting the visibility they expect, as well as businesses that want a clear, honest view of where they stand before making changes.
What Happens Next
Once the audit is complete, we explain the findings in plain language and talk through the options with you. You can choose to move forward with us, take time to decide, or use the information however you wish. There is no pressure — just clear advice and sensible next steps.