Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): What It Is and Why It’s Still Relevant

Every time someone searches for a product, service, or solution online, they’re presented with a list of results — and where your brand appears in that list can make all the difference. If you’re buried on page two or beyond, you may as well be invisible. That’s where Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) comes in.

SEO isn’t just about keywords and algorithms. It’s about making your website more discoverable, useful, and trustworthy to both search engines and real people. While digital trends change constantly, SEO remains one of the most cost-effective and powerful ways to attract consistent, high-quality traffic — without paying for ads.

In this article, we’ll explore what SEO really means, why it still matters in 2025, and how to start building a solid SEO strategy that supports visibility, growth, and long-term credibility.

What Is SEO?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s content, structure, and visibility so that it appears higher in search engine results — especially on Google, which dominates the UK search market.

The goal of SEO is simple: when someone types in a question, problem, or need related to your business, your site should be one of the first (and best) options they see.

SEO is made up of several key elements:

• On-page SEO – Optimising content, keywords, titles, and user experience on your website pages.
• Off-page SEO – Building your authority through backlinks (other sites linking to yours), citations, and digital PR.
• Technical SEO – Ensuring your website is fast, secure, mobile-friendly, and crawlable by search engines.
• Content SEO – Publishing helpful, relevant, and well-structured content that matches what your audience is searching for.

Unlike paid ads, SEO is a long-term strategy. But when done right, it brings a steady stream of organic traffic that you don’t have to pay for every time someone clicks.

Why SEO Still Matters in 2025

Despite evolving algorithms and the rise of AI-generated answers in search, SEO remains essential for digital visibility. Here’s why it’s still so relevant:

• People still rely on search – Google processes over 8 billion searches per day. Whether looking for advice, suppliers, reviews or services, search engines are the starting point for most online journeys.
• Organic traffic is cost-effective – Paid ads can be expensive and competitive. SEO gives you ongoing traffic without the continual ad spend — especially valuable for small businesses.
• Search builds trust – Websites that rank highly are seen as more credible. Strong SEO signals (like well-written content and secure connections) contribute to a better brand perception.
• It supports every stage of the funnel – Whether someone’s learning about a topic or looking to buy today, SEO helps you show up with the right content at the right time.
• SEO strengthens your digital foundation – From site speed to mobile usability, many SEO improvements also enhance your overall user experience — which supports all your other marketing efforts.

If you want to be found online by people actively searching for what you offer, SEO is not optional — it’s foundational.

Key Elements of an SEO Strategy

A strong SEO strategy brings together content, structure, and authority. Here’s what you need to focus on.

1. Keyword Research: Know What Your Audience Is Searching For

Start by identifying the exact phrases your audience types into Google when they’re looking for help, advice, or services like yours.

Use tools like:

• Google Keyword Planner (free with a Google Ads account)
• Ubersuggest or AnswerThePublic
• SEMRush, Ahrefs, or Moz for more detailed insights

Look for:

• High-volume keywords (lots of people are searching)
• Low-to-medium competition (easier to rank)
• Long-tail keywords (specific phrases like “email marketing tips for small business”)

Focus on intent. What is the person really trying to do when they search that phrase? Are they looking to buy, learn, compare, or solve?

2. On-Page SEO: Optimise What You Control

Each page of your website should be clearly focused on a specific topic — and structured to help both humans and search engines understand it.

Core on-page SEO elements:

• Page title (meta title) – Should include your primary keyword and reflect the user’s intent.
• Meta description – A short summary that encourages clicks from the search engine results page.
• Headings (H1, H2, H3) – Use clear headings to organise your content and include relevant keywords.
• URL structure – Keep URLs short, descriptive, and keyword-rich (e.g. /email-marketing-basics).
• Internal linking – Link between your pages to help users navigate and spread authority across your site.
• Image optimisation – Use descriptive file names and alt text to improve accessibility and SEO.

On-page SEO is about clarity. Make sure your content is easy to read, well-structured, and genuinely useful.

3. Technical SEO: Build a Solid Foundation

Even the best content won’t rank if your site is slow, broken, or difficult for search engines to read.

Key technical considerations:

• Site speed – A slow website frustrates users and hurts rankings. Compress images and use fast hosting.
• Mobile-friendliness – Most searches are on mobile. Your site should work flawlessly on all devices.
• Secure connection (HTTPS) – A must-have for modern SEO — it’s also a trust signal to users.
• XML sitemap and robots.txt – Help search engines understand and index your site properly.
• Fix broken links and duplicate content – These can damage rankings and user experience.

Use tools like Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights to spot and fix technical issues.

4. Content Strategy: Create What People Are Searching For

SEO and content go hand in hand. Your goal is to produce high-quality content that:

• Answers questions your audience is asking
• Reflects your expertise
• Keeps users on the page
• Encourages sharing or bookmarking

Types of SEO-friendly content:

• How-to guides – Step-by-step articles that help users achieve something specific.
• List posts – Roundups or tips that are easy to skim (e.g. “10 Ways to Improve Your Website SEO”).
• FAQ pages – Great for voice search and covering common queries.
• Long-form content – In-depth pieces that demonstrate authority and rank well for multiple terms.

Quality beats quantity. One valuable, well-optimised blog post can outperform ten generic ones.

5. Off-Page SEO: Earn Authority and Trust

Search engines see links to your site from other reputable websites as votes of confidence. The more high-quality backlinks you earn, the stronger your authority.

Ways to build backlinks:

• Guest posting – Writing for other blogs in your industry with a link back to your site.
• Digital PR – Getting mentioned in online news outlets, interviews, or roundups.
• Content worth linking to – Create original research, tools, or resources that others want to reference.
• Business directories and citations – Especially important for local SEO (e.g. Google Business Profile, Yelp, local Chamber of Commerce).

Focus on earning links through value, not shortcuts. Buying links or using spammy tactics can harm your rankings.

A Practical Example: A Copywriter Using SEO to Attract Clients

Imagine you’re a freelance copywriter specialising in website copy for coaches and consultants. Rather than relying only on social media or word of mouth, you invest in a small SEO strategy.

You:

• Identify keywords like “website copywriter for coaches” and “how to write a home page that sells”
• Write two blog posts: one focused on “The 5 Must-Have Sections on Your Coaching Website”, and another answering “What Does a Copywriter Actually Do?”
• Optimise your service page with clear headlines, internal links, and relevant keywords
• Submit guest posts to two online magazines for creative freelancers
• Set up your Google Business Profile for local discovery

After a few months, your traffic starts to grow steadily — and two new clients mention they “found you on Google.” That’s the power of consistent, practical SEO.

In Summary

SEO isn’t just about ranking higher — it’s about being found by the right people at the right time. It builds a stronger digital presence, brings in traffic that’s already interested, and lays the foundation for long-term marketing success.

To succeed in SEO:

• Understand what your audience is searching for
• Create helpful content that answers their questions
• Optimise every page for both humans and search engines
• Build credibility through links and authority
• Keep your site technically sound and mobile-friendly

It’s not always quick — but it is reliable, sustainable, and essential for serious digital growth.