March 6, 2025 • 24 mins
Episode #122: SEO Made Simple – How to Get Found on Google Without Being an Expert
If you’ve ever felt like SEO is too complicated, too technical, or just one more thing on your never-ending to-do list, this episode is for you.
Your dream clients are searching for what you offer right now. But if your content isn’t optimized for search, they might never find you. The good news? You don’t need to be an SEO expert to start ranking on Google.
In this episode of Tech Savvy 101, I’m breaking SEO down into simple, actionable steps that help your content show up in search results... without needing advanced tech skills or hours of keyword research.
By the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly how to make your website and content SEO-friendly so that Google and your ideal customers can find you.
IN THIS EPISODE, I DISCUSS:
➔ The must-know basics of SEO and how to optimize your content to rank on Google
➔ Simple keyword research and content strategies that attract your ideal audience
➔ The truth about SEO timelines, myths, and what actually works for small businesses
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
📌 Keywords Everywhere – My go-to SEO tool for simple keyword research
🎧 Episode #113: Keyword Research Made Easy: A Beginner’s Guide to SEO With Keywords Everywhere
🚀 Join the waitlist for AI Evergreen Content Machine
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
01:18 – Understanding SEO: The Basics
03:03 – On-Page SEO: Optimizing Your Website
08:11 – Creating Content That Answers Questions
10:32 – Technical SEO: Making Your Content Google-Friendly
12:21 – Internal Linking: Building Authority
14:04 – Local SEO: Optimizing for Local Searches
16:00 – Keyword Research Simplified
17:38 – The Timeline of SEO Results
19:33 – Debunking SEO Myths
21:11 – Conclusion and Next Steps
📲 Send us a text! Let us know what AI + Automation Topics you want to learn about next!
LET'S CONNECT
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💻 Facebook Group
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sarah Baker (00:00):
Did you know that right now, at this very moment,
(00:03):
your dream clients are searchingfor the exact solution that you
offer?
But they might never find you!What if I told you that by the
end of this episode, you couldhave a simple plan to change
that forever?
Welcome to Tech Savvy 101, AIand Automation Made Simple.
(00:23):
Hi, I'm Sarah Baker, your newTech Savvy Bestie.
I'm a technology and automationcoach, an online business owner,
and a crazy busy mom of threekids under 10.
Whether you're just starting toexplore AI, or you're ready to
level up your tech game, I'mhere to help make it all feel
absolutely doable.
(00:44):
No complicated jargon, noendless tutorials, just
shortcuts and simple solutionsthat you can start using in your
business right away.
So, if you're ready to startsaving hours every day with
smart systems and AI tools,you're in the right place.
Let's get started.
(01:05):
Welcome back to Tech Savvy 101AI Automation Made Simple.
I'm your host, Sarah Baker, yourtech savvy bestie, who's here to
help you simplify your business,embrace automation, and save
hours every week.
Today, we're tackling somethingthat I know might make you
Breakout in a Cold Sweat, SEO,aka Search Engine Optimization.
(01:27):
Those three little letters thatseem to hold so much power over
whether your amazing contentactually gets seen by the people
who need it most.
If you've ever thought, I know,I should be doing SEO, but it
all seems so freakingcomplicated, or I don't have
time to become an SEO expert ontop of everything else, then
(01:50):
this episode is my love letterto you.
By the end of our time together,you'll have super simple
approach to SEO that won'trequire a marketing degree or
hours of keyword research.
I'm going to break this downinto bite sized actionable steps
that you can implement rightaway, even if tech makes you
(02:11):
nervous.
Let's dive in.
Let's start with the absolutebasics.
What exactly is SEO anyway?
SEO stands for Search EngineOptimization.
In plain English, it is theprocess of making your website
and your content More visible tosearch engines, like Google, so
(02:33):
that when someone, like yourdream client, searches for
something, like your contentrelated to what you offer, your
business shows up in the result.
Think about how you use Googleyourself.
When you need to find something,you type in a question or a few
keywords, and Google presentsyou with a list of options.
(02:54):
SEO is all about helping yourbusiness appear higher on that
list for searches that arerelevant to what you do.
There are three main componentsof SEO.
First, there's on page SEO.
That is everything you do onyour actual website to help
search engines understand yourcontent.
(03:15):
This includes using the rightkeywords, organizing your
content with clear headings andmaking sure that your site loads
quickly.
Second, there's off page SEO,which is mostly about getting
other reputable websites to linkback to your site.
This is like getting a vote ofconfidence that tells Google
that your content istrustworthy.
(03:37):
And third, there is technicalSEO, which involves the behind
the scenes stuff, like makingsure your site is mobile
friendly, secure and properlyindexed by search engines.
Now, if that already soundsoverwhelming, take a deep
breath.
The good news is that you don'tneed to become an expert in all
three areas.
(03:57):
For most small businesses andentrepreneurs, focusing on the
basics of on page SEO will getyou 80 percent of the results
with 20 percent of the effort.
(07:05):
This is especially importantwhen you consider that Google
processes over 8.
5 billion searches per day,according to Internet Live
Stats.
That is a lot of people lookingfor solutions, and your job is
to make sure that your contentmatches what they're actually
searching for.
(07:26):
Here's how to put this intoaction.
Take your top three to fiveservices or products and write
down what questions someonemight ask when they're looking
for that solution.
And don't overthink this.
Just imagine that you're havingcoffee with someone who needs
your help.
What would they ask you?
(07:46):
For example, if you're a virtualassistant, these questions might
include, how do I know if I needa virtual assistant?
Or what tasks can I outsource toa VA?
And how much does a virtualassistant cost?
Each of these questionsrepresents a different search
intent, and each one is anopportunity for you to create
(08:07):
content that answers thatspecific question.
Now, let's move on to strategynumber two, creating content
that actually answers thosequestions.
Once you know what questionsyour ideal clients are asking,
it's time to create content thatdirectly answers those
questions.
Now, the key here isspecificity.
(08:29):
Instead of creating one generalblog post about virtual
assistant services, you'd createspecific content for each
individual question.
This could look like a blogpost, 10 signs it's time to hire
a virtual assistant, or 23 tasksyou can outsource to a VA today.
Or maybe you create a virtualassistant pricing guide, what to
(08:52):
expect and how to budget.
Each piece of content shouldhave a clear, specific title
that includes the main keywordor question.
An introduction that quicklyshows you understand the
problem.
It should also include contentthat directly answers the
question.
without the fluff.
And it should also includepractical next steps and a clear
(09:16):
call to action.
And here's my favorite simplehack.
Use the question as yourheadline, word for word.
If someone is searching, howmuch does a virtual assistant
cost?
And your headline is, how muchdoes a virtual assistant cost?
A complete pricing guide.
You're immediately signaling toboth Google and the person
(09:39):
searching that your contentmatches what they're looking
for.
HubSpot research shows thatwebsites that blog consistently
generate 55 percent more trafficthan those that don't.
And it's not just about creatingnew content.
Even updating old blog postswith fresh content can increase
(10:00):
organic traffic by up to 106%.
That's huge bang for your buckwhen you think about that time
investment.
And for those of you thinkingabout using AI to help with your
content creation, you're aheadof the curve.
Gartner predicts that AIgenerated content is expected to
power at least 90 percent of allonline content by 2026.
(10:23):
Just make sure that you'realways adding your personal
experience and expertise to keepit unique and valuable.
The third strategy to consideris making your content easy for
Google to understand.
Now that you have great contentthat actually answers your ideal
client's questions, You need tomake sure Google can easily
(10:46):
understand what your content isabout.
Don't worry, this isn't thetechnical part that scares
everyone away from SEO.
Here are the only technical SEOelements you really need to
worry about.
First, your page title.
This is your H1 heading.
This should clearly state whatthe page is about and include
(11:09):
your main keyword.
Keep it under 60 characters soit displays fully in search
results.
Second, your meta description.
Think of this as your searchresult ad copy.
It should entice people to clickthrough to your website.
Aim to keep it under 155characters and make sure it also
(11:30):
includes your main keyword.
Third, use subheadings.
This should be h2 or h3 to breakup your content.
This helps both readers andgoogle understand the structure
of your content.
Each subheading should bedescriptive and can include
related keywords.
Fourth, make sure your contentis easy to read on mobile.
(11:53):
This is something so many peopleforget to check and google
prioritizes mobile friendlycontent.
So make sure you check how yoursite looks on your phone.
And here's a tool that makes itsuper simple.
If you're using WordPress,download the free Yoast SEO
plugin.
It gives you little red, yellow,and green lights to show you if
(12:15):
you've optimized these elementscorrectly, just follow the
prompts until you get a greenlight.
Strategy number four is buildingauthority through internal
linking.
This strategy is my secretweapon because almost nobody
talks about how powerful it isfor small business SEO.
Internal linking simply meanslinking from one page on your
(12:38):
website to another page on yourwebsite.
It helps Google understand therelationship between your
content and which pages on yourwebsite are most important.
Here's how to do it.
Every time you create a newpiece of content link to two to
three other relevant pages onyour site And don't forget to go
back to your existing content toadd links to your new content
(13:01):
Think of your website like ajourney.
How is the person navigatingyour website?
that you're going to get frompoint A to point B to point C.
Where do you want them to gonext?
I even have a post it note stuckto my computer monitor that
says, where to next?
As a constant reminder of this,you don't want any dead ends in
your customer's journey becausedead ends means that they click
(13:24):
away and leave your website.
For example, if you write thatpricing guide for virtual
assistant services, you mightlink to your services page, your
how to work with me page, andperhaps even a case study or a
testimonial page.
This creates pathways for bothGoogle and your readers, or
potential customers, to discovermore of your content.
(13:47):
It keeps people on your sitelonger, which Google loves, and
helps establish your expertiseon related topics.
The best part?
It takes about five minutes todo and has a huge impact on your
SEO over time.
The next strategy is optimizingfor local SEO.
(14:08):
This is important if you serve alocal market.
If not, you can skip thissection.
If you have a local business orserve clients in a specific
geographic area, local SEO isyour new best friend.
It's actually easier to rank forlocal searches because you're
only competing with otherbusinesses in your area, not the
(14:29):
entire world wide web.
This is huge because accordingto Google, local searches lead
76 percent of mobile users tovisit a business within 24
hours.
That means when someone searchesfor a service in their area,
three out of four people arelooking to take action right
away.
(14:50):
Here's a super simple local SEOchecklist.
First claim and optimize yourGoogle business profile, which
was formerly called Google mybusiness.
This is completely free and isabsolutely essential for local
businesses.
Make sure that you verify yourbusiness, add your correct
business hours.
Upload good photos of yourbusiness and choose the right
(15:13):
categories for what you do, aswell as add your services or
products.
Second, get consistent with yourN A P, that's name, address, and
phone number.
Make sure your information isexactly the same across your
website.
your Google business profile andany other online directories.
Third, encourage happy clientsto leave Google reviews.
(15:37):
Reviews are huge for local SEOand the easiest way to get them
is simply to ask.
After a positive interaction,send a follow up email with a
direct link to your Googlereview page.
These three really simple stepswill put you ahead of 80 percent
of local businesses when itcomes to showing up in local
(15:58):
searches.
Now let's address the elephantin the room.
What about the dreaded keywordresearch?
Isn't that a huge part of SEO?
Yes, it is.
It's important, but it doesn'thave to be complicated.
Here's my simplified approachthat doesn't require fancy,
expensive tools or hours ofresearch.
(16:19):
One, start with Google'sautocomplete.
Type the beginning of a questionthat your ideal customers might
ask into Google and see whatsuggestions pop up.
Don't hit enter.
These are actual searches peopleare making.
If you start the sentence, seewhat it completes before you hit
enter.
(16:40):
Step two, scroll the bottom ofthe search results page to find
the related searches section.
These are more great keywordideas.
And step three, check out thepeople also ask boxes in the
search results.
These will show you relatedquestions people are asking
about your topic.
And that's it.
(17:00):
This gives you real search datawithout needing expensive
keyword tools or complicatedspreadsheets.
If you do want to go a stepfurther, I recommend the free
tool Keywords Everywhere, or youcan upgrade to their basic plan,
which is only$6 a month.
It gives you 400,000 credits,that show you search volume data
(17:21):
right in your Google searchresults.
This should be plenty for mostsmall businesses.
I've done a whole episode abouthow to use this tool.
I will link to it in the shownotes.
It is Episode#113, KeywordResearch Made Easy: A Beginner's
Guide to SEO With KeywordsEverywhere.
Now, let's talk about a commonquestion.
(17:41):
How long does SEO take to work?
And here's the honest truth.
SEO is not an overnightstrategy.
It typically takes about threeto six months to start seeing
significant results from yourSEO efforts.
But the good news is that onceyou start ranking, these results
tend to snowball over time.
(18:01):
Think of SEO like planting seedsin your business garden.
You're not going to get tomatoestomorrow, but with consistent
care, you'll eventually havemore than you can eat.
This is an essential part ofyour evergreen business
strategy.
The key here is consistency.
It's much better to publish onewell optimized blog post every
(18:25):
month than to publish 10 in onemonth and then nothing for the
rest of the year and the returnon investment, it's pretty
freaking incredible.
According to Search EngineJournal, SEO leads have a 14.
6 percent close rate compared toonly 1.
7 percent for outbound leadslike cold calling.
(18:48):
That means people who find youthrough Search Engine are nearly
nine times more likely to becomecustomers than people who you
chase down.
Businesses that invest in SEOsee an average ROI or return on
investment of 275 percent overtime.
That's an insane return for anybusiness investment.
(19:12):
And if you're thinking aboutadding video to your content
strategy, that's another SEOwin.
Forrester Research found thatpages with video content are 53
times more likely to rank on thefirst page of Google.
That's not 53%.
That's 53 times more likely.
(19:33):
Before we wrap up, let's quicklycover the biggest SEO myths that
you're welcome to completelyignore.
Myth number one, you need to paythousands for SEO experts or you
can't rank.
Wrong.
So what's the truth?
Well, while good SEOprofessionals are definitely
(19:53):
worth their weight in gold, manysmall businesses can handle
their basic SEO needs in housewith just the strategies we've
discussed today.
Myth number two, you need tostuff your content with keywords
to rank.
Wrong.
So, what's the truth?
Keyword stuffing can actuallyhurt your rankings.
(20:14):
Google's priority is providingvaluable content to searchers,
not rewarding people who cramthe most keywords onto a page.
Myth number three.
SEO is all about technicalbackend stuff.
Wrong.
So, what's the truth?
While technical SEO does matter,content quality and relevance
(20:37):
are far more important for mostsmall businesses.
So focus on creating contentthat answers real questions that
real people are asking.
Myth number four.
Once you rank, you're setforever.
Wrong.
So what's the truth?
SEO does require ongoingattention.
(20:57):
Search trends change,competitors emerge, and Google
updates its algorithm.
The good news is that if you'reregularly creating helpful
content, you're already doingthe most important maintenance.
And there you have it.
A simple, actionable approach toSEO that doesn't require you to
become an expert or spend hourson complicated strategies.
(21:21):
Remember, the most importantthings are understanding what
questions your ideal customersare asking.
Create content that directlyanswers those questions.
Make that content easy for bothpeople and Google to understand
and be consistent with yourcontent creation.
(21:44):
This approach to SEO is allabout working smarter, not
harder.
It's about connecting with theright people who are already
looking for what you offer,rather than trying to convince
people who just aren'tinterested.
If you're excited aboutimplementing these strategies
but want a complete system forcreating content that drives
traffic to your business 24/7, Ihave something special for you.
(22:08):
I'm opening up the waitlist formy AI Evergreen Content Machine
course, where I'll teach youexactly how to use SEO
strategies combined with AItools to create content that
continues to bring you traffic,generate dream leads, and bring
in sales for months or evenyears to come.
Inside AI Evergreen ContentMachine, you'll learn how to
(22:28):
identify the perfect SEO topicsfor your specific business, my
step-by-step system for creatingcontent that ranks on Google
without spending hours onkeyword research, how to use AI
tools to speed up your contentcreation process without losing
your unique voice, the exactcontent repurposing framework I
use to turn one piece of contentinto multiple assets that work
(22:52):
across platforms, and my provenstrategy for creating content
that drives traffic and convertsthat traffic into actual
customers.
This isn't about getting moretraffic, it's about creating a
consistent automated system thatbrings qualified leads to your
business without needing to docringeworthy social trends or
live on your phone 24/7.
(23:13):
To join the waitlist and befirst to know when doors open,
head to the link in the shownotes.
Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode of Tech Savvy
101.
If you found this helpful, I'dlove it if you could subscribe
and leave a review.
It helps other tech curiousentrepreneurs like you find the
show.
I'll see you really soon.
Did you know that right now, at this very moment,
(00:03):
your dream clients are searchingfor the exact solution that you
offer?
But they might never find you!What if I told you that by the
end of this episode, you couldhave a simple plan to change
that forever?
Welcome to Tech Savvy 101, AIand Automation Made Simple.
(00:23):
Hi, I'm Sarah Baker, your newTech Savvy Bestie.
I'm a technology and automationcoach, an online business owner,
and a crazy busy mom of threekids under 10.
Whether you're just starting toexplore AI, or you're ready to
level up your tech game, I'mhere to help make it all feel
absolutely doable.
(00:44):
No complicated jargon, noendless tutorials, just
shortcuts and simple solutionsthat you can start using in your
business right away.
So, if you're ready to startsaving hours every day with
smart systems and AI tools,you're in the right place.
Let's get started.
(01:05):
Welcome back to Tech Savvy 101AI Automation Made Simple.
I'm your host, Sarah Baker, yourtech savvy bestie, who's here to
help you simplify your business,embrace automation, and save
hours every week.
Today, we're tackling somethingthat I know might make you
Breakout in a Cold Sweat, SEO,aka Search Engine Optimization.
(01:27):
Those three little letters thatseem to hold so much power over
whether your amazing contentactually gets seen by the people
who need it most.
If you've ever thought, I know,I should be doing SEO, but it
all seems so freakingcomplicated, or I don't have
time to become an SEO expert ontop of everything else, then
(01:50):
this episode is my love letterto you.
By the end of our time together,you'll have super simple
approach to SEO that won'trequire a marketing degree or
hours of keyword research.
I'm going to break this downinto bite sized actionable steps
that you can implement rightaway, even if tech makes you
(02:11):
nervous.
Let's dive in.
Let's start with the absolutebasics.
What exactly is SEO anyway?
SEO stands for Search EngineOptimization.
In plain English, it is theprocess of making your website
and your content More visible tosearch engines, like Google, so
(02:33):
that when someone, like yourdream client, searches for
something, like your contentrelated to what you offer, your
business shows up in the result.
Think about how you use Googleyourself.
When you need to find something,you type in a question or a few
keywords, and Google presentsyou with a list of options.
(02:54):
SEO is all about helping yourbusiness appear higher on that
list for searches that arerelevant to what you do.
There are three main componentsof SEO.
First, there's on page SEO.
That is everything you do onyour actual website to help
search engines understand yourcontent.
(03:15):
This includes using the rightkeywords, organizing your
content with clear headings andmaking sure that your site loads
quickly.
Second, there's off page SEO,which is mostly about getting
other reputable websites to linkback to your site.
This is like getting a vote ofconfidence that tells Google
that your content istrustworthy.
(03:37):
And third, there is technicalSEO, which involves the behind
the scenes stuff, like makingsure your site is mobile
friendly, secure and properlyindexed by search engines.
Now, if that already soundsoverwhelming, take a deep
breath.
The good news is that you don'tneed to become an expert in all
three areas.
(03:57):
For most small businesses andentrepreneurs, focusing on the
basics of on page SEO will getyou 80 percent of the results
with 20 percent of the effort.
(07:05):
This is especially importantwhen you consider that Google
processes over 8.
5 billion searches per day,according to Internet Live
Stats.
That is a lot of people lookingfor solutions, and your job is
to make sure that your contentmatches what they're actually
searching for.
(07:26):
Here's how to put this intoaction.
Take your top three to fiveservices or products and write
down what questions someonemight ask when they're looking
for that solution.
And don't overthink this.
Just imagine that you're havingcoffee with someone who needs
your help.
What would they ask you?
(07:46):
For example, if you're a virtualassistant, these questions might
include, how do I know if I needa virtual assistant?
Or what tasks can I outsource toa VA?
And how much does a virtualassistant cost?
Each of these questionsrepresents a different search
intent, and each one is anopportunity for you to create
(08:07):
content that answers thatspecific question.
Now, let's move on to strategynumber two, creating content
that actually answers thosequestions.
Once you know what questionsyour ideal clients are asking,
it's time to create content thatdirectly answers those
questions.
Now, the key here isspecificity.
(08:29):
Instead of creating one generalblog post about virtual
assistant services, you'd createspecific content for each
individual question.
This could look like a blogpost, 10 signs it's time to hire
a virtual assistant, or 23 tasksyou can outsource to a VA today.
Or maybe you create a virtualassistant pricing guide, what to
(08:52):
expect and how to budget.
Each piece of content shouldhave a clear, specific title
that includes the main keywordor question.
An introduction that quicklyshows you understand the
problem.
It should also include contentthat directly answers the
question.
without the fluff.
And it should also includepractical next steps and a clear
(09:16):
call to action.
And here's my favorite simplehack.
Use the question as yourheadline, word for word.
If someone is searching, howmuch does a virtual assistant
cost?
And your headline is, how muchdoes a virtual assistant cost?
A complete pricing guide.
You're immediately signaling toboth Google and the person
(09:39):
searching that your contentmatches what they're looking
for.
HubSpot research shows thatwebsites that blog consistently
generate 55 percent more trafficthan those that don't.
And it's not just about creatingnew content.
Even updating old blog postswith fresh content can increase
(10:00):
organic traffic by up to 106%.
That's huge bang for your buckwhen you think about that time
investment.
And for those of you thinkingabout using AI to help with your
content creation, you're aheadof the curve.
Gartner predicts that AIgenerated content is expected to
power at least 90 percent of allonline content by 2026.
(10:23):
Just make sure that you'realways adding your personal
experience and expertise to keepit unique and valuable.
The third strategy to consideris making your content easy for
Google to understand.
Now that you have great contentthat actually answers your ideal
client's questions, You need tomake sure Google can easily
(10:46):
understand what your content isabout.
Don't worry, this isn't thetechnical part that scares
everyone away from SEO.
Here are the only technical SEOelements you really need to
worry about.
First, your page title.
This is your H1 heading.
This should clearly state whatthe page is about and include
(11:09):
your main keyword.
Keep it under 60 characters soit displays fully in search
results.
Second, your meta description.
Think of this as your searchresult ad copy.
It should entice people to clickthrough to your website.
Aim to keep it under 155characters and make sure it also
(11:30):
includes your main keyword.
Third, use subheadings.
This should be h2 or h3 to breakup your content.
This helps both readers andgoogle understand the structure
of your content.
Each subheading should bedescriptive and can include
related keywords.
Fourth, make sure your contentis easy to read on mobile.
(11:53):
This is something so many peopleforget to check and google
prioritizes mobile friendlycontent.
So make sure you check how yoursite looks on your phone.
And here's a tool that makes itsuper simple.
If you're using WordPress,download the free Yoast SEO
plugin.
It gives you little red, yellow,and green lights to show you if
(12:15):
you've optimized these elementscorrectly, just follow the
prompts until you get a greenlight.
Strategy number four is buildingauthority through internal
linking.
This strategy is my secretweapon because almost nobody
talks about how powerful it isfor small business SEO.
Internal linking simply meanslinking from one page on your
(12:38):
website to another page on yourwebsite.
It helps Google understand therelationship between your
content and which pages on yourwebsite are most important.
Here's how to do it.
Every time you create a newpiece of content link to two to
three other relevant pages onyour site And don't forget to go
back to your existing content toadd links to your new content
(13:01):
Think of your website like ajourney.
How is the person navigatingyour website?
that you're going to get frompoint A to point B to point C.
Where do you want them to gonext?
I even have a post it note stuckto my computer monitor that
says, where to next?
As a constant reminder of this,you don't want any dead ends in
your customer's journey becausedead ends means that they click
(13:24):
away and leave your website.
For example, if you write thatpricing guide for virtual
assistant services, you mightlink to your services page, your
how to work with me page, andperhaps even a case study or a
testimonial page.
This creates pathways for bothGoogle and your readers, or
potential customers, to discovermore of your content.
(13:47):
It keeps people on your sitelonger, which Google loves, and
helps establish your expertiseon related topics.
The best part?
It takes about five minutes todo and has a huge impact on your
SEO over time.
The next strategy is optimizingfor local SEO.
(14:08):
This is important if you serve alocal market.
If not, you can skip thissection.
If you have a local business orserve clients in a specific
geographic area, local SEO isyour new best friend.
It's actually easier to rank forlocal searches because you're
only competing with otherbusinesses in your area, not the
(14:29):
entire world wide web.
This is huge because accordingto Google, local searches lead
76 percent of mobile users tovisit a business within 24
hours.
That means when someone searchesfor a service in their area,
three out of four people arelooking to take action right
away.
(14:50):
Here's a super simple local SEOchecklist.
First claim and optimize yourGoogle business profile, which
was formerly called Google mybusiness.
This is completely free and isabsolutely essential for local
businesses.
Make sure that you verify yourbusiness, add your correct
business hours.
Upload good photos of yourbusiness and choose the right
(15:13):
categories for what you do, aswell as add your services or
products.
Second, get consistent with yourN A P, that's name, address, and
phone number.
Make sure your information isexactly the same across your
website.
your Google business profile andany other online directories.
Third, encourage happy clientsto leave Google reviews.
(15:37):
Reviews are huge for local SEOand the easiest way to get them
is simply to ask.
After a positive interaction,send a follow up email with a
direct link to your Googlereview page.
These three really simple stepswill put you ahead of 80 percent
of local businesses when itcomes to showing up in local
(15:58):
searches.
Now let's address the elephantin the room.
What about the dreaded keywordresearch?
Isn't that a huge part of SEO?
Yes, it is.
It's important, but it doesn'thave to be complicated.
Here's my simplified approachthat doesn't require fancy,
expensive tools or hours ofresearch.
(16:19):
One, start with Google'sautocomplete.
Type the beginning of a questionthat your ideal customers might
ask into Google and see whatsuggestions pop up.
Don't hit enter.
These are actual searches peopleare making.
If you start the sentence, seewhat it completes before you hit
enter.
(16:40):
Step two, scroll the bottom ofthe search results page to find
the related searches section.
These are more great keywordideas.
And step three, check out thepeople also ask boxes in the
search results.
These will show you relatedquestions people are asking
about your topic.
And that's it.
(17:00):
This gives you real search datawithout needing expensive
keyword tools or complicatedspreadsheets.
If you do want to go a stepfurther, I recommend the free
tool Keywords Everywhere, or youcan upgrade to their basic plan,
which is only$6 a month.
It gives you 400,000 credits,that show you search volume data
(17:21):
right in your Google searchresults.
This should be plenty for mostsmall businesses.
I've done a whole episode abouthow to use this tool.
I will link to it in the shownotes.
It is Episode#113, KeywordResearch Made Easy: A Beginner's
Guide to SEO With KeywordsEverywhere.
Now, let's talk about a commonquestion.
(17:41):
How long does SEO take to work?
And here's the honest truth.
SEO is not an overnightstrategy.
It typically takes about threeto six months to start seeing
significant results from yourSEO efforts.
But the good news is that onceyou start ranking, these results
tend to snowball over time.
(18:01):
Think of SEO like planting seedsin your business garden.
You're not going to get tomatoestomorrow, but with consistent
care, you'll eventually havemore than you can eat.
This is an essential part ofyour evergreen business
strategy.
The key here is consistency.
It's much better to publish onewell optimized blog post every
(18:25):
month than to publish 10 in onemonth and then nothing for the
rest of the year and the returnon investment, it's pretty
freaking incredible.
According to Search EngineJournal, SEO leads have a 14.
6 percent close rate compared toonly 1.
7 percent for outbound leadslike cold calling.
(18:48):
That means people who find youthrough Search Engine are nearly
nine times more likely to becomecustomers than people who you
chase down.
Businesses that invest in SEOsee an average ROI or return on
investment of 275 percent overtime.
That's an insane return for anybusiness investment.
(19:12):
And if you're thinking aboutadding video to your content
strategy, that's another SEOwin.
Forrester Research found thatpages with video content are 53
times more likely to rank on thefirst page of Google.
That's not 53%.
That's 53 times more likely.
(19:33):
Before we wrap up, let's quicklycover the biggest SEO myths that
you're welcome to completelyignore.
Myth number one, you need to paythousands for SEO experts or you
can't rank.
Wrong.
So what's the truth?
Well, while good SEOprofessionals are definitely
(19:53):
worth their weight in gold, manysmall businesses can handle
their basic SEO needs in housewith just the strategies we've
discussed today.
Myth number two, you need tostuff your content with keywords
to rank.
Wrong.
So, what's the truth?
Keyword stuffing can actuallyhurt your rankings.
(20:14):
Google's priority is providingvaluable content to searchers,
not rewarding people who cramthe most keywords onto a page.
Myth number three.
SEO is all about technicalbackend stuff.
Wrong.
So, what's the truth?
While technical SEO does matter,content quality and relevance
(20:37):
are far more important for mostsmall businesses.
So focus on creating contentthat answers real questions that
real people are asking.
Myth number four.
Once you rank, you're setforever.
Wrong.
So what's the truth?
SEO does require ongoingattention.
(20:57):
Search trends change,competitors emerge, and Google
updates its algorithm.
The good news is that if you'reregularly creating helpful
content, you're already doingthe most important maintenance.
And there you have it.
A simple, actionable approach toSEO that doesn't require you to
become an expert or spend hourson complicated strategies.
(21:21):
Remember, the most importantthings are understanding what
questions your ideal customersare asking.
Create content that directlyanswers those questions.
Make that content easy for bothpeople and Google to understand
and be consistent with yourcontent creation.
(21:44):
This approach to SEO is allabout working smarter, not
harder.
It's about connecting with theright people who are already
looking for what you offer,rather than trying to convince
people who just aren'tinterested.
If you're excited aboutimplementing these strategies
but want a complete system forcreating content that drives
traffic to your business 24/7, Ihave something special for you.
(22:08):
I'm opening up the waitlist formy AI Evergreen Content Machine
course, where I'll teach youexactly how to use SEO
strategies combined with AItools to create content that
continues to bring you traffic,generate dream leads, and bring
in sales for months or evenyears to come.
Inside AI Evergreen ContentMachine, you'll learn how to
(22:28):
identify the perfect SEO topicsfor your specific business, my
step-by-step system for creatingcontent that ranks on Google
without spending hours onkeyword research, how to use AI
tools to speed up your contentcreation process without losing
your unique voice, the exactcontent repurposing framework I
use to turn one piece of contentinto multiple assets that work
(22:52):
across platforms, and my provenstrategy for creating content
that drives traffic and convertsthat traffic into actual
customers.
This isn't about getting moretraffic, it's about creating a
consistent automated system thatbrings qualified leads to your
business without needing to docringeworthy social trends or
live on your phone 24/7.
(23:13):
To join the waitlist and befirst to know when doors open,
head to the link in the shownotes.
Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode of Tech Savvy
101.
If you found this helpful, I'dlove it if you could subscribe
and leave a review.
It helps other tech curiousentrepreneurs like you find the
show.
I'll see you really soon.
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