Welcome back! In Part 1 of our guide, we walked you through building the foundation of your first business website—from securing a domain to designing your core pages.
Now that your site is built, it’s time to make sure customers can find it. This guide covers the essential Search Engine Optimization (SEO) steps to attract visitors, connect with your local community, and track your growth for the long term.
Checklist: Optimizing Your New Website
Step 4: Basic On-Page SEO – Optimize Your Content
On-page SEO refers to optimizing individual pages on your site to help search engines understand and rank them. Here are the essentials:
- Do Keyword Research: Think about what your customers search for. Use free tools like Ubersuggest to find relevant keywords (e.g., “best cupcakes in Calgary”).
- Optimize Title Tags and Meta Descriptions: Your page’s title tag (the headline in Google results) and meta description (the summary below it) are crucial. Make the title descriptive and include your main keyword (e.g., “Calgary Cupcake Bakery | Gluten-Free & Classic Treats”). Write a compelling meta description to encourage clicks.
- Use Headings and Structure Content: Use headings (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content. This makes it easy for humans to read and for Google to understand. Sprinkle your keywords naturally into headings and paragraphs—but never force them.
- Optimize Images: Compress images to ensure your site loads quickly, and use descriptive alt text for every image. Alt text helps visually impaired users and tells Google what the image is about (e.g., alt=”Chocolate cupcakes on display in our Calgary bakery”).
- Ensure Your Site is Secure (HTTPS): A secure site with an SSL certificate (the padlock in the address bar) is trusted by users and favored by Google. Most hosts offer a free SSL.
Step 5: Set Up Google Analytics and Search Console
These free Google tools are non-negotiable for tracking your success.
- Google Analytics: Tracks visitor data—how many people visit, which pages are popular, and how they found you.
- Google Search Console: Monitors your site’s performance in Google Search. It shows you which keywords you’re ranking for and alerts you to technical issues.
Step 6: Local SEO – Connect with Your Community
For any business serving a specific area like Calgary, Local SEO is your superpower.
- Create a Google Business Profile: This is the free listing that gets your business on Google Maps. Go to the Google Business Profile page to create or claim your listing. Fill it out completely and ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent with your website.
- Get Reviews: Encourage happy customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Positive reviews are a powerful trust signal for both customers and Google.
- Build Local Directory Listings (Citations): List your business on Yelp Canada, YellowPages, and industry-specific directories. Consistency in your NAP information is key.
Step 7: Ongoing SEO – Content, Links, and Continuous Improvement
SEO isn’t a one-time task; it’s an ongoing process.
- Regularly Add Quality Content: A blog is perfect for this. Writing articles on topics your customers care about establishes you as an expert and gives Google more reasons to rank your site.
- Build Backlinks: Backlinks (links from other websites to yours) are like votes of confidence. You can earn them by partnering with other local businesses, being featured in local news, or creating valuable content that others want to share.
- Monitor and Adjust: Use your Google tools to see what’s working. If a page is getting a lot of traffic, lean into that topic. If another isn’t performing well, look for ways to improve it.
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Conclusion & Next Steps
Congratulations! By following this two-part guide, you’ve learned how to build your first website and optimize it for search engines. You now have the knowledge to create a powerful online presence that attracts customers 24/7.
Remember that SEO takes time and consistent effort. Be patient, keep creating valuable content for your audience, and watch your visibility grow.
Ready to turn your website into a sales machine?
If you want expert help to save time and accelerate your results, our Calgary-based team is here for you.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your goals, or explore our flexible subscription plans for ongoing support. Good luck, and happy optimizing