SEO for Beginners: 10 Tips for Your New Website
These 10 SEO tips will push your new website up Google's rankings — no prior knowledge needed, no expensive tools required. Explained practically.
What Is SEO and Why Does It Matter?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It's the practice of making your website appear as high as possible in Google and other search engines when someone searches for your products or services.
Why does it matter? Because 93% of all online experiences begin with a search engine. Anyone who appears on page 2 or beyond on Google is barely found. The first three results on page 1 receive more than 50% of all clicks combined.
The good news: you don't need to be an SEO expert to implement the basics. These 10 tips will help you set your new website up correctly from day one.
Tip 1: Find the Right Keyword
Everything starts with the right keyword — the term your target audience types into Google. Before you write a single word, research:
- What do people type when searching for what you offer?
- How often is that keyword searched (search volume)?
- How strong is the competition?
Free tools for keyword research:
- •Google Keyword Planner (free, Google account required)
- •Google Search Console (shows which terms already find you)
- •Ubersuggest (free basic package)
- •AnswerThePublic (shows questions around a topic)
Tip: For small local businesses, long-tail keywords are often more valuable. Instead of "restaurant", try "Italian restaurant Manchester city centre lunch". Less competition, but very specific intent — these are exactly the people you want.
Tip 2: Use Keywords Naturally in Your Text
Once you know your main keyword, weave it into your text — but naturally, not excessively. Google recognises when keywords are repeated unnaturally often (keyword stuffing) and penalises it.
Where your keyword should appear:
- In the page title (title tag)
- In the meta description
- In the H1 heading
- In the first paragraph of text
- In 2–3 other places throughout the text
- In alt texts of images
Example: If your keyword is "physiotherapist Manchester", it appears once in the title, once in the H1, once in the first paragraph and once in the contact section. That's enough.
Tip 3: Write the Perfect Page Title
The title tag is the blue, clickable text in Google search results. It's one of the most important SEO factors there is.
Rules for the perfect title:
- •50–60 characters — anything longer gets cut off
- •Keyword as early in the title as possible
- •Clear and understandable — the user should immediately know what they're getting
- •Call to action optional (e.g. "Book now", "Try free")
Poor: "Welcome to my website — Physiotherapy | Muster Practice"
Good: "Physiotherapist Manchester — Book Online | Muster Practice"
In Velo, you'll find the page title setting under SEO Settings for each page.
Tip 4: Write Meta Descriptions That Get Clicks
The meta description appears below the title in search results. It doesn't directly affect ranking, but it determines whether someone clicks your result.
Rules:
- •150–160 characters
- •Mention the keyword once
- •Communicate the benefit clearly
- •Optional: call to action
Example: "Professional physiotherapy in Manchester — back, shoulder, sports injuries. Book online, no waiting time. Make an appointment now."
Tip 5: Structure Headings Correctly (H1, H2, H3)
Headings help Google understand the structure of your page. They also help visitors scan the text quickly.
The hierarchy:
- •H1 — main heading, only once per page, contains the primary keyword
- •H2 — section headings, describe the sub-topics
- •H3 — subsections, for details
Common mistake: Many people use H2 and H3 purely for design reasons — because they like a particular font size. This confuses Google. Always use headings in logical hierarchy.
In Velo, simply select the heading type from the dropdown in the text block.
Tip 6: Optimise Images for SEO
Images make websites more attractive, and they can also improve rankings — if you optimise them properly.
Image SEO checklist:
- •Filename: Not "IMG_1234.jpg", but "physiotherapist-manchester-treatment.jpg"
- •Alt text: Every image should have a descriptive alt text — this also helps visually impaired users
- •File size: Compress images before uploading (free with TinyPNG or Squoosh)
- •Format: WebP is now the preferred format for fast loading times
Velo automatically compresses images on upload and lets you add alt texts directly in the editor.
Tip 7: Think Mobile-First
Since 2020, Google has ranked websites primarily based on their mobile version — this is called Mobile-First Indexing. A website that looks poor on a smartphone gets ranked lower, even if it's perfect on desktop.
What mobile SEO means:
- •Responsive design — the website adapts automatically to all screen sizes
- •Fast loading on mobile connections
- •Buttons and links large enough for fingertips
- •Readable text without zooming
All templates in Velo are responsive and mobile-optimised from the start. You can preview the mobile view at any time in the editor.
Tip 8: Optimise Loading Speed
Page speed is an official Google ranking factor. A page that takes longer than 3 seconds to load loses half of its visitors — and loses ranking points.
The most common causes of slow websites:
- Oversized, uncompressed images
- Too many external scripts and plugins
- Poor hosting
How to improve loading speed:
- Compress images before uploading (target: under 200 KB per image)
- Embed videos from YouTube or Vimeo rather than uploading directly
- Don't include unnecessary third-party scripts
Test your loading speed for free with Google PageSpeed Insights — it gives you specific improvement suggestions.
Tip 9: Local SEO for Regional Visibility
If your business operates locally (restaurant, tradesperson, GP surgery, gym), local SEO is particularly important.
The most important measures:
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business):
- Create a free listing
- Add all information: address, phone, opening hours, photos
- Ask satisfied customers for reviews
- Link your website
NAP consistency:
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone. This information must be identical on your website, in Google Business and in all other online directories.
Local keywords:
Include your location in your title, H1 and meta description: "hairdresser London Shoreditch" rather than just "hairdresser".
For restaurants, a well-maintained Google Business profile is often more important than the website itself.
Tip 10: Publish Content Regularly and Start a Blog
Google loves fresh content. Websites that are updated regularly are crawled more often and ranked better.
Simple ways to create new content:
- •Start a blog — write about topics that interest your target audience
- •Update current offers and news on the homepage
- •Build out a FAQ section — answer real customer questions
- •Add testimonials — customer reviews are fresh content
A blog is the most effective way to build organic traffic long-term. Write 1–2 articles per month on topics your customers search for.
Bonus: SEO Checklist for New Websites
Before you publish your website, check this list:
- [ ] Every page has a unique title tag (50–60 characters)
- [ ] Every page has a unique meta description (150–160 characters)
- [ ] Every page has exactly one H1 heading with the main keyword
- [ ] All images have alt texts
- [ ] The website is mobile-optimised
- [ ] SSL certificate is active (https://)
- [ ] Google Search Console is set up
- [ ] Google Business Profile is created (if local)
- [ ] Loading time is under 3 seconds
- [ ] Internal links connect key pages to each other
Conclusion
SEO doesn't have to be a mystery. With these 10 tips you lay the foundation for a website that gets found on Google. Implementation takes no more than a few hours — if you use Velo, SEO tools for titles, meta descriptions and alt texts are built right in.
Start now, optimise step by step, and watch your website get found by more and more people.