Honest SEO: It's Not Just Keywords (It's the Whole Shebang)

Hello! Dave here. I've been really curious about SEO lately. Ask ten people what 'SEO' is, and you'll get ten different answers. Most of them will mention 'keywords' and 'being number one on Google.' And they're not wrong. But that's only one piece of the puzzle. I watched Rob help Yorkshire businesses with this, and I got really curious about something. Why do some businesses get found online while others don't, even when they're using keywords?

Relying just on keywords is like building a brilliant new shop, painting a gorgeous sign... and then forgetting to build a front door or tell the post office where you are. 'Honest SEO' isn't a single trick. It's "the whole shebang"—a few different jobs that all have to work together. In plain English, it's these three big things.

Part 1: Technical SEO (The Foundations)

Rob showed me some examples of websites that looked great but weren't getting found. This is the 'under-the-bonnet' stuff. It's the solid foundation of your website. You can have the best-looking site in the world, but if the technical bits are a mess, Google might get confused, frustrated, or just not bother showing up at all.

It answers questions like:

Is it fast? Does your site load in under 2 seconds, like we promise? Or is it so slow that visitors give up and leave? Google tracks this (they call it Core Web Vitals). Rob told me something really important about this - speed matters more than most people think!

Can Google find it? We give Google a "floor plan" (called a sitemap) to make sure it can find all your important pages. Without this, Google might miss some of your best content. I've seen this work for so many businesses!

Does it work on a phone? Google now uses the mobile version of your site for ranking (this is 'mobile-first indexing'). If your site is a nightmare on a phone, you're going to have a bad time. Rob demonstrated how this works with some real examples.

Is it secure? That little padlock (HTTPS) in the browser bar? That's a must-have for building trust with users and Google. It's like having a lock on your front door - basic, but essential!

The Bottom Line: Technical SEO is all about making your site fast, clear, and easy for both humans and Google to read. It's the 'hand-coded, built properly' part of the promise. That's what Rob always says, and it makes perfect sense!

Part 2: Content & Keywords (The Sign on the Gate)

This is the bit everyone knows. But how it works has changed. I asked Rob about this one, and he told me something really interesting.

The Old Way (The 'Gimmick'): Stuffing 'plumber Wakefield' onto a page 20 times. This is called 'keyword stuffing', it's annoying to read, and it doesn't work anymore. It's like barking too much - eventually, people stop listening!

The 2025 'Honest' Way:

Keywords = Topics: Keywords just tell Google what your page is about. We don't 'stuff' them. We pick a main topic for each page (like web development Wakefield for our homepage) and write naturally about it. Rob's been doing this for years, and it shows!

Content = The Answer: This is the most important bit. Your content has to be genuinely helpful. It needs to answer the 'why' (the 'user intent') behind a search. Is someone just looking for info ('how to stop a tap dripping') or are they ready to hire ('emergency plumber near me')? I've seen this work for so many businesses!

E-E-A-T = Trust: Google wants to see that you're a real, trustworthy expert. This is why we're so open about our community work and put real client testimonials on our site. We're showing Google (and you!) that we're the real deal. Rob knows what he's talking about when it comes to this stuff!

Part 3: Local SEO (Getting on the Local Map)

For any local business (hi, 'Community Claire'!), this part is massive. This is how you show up in the "Map Pack" for those '...near me' searches. Rob told me something really important about this.

It's all about your Google Business Profile (GBP). This is your free business listing on Google. So many businesses set it up once and then forget it. That's a huge missed opportunity!

'Honest SEO' for your GBP means treating it like a mini-website:

Fill out everything: Your services, your opening hours, your exact location. The more complete it is, the better Google understands your business.

Add Photos: Regularly upload new pictures. We post photos of our D.E.S.T. sponsorship and new website launches. It shows we're active and real. Rob demonstrated how this works with some real examples.

Post Updates: Use Google Posts to talk about new services, blog posts, or community news. This keeps your profile fresh and shows you're engaged.

Get & Reply to Reviews: This is non-negotiable. Good reviews build massive trust. Replying to them (even the odd bad one) shows you're an engaged, "straightforward" business owner. I've seen this work for so many businesses!

So, What is SEO? It's The Whole Shebang

SEO isn't one magic trick. It's all three of these things working together:

1. Technical SEO: A fast, solid foundation.

2. Content & Keywords: Helpful answers that build trust.

3. Local SEO: A strong, active presence in your community.

You need all three. You can't have a great shop (Content) on a broken foundation (Technical). And what's the point if no one in town knows where you are (Local)? It's not about 'gimmicks'. It's about building a great digital home for your business and making it easy for the right people to find it.

Tired of the jargon and wild promises? If you'd like a digital partner to help you shine online (with the whole shebang), just give us a bark. No nonsense, guaranteed. The Hoomans are always happy to chat!