If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 25 years working in digital marketing, it’s this: the more a website owner understands SEO, the more successful they’ll be online. While you don’t need to be a technical wizard, understanding the basics of SEO empowers you to make better decisions, ask smarter questions and avoid costly mistakes. And that’s exactly where an SEO consultant like myself can help – not just to do the grunt work for you, but to help you understand what’s going on. On a sidenote, I should also that having genuine, informed conversations with website owners – rather than working in isolation – always (and I do mean always) achieves better results.
So, What Is SEO and Why Should You Care?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the practice of improving your website’s visibility in search engine results. It’s not just about rankings — it’s about relevance, trust, user experience, and long-term growth.
Whether you’re running an e-commerce shop, a B2B service site or a personal blog, your website is competing for attention. Without SEO, your site is effectively invisible. That’s where the contributions of an experienced SEO Consultant become invaluable — helping you unlock the traffic, visibility and conversions your business deserves.
The Benefits of Understanding SEO as a Website Owner
1. You’ll Make Smarter Marketing Decisions
Even if you hire an SEO Consultant, understanding the basics helps you allocate your budget wisely. You’ll know the difference between black-hat tactics and long-term strategy, and you’ll be able to question and validate the advice you receive.
2. SEO Aligns Your Website With Your Users
SEO isn’t just about pleasing Google. It’s about creating a site that serves your audience — fast, helpful, mobile-friendly and easy to navigate. When you understand SEO, you start seeing your website through your users’ eyes, which results in a better experience for everyone.
3. You Avoid Costly Mistakes
Over the years, I’ve seen countless businesses suffer because of poor SEO decisions — from keyword stuffing to duplicate content to dodgy backlinks. Often, the damage isn’t visible until rankings drop or traffic tanks. A bit of knowledge goes a long way to protect your site and brand.
4. You’ll Get More From Your SEO Consultant
The relationship between a website owner and an SEO Consultant should be collaborative. When you understand what’s being done and why, it leads to better conversations, clearer expectations and stronger results. It’s no longer a case of blind trust — it’s a strategic partnership.
SEO Isn’t Just for Big Brands
Many small business owners assume SEO is something only large companies with deep pockets can afford. But the truth is, with the right guidance, any website can benefit — especially when working with an SEO Consultant who focuses on results, not just vanity metrics.
A good consultant will teach you as much as they implement. They’ll break down what’s working, what’s not, and what your next steps should be. And they’ll empower you to feel in control of your website — not mystified by it.
What a Good SEO Consultant Brings to the Table
- Clear Strategy: They’ll create a roadmap based on your goals, audience and competitive landscape.
- Transparent Reporting: You’ll see exactly what’s being done and how it’s impacting your visibility.
- Technical Know-how: From fixing errors to improving site speed, technical SEO is often overlooked — but critical.
- Content Planning: Whether it’s blogs, service pages or product descriptions, great content drives rankings and revenue.
- Education: The best consultants don’t just do the work; they explain it in plain English.
Empowerment Over Dependence
Ultimately, my goal as your SEO Consultant is to help you understand how SEO fits into your wider business strategy. I want to empower, not create dependence. When a website owner like you understands SEO fundamentals — how search engines work, how content ranks, how traffic converts — they become far more confident and capable in growing their business online.
Your SEO Questions Answered
Here are a bunch of questions new clients ask me about search engine optimisation. Hopefully you’ll find the answers you’re looking for here;
What does an SEO Consultant do?
An SEO Consultant analyses, optimises and improves your website to rank higher on Google and attract more relevant traffic. They focus on both technical and content elements to boost visibility.
Is hiring an SEO Consultant worth it?
Yes — if you want to grow organic traffic, improve rankings, and gain a clearer strategy, give me a call – it’ll be a game changer.
Do I need to understand SEO to work with a consultant?
Not entirely, but having a basic understanding helps you communicate better and evaluate their work more effectively. I’ll teach you everything you need to know, so we’ll be having informed conversations from day 1.
How long does SEO take to work?
SEO is a long-term strategy. You can often see improvements within 3–6 months, but the best results build over time – which is why it’s so important to start things right, mimising the chances of making the wrong decisions and wasting your precious time.
What’s the difference between an SEO Consultant and an agency?
As an SEO Consultant I’ll work with you, rather than for you, including you in as much of the work as you’re comfortable with, all the while teaching you how to get the most from your website for the long term.
Can you help with local SEO?
Absolutely. Local SEO is a key area of my focus, especially for businesses that serve specific geographic areas. As it goes, I wrote one of the first books on local SEO and the importance of Google Business pages, back in 2012.
What do you mean by technical SEO?
Technical SEO refers to backend improvements like site speed, mobile usability, indexing and structured data — all crucial for search rankings. I’ll tell you more in our first call and my free website audit of your website will highlight any technical issues we need to look at.
Can SEO help a new website?
Yes — starting with SEO best practices from day one gives new sites the best chance of early visibility and growth.
Is SEO a one-time thing?
No — SEO is ongoing. Search engines evolve, competitors shift, and content needs updating regularly. That’s why it’s so important for you to understand what’s going on, rather than simply making a few tweaks and thinking the job is done. It’s not, SEO is for the long term and you must know how to DIY the basics. Otherwise you’re simply wasting your time and money.
Can I do SEO myself without hiring a consultant?
Yes you can — I want you to do it yourself. By working with an experienced SEO Consultant like myself, you’ll hit the ground running, avoid making costly mistakes and see results sooner.
What’s the most important part of SEO?
All parts matter, but quality content that matches search intent is at the heart of every effective SEO strategy and to my training.