Struggling to get your website seen online? You’re not alone. SEO, or search engine optimisation, helps your site show up in search results—and you don’t need to hire a pro to get started.
This guide breaks down how to do your own SEO in six simple steps.
Key takeaways
DIY SEO is doable, even if you're not a tech expert—tools like Google Analytics and Ubersuggest can help you get started
Focus on on-page and off-page SEO—use the right keywords and build links from other trusted sites
Keep your content fresh and fix any technical issues like slow load times
Keep learning—SEO changes often, so stay up to date with blogs, videos, or free webinars
Results won’t come overnight, but with steady work, your rankings can improve over time
Ready to get started? Let’s walk through the steps.
Understanding SEO basics
If you want more people to find your website, you need SEO. It helps your site show up in search results when someone looks for what you offer.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It’s how websites get seen on Google and other search engines. The better your SEO, the higher your site ranks—and the easier it is for people to find you.
There are two main parts:
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On-page SEO – the content and structure of your site
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Off-page SEO – links from other sites that point to yours
Both are important. And when they work together, they help build trust, improve your visibility, and bring in more visitors.
Types of SEO to know
Each type of SEO has a role to play. Here’s a quick breakdown:
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On-page SEO – Use the right keywords, write helpful content, and make sure your site is easy to navigate
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Off-page SEO – Get backlinks from other websites to build authority and trust
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Local SEO – Great for small businesses in Ireland who want to show up in local searches and on Google Maps
Knowing which type you need helps you focus your efforts and get better results.
Why SEO matters
SEO isn’t just about traffic—it’s about getting the right people to your site.
Done well, it brings in visitors who are already looking for what you offer. That means more leads, more sales, and more chances to grow your business. Plus, it helps make your website clearer and easier to use.
Can you do SEO yourself?
Yes, you can. DIY SEO is possible—and it doesn’t take a tech background to get started.
With the right tools and a bit of patience, you can do keyword research, write optimised content, and build backlinks. You can even run basic audits to spot and fix problems.
It takes time, but the payoff is real. And if you stay consistent, you’ll start to see results that help your business grow.
Steps to DIY SEO
Want to boost your site’s visibility without hiring an expert? DIY SEO is a solid option for small business owners. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to get started.
Start by checking where you are
Before you make changes, know what’s working (and what’s not). Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to see:
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How people find your site
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What pages get the most visits
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What keywords are bringing in traffic
Look at your competitors too. See what keywords they’re using and which of their pages rank well.
Find the right keywords
Good SEO starts with choosing the right words. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to:
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Find keywords your audience is searching for
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Focus on terms that match your products or services
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Include local keywords (like “coffee shop in Sligo”) to reach people nearby
Build your content around these keywords to bring in the right visitors.
Create content that’s ready to rank
Once you’ve picked your keywords, add them into helpful content. This could be blog posts, service pages, or FAQs. Keep it simple and focused.
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Use keywords naturally
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Break up your text with headings and bullet points
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Answer real questions your customers ask
The more useful your content is, the more likely it is to show up in search.
Check your backlinks
Backlinks—links from other sites to yours—help build your site’s authority.
Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to see:
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Who’s linking to you
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Which pages are getting those links
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Where there are chances to get more
Reach out to trusted sites in your industry to earn new links. Even one good backlink can make a difference.
Fix technical issues
Technical problems can hurt your SEO—even if your content is great.
Check that your site:
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Loads quickly
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Works well on mobile
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Has no broken links
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Uses alt text for all images
These changes help search engines read your site properly—and improve the user experience too.
Keep learning
SEO doesn’t stand still. Keep up with new updates and best practices.
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Read SEO blogs
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Listen to podcasts
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Join webinars or workshops
Even small updates to your site can add up over time. Keep learning, keep testing, and stay consistent. That’s the key to long-term results.
Step 1: Set your organic search baseline
Before you start making changes to your site, you need to know where things stand. Setting your organic search baseline gives you a clear picture of how your website is performing right now.
Set up search analytics
Start by setting up tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. These show how people find your site, what they click on, and how they interact with your pages.
You’ll see:
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Which pages get the most visits
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What keywords bring people in
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How long visitors stay on your site
This gives you the data you need to build a better SEO plan.
Check out your competitors
Look at similar businesses online. What keywords are they ranking for? Which of their pages show up first in search results?
Use SEO tools to:
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Track their keyword rankings
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See which of their pages perform best
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Spot gaps you can take advantage of
Learning from your competitors can help shape your own strategy.
Find your top pages
Use your analytics tools to see which pages are already doing well. These might be blog posts, service pages, or FAQs.
Knowing what works helps you create more of the same—and fix what isn’t performing.
Watch user engagement
Don’t just track traffic. Look at how people behave once they land on your site:
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Bounce rate
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Session time
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Pages per visit
If people leave quickly or don’t visit other pages, your content might need a refresh.
Track keyword rankings
Check how your chosen keywords are ranking in search. Use free or low-cost tools to monitor changes over time.
If your keywords aren’t ranking, it’s a sign to rethink your content or try different terms.
Create a baseline report
Write down your findings. Keep it simple—just track your traffic, rankings, and page performance each month or quarter.
This helps you see what’s improving and where you need to focus next.
Share and set goals
If you work with a team or partner, talk through the data. Set clear goals based on what you’ve learned—like boosting traffic to a key page or improving rankings for one main keyword.
Once you know where you’re starting from, it’s much easier to track your progress and measure what’s working.
Step 2: Research keywords and relevant search queries
To bring the right people to your site, you need to use the words they’re already searching for. That’s where keyword research comes in.
Start with what your customers might search for
Think like your customer. What would they type into Google to find your business?
Write down a few ideas based on:
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Your services or products
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Your location (if relevant)
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Common questions people ask you
These simple phrases are the starting point for your SEO keywords.
Use SEO tools to dig deeper
Now it’s time to get specific. Use free SEO tools like:
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Google Keyword Planner
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Ubersuggest
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AnswerThePublic
These tools help you find:
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Popular search terms related to your business
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How many people search for them each month
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How hard it is to rank for each keyword
Look for a mix of:
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Short keywords (like “coffee shop”)
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Longer phrases (like “best coffee shop in Cork”)
Longer phrases are often easier to rank for—and more targeted.
Check your competitors
Look at what’s working for others. Use SEO tools to see which keywords your competitors are ranking for.
Pay attention to:
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Their blog titles
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Product or service page keywords
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Local terms they use
If they’re getting traffic from certain keywords, you might be able to as well.
Add keywords naturally to your site
Once you’ve got a list of useful keywords, add them to your:
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Headings and subheadings
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Page titles and meta descriptions
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Website content and blog posts
Don’t stuff them in—just use them where they make sense. This helps Google understand what your content is about and makes it more likely to show up in search results.
Doing your keyword research properly sets a strong foundation for everything else in your SEO plan.
Step 3: Publish optimised content
Good content is one of the most important parts of SEO. It helps search engines understand your site—and it gives visitors a reason to stick around.
Start with useful content
Think about what your audience wants to know. Focus on topics that solve problems, answer questions, or explain your services in plain language.
Write clearly and keep it simple. You don’t need fancy words—just content that’s easy to read and easy to understand.
Use keywords naturally
Take the keywords you researched in Step 2 and include them where they fit naturally. Add them to:
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Page titles and headings
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The first paragraph of your content
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Image file names and alt text
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Meta descriptions
Don’t overdo it. Just use the terms in places that make sense. This helps search engines connect your content to what people are searching for.
Make your content easy to scan
Most people skim online. Break up your text to make it easier to read:
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Use headings and subheadings
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Add bullet points for key info
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Keep paragraphs short
The easier your content is to read, the more likely people are to stay on your site.
Add and update content regularly
Fresh content shows search engines your site is active. It also gives visitors a reason to come back.
You don’t need to publish every day—just be consistent. Try posting:
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Blog posts that answer common questions
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Updates to service pages
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New product info or customer tips
Optimise images too
Don’t forget about your visuals. Add descriptive alt text to your images to help with SEO—and make your site more accessible.
Publishing helpful, keyword-friendly content keeps your site moving up in search rankings. And the more useful your content is, the more visitors you’ll attract and keep.
Step 4: Analyse your backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your site. Think of them as votes of trust. The more quality links you have, the more likely it is that search engines will see your site as reliable and worth ranking higher.
Check who’s linking to you
Start by finding out which websites link to yours. Use free tools like:
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Google Search Console
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Ahrefs (free version)
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Ubersuggest
These tools show which pages on your site get the most links. They also help you see if those links are coming from trusted websites or spammy ones.
Look for quality, not just quantity
One great backlink from a trusted site is better than ten low-quality links. You want backlinks from websites that are:
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Well-known or relevant in your field
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Active and updated regularly
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Not full of spam or broken pages
If you spot links from low-quality sites, you might need to remove or disavow them.
See what content gets the most links
Backlink tools can also show you which of your pages are attracting links. Use this info to your advantage. If a blog post or guide is popular, make more content like it. That way, you’re building on what already works.
Reach out and build relationships
If someone links to your content, thank them. This can open the door to future collaboration. You can also ask other sites to link to your helpful content, especially if it adds value to something they’ve already written.
Backlinks help show that your content matters. Keeping an eye on them is one of the smartest things you can do for long-term SEO growth.
Step 5: Address technical issues
Technical problems can hold your website back. Even if your content is strong, a slow or broken site can stop you from ranking well. Search engines want to send users to sites that load fast and work properly.
Start with a quick check-up
Use tools like:
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Google PageSpeed Insights
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Lighthouse
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Screaming Frog SEO Spider
These tools flag common problems like:
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Slow-loading pages
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Broken links
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Missing alt text
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Pages not working on mobile
Speed up your site
Site speed is a big deal for both users and search engines. To improve it:
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Compress large images
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Use fewer plugins or scripts
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Enable browser caching
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Choose a faster hosting plan if needed
Fix broken links
Broken links make your site look messy. They also create a poor experience for your visitors. Check for any that lead to missing pages or dead ends and fix them or remove them.
Make sure your site works on mobile
More people use their phones to browse the web. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’ll lose traffic. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test can tell you if your site needs work.
Sorting out technical issues makes your website easier to use and easier to rank. It’s not the flashiest part of SEO, but it’s one of the most important.
Step 6: Stay informed and continue learning
SEO doesn’t stand still. Search engines update how they rank sites all the time. That means your strategy needs to keep up too.
Keep your knowledge fresh
You don’t need to know everything, but staying informed helps you make better choices for your site. Try these:
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Follow trusted SEO blogs like Moz, Yoast, or Search Engine Journal
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Watch short YouTube tutorials for simple tips
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Listen to SEO podcasts while you work
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Sign up for free webinars or online training sessions
Learn from others
Talk to other business owners who do their own SEO. Join online forums or local business groups. Share what’s worked for you and hear what others are trying.
Track your progress and adjust
As you learn, keep testing small changes on your site. Watch what brings more visitors or better rankings. Then build on what works.
The best SEO strategies come from staying curious. A bit of learning every month goes a long way.
Common questions about DIY SEO
Not sure if DIY SEO is the right fit for you? These are the questions small business owners in Ireland ask most often.
Do I need to be good with tech?
No. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to start doing SEO. Plenty of business owners handle their own SEO without a background in tech. If you can use a website builder or post to your blog, you’ve got enough skills to start.
You can pick up the rest as you go. There are loads of simple tools and guides to help with things like keyword research and content updates.
How long does DIY SEO take?
It takes time. SEO isn’t a quick fix. You might spend a few hours a week on it, and results can take weeks or even months to show. Some changes are easy to make straight away, like fixing page speed or updating content.
More competitive keywords and backlinks take longer to build. But with steady effort, you’ll see the impact over time.
When will I see results?
That depends on your site and your niche. If your content is useful and your site runs well, you could see small wins within a few weeks. Bigger gains, like ranking higher for busy search terms, might take a few months.
Keep at it. The more consistent you are, the better your chances of climbing those search results.
Should I still think about paying for SEO?
It depends on your goals and your time. If you enjoy learning and want to stay hands-on, DIY SEO is a solid choice. If you're short on time or just want quicker results, it might be worth paying for help.
You can also do a mix. Handle some parts yourself, and get expert support where it counts. Just make sure the help you choose fits your budget and your business goals.
Need help getting started?
DIY SEO is a great option, but you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. If you’re unsure where to begin or need a second opinion on your progress, I’m here to help.
Get in touch for simple, clear support with your SEO. Let’s find what works best for your business.
