How to harness SEO to help your business grow

Posted by Sharp Minds on 12th June 2025, 10:00am

With so many of us looking for suppliers, products and services online first, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a crucial element of any marketing strategy. While there are experts who spend their entire time tweaking websites to win micro gains to stay ahead of the competition, there are many simple tricks that small and medium-sized businesses can deploy to help ensure that your target customers find your website. Our guide will help you win the competitive edge.

 What is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and what are its benefits?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a digital marketing strategy that helps your website rank higher in search engine results. When someone searches for a service or product related to your business, SEO increases the chances of your website appearing on page one—where most clicks happen.

For SMEs, this visibility is critical. According to a 2023 survey by BrightEdge (BrightEdge Research, Organic Channel Report 2023), over 68% of all online experiences begin with a search engine, with B2B and technology companies reporting twice the revenue from organic search than other channels.

For example, an accountant operating out of the Colchester Business and Seedbed Centre can reach a broader local client base by optimising for location-specific keywords like “accountants in Colchester”. Similarly, a furniture maker at Loughton Seedbed Centre can attract targeted searches like “bespoke office furniture near Loughton”.

Key benefits of SEO for SMEs include:

  • Improved brand visibility – appear in more searches and build recognition
  • Cost-effective lead generation – unlike paid ads, organic traffic doesn’t cost per click
  • Customer trust and loyalty – high-ranking websites are perceived as more credible
  • Increased website traffic – leading to higher conversion potential
  • Sustainable growth – ongoing results with continued optimisation

Before you start implementing SEO

Before launching your SEO campaign, it’s worth understanding the tools and regulations involved.

Useful tools (many are free!):

Compliance considerations:
If you collect any form of user data (through forms, cookies, or newsletter sign-ups), make sure your site is compliant with GDPR. This includes clear privacy policies and the use of cookie consent banners.

Creating an effective SEO strategy that will deliver returns on investment

A successful SEO strategy doesn’t need to be expensive, but it does need to be focused.

Start by asking:

  • What are your goals? More web traffic? Local customer acquisition? Online sales?
  • Who is your audience? Think about the search terms they might use.
  • How will you measure success? Set KPIs—such as increased traffic, keyword rankings, or conversion rates.

Make sure your content speaks in a tone consistent with your brand—whether that’s friendly and informal, or professional and authoritative. For example, Capital Space’s own tone blends professionalism with friendly, jargon-free advice—ideal for SMEs.

SEO strategies to boost the visibility of your business website

Implementing practical SEO strategies can significantly enhance how easily your business is found online. Here are some tried-and-tested techniques that SMEs can apply with minimal cost and maximum impact:

  1. Google Business Profile: Optimise your business for local search by making sure it is listed on Google Business Profile, complete with up-to-date contact information, opening hours and customer reviews. Local SEO is especially important for businesses operating in specific areas—such as Capital Space locations in Milton Keynes, Sittingbourne or Croydon—because it ensures you show up in “near me” or location-based searches.
  2. Use keywords naturally and strategically: Identify search terms your potential customers might use (tools like Google Search Console or Ubersuggest can help), and incorporate them naturally into your website copy, page titles, meta descriptions and blog posts. Focus on long-tail keywords like “affordable office space in Milton Keynes” rather than just “office space”.
  3. Create high-quality, relevant content: Search engines favour websites that regularly publish helpful, original content. A blog is a great way to share insights, answer customer questions, and demonstrate expertise. For example, if you run a graphic design agency at Harlow Business Centre, you might write a blog post titled “Top benefits of a great brand for start-ups”.
  4. Optimise page speed and mobile usability: Google prioritises websites that load quickly and work well on mobile devices. Use free tools like PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix issues that could be slowing your site down.
  5. Build backlinks from credible sources: Search engines see backlinks (links from other websites to yours) as votes of confidence. Reach out to local directories, industry partners, or neighbouring businesses to link to your site. A mention on a local news site or industry blog can also boost your domain authority. (Having your success story published on the Capital Space website is a great place to start! Talk to your centre manager if you’d like to take advantage of this free service from Capital Space, which we offer to all our customers of both physical and virtual offices.)

By steadily applying these tactics, you can improve your online visibility and draw more of the right traffic to your website—helping you grow both your brand presence and your bottom line.

We’ll be sharing more about content marketing strategies next month.

Pitfalls to avoid with SEO

SEO is a long-term game. A few common mistakes can derail your efforts:

  • Keyword stuffing – overusing keywords can harm rankings and alienate readers
  • Duplicate content – Google penalises websites that reuse identical copy across multiple pages
  • Ignoring mobile optimisation – more than half of searches are done on mobile devices; a slow or clunky mobile site can increase bounce rates
  • Neglecting local SEO – for SMEs especially, local searches are often the most valuable. Make sure your Google Business Profile is up-to-date.

A balanced strategy that avoids these traps is more likely to earn long-term digital marketing success.

 Optimising your SEO strategy

SEO isn’t a ‘set it and forget it’ approach—it thrives on regular refinement.

Schedule quarterly reviews of your analytics data:

  • Which blog posts or pages are drawing the most traffic?
  • What keywords are converting?
  • Are bounce rates improving?

Use tools like Google Analytics to track which pages lead to contact form submissions, phone calls or sales. Tweak your strategy to focus more on what’s working—whether that’s blog content, product pages or location-specific landing pages.

And remember: SEO complements other digital marketing strategies like email marketing, paid ads and social media. A joined-up approach works best.

With a smart, consistent SEO strategy, your business can attract more of the right customers—and convert clicks into clients.

If you’re looking for office space from a provider that wants to support your business success, get in touch.

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