SEO often feels complicated, and that’s simply because it is.
It’s heavily rooted in strategy — understanding how search engines prioritize content and how users interact with it, in addition to the constant algorithm updates that Google keeps doing.
In fact, about 80% of SEO is planning and strategizing, while only 20% is actual execution.
There are some simple SEO tasks that you can implement quickly, and see meaningful results. These easy wins can help you improve your clients’ keyword rankings, particularly for local businesses.
Here’s a list of 10 SEO tasks to help you get started and confidently offer more value to your clients.
1. Optimize Meta Titles and Descriptions
Meta titles and descriptions are your website’s “first impression” on search engine results pages (SERPs). A good title catches the eye, while a relevant description provides a snapshot of what users can expect on your page.
Having said that, you do not need to go overboard with the words. Keep it simple and realistic. It is all about helping Google learn what the page is about and what its intent is.
Why it’s important?
Well-crafted meta information can improve your click-through rate (CTR), sending more traffic to your site.
How to do this?
Use concise, keyword-rich titles under 60 characters and descriptions under 160 characters. Keep them clear and directly relevant to your page content. Tools like Rankmath (for WordPress) can help ensure you’re on track.
2. Compress Images for Faster Load Times
Nobody likes a slow-loading website, especially not your potential customers. Large image files are often a culprit, adding a lot of load on the hosting bandwidth.
This not only affects user experience but also your site’s performance in search engines, as speed is a critical ranking factor.
By optimizing your images, we can reduce their size without compromising quality, ensuring your website loads faster and keeps visitors engaged.
Why it’s important?
Faster websites improve user experience and are favoured by search engines like Google.
How to do this?
Use tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim to reduce image sizes without compromising quality. For WordPress users, plugins like Imagify can automate the process.
3. Use Alt Text for All Images
Alt text (alternative text) describes your images for search engines and visually impaired users. It’s an often-overlooked SEO gem.
Alt text ensures accessibility by helping screen readers describe the image content to users who cannot see it.
For example, if an image shows a smiling person holding a cup of coffee, the alt text might read, “Person holding a coffee cup and smiling.”
Also, Search engines can’t “see” images the way humans do (they are definitely improving with AI, though), so they rely on alt text to understand what an image is about.
Including descriptive and relevant alt text allows search engines to index your images and associate them with specific keywords, improving your chances of appearing in image searches.
Why it’s important?
Alt text helps search engines index your images, making your site more accessible and improving your chances of ranking in image searches.
How to do this?
Write short, descriptive text that includes keywords when appropriate, but avoid keyword stuffing. For example, instead of “IMG001”, use “red ceramic coffee mug on a table”.
4. Claim & Optimize Your Google Business Profile
For small businesses, especially those serving local communities, Google Business Profile (GBP) is a must-have.
If someone searches for “plumber near me” or “best coffee shop in town,” a well-optimized GBP ensures your business appears in those results, increasing the chances of attracting local customers.
Why it’s important?
GBP helps you appear in local search results and Google Maps, increasing your visibility to nearby customers, and is one of the most simple SEO tasks out there.
How to do this?
Claim your profile if it has not already been done. Add accurate business details (like address, hours, and contact info), upload quality photos, and actively manage reviews by responding to them politely and professionally.
5. Fix Broken Links on Your Site
Broken links occur when a link on your website leads to a page that no longer exists or cannot be accessed. These are often caused by deleted pages, changed URLs, or typos in the link.
Broken links create a poor user experience. It’s frustrating and can make visitors lose trust in your website, potentially driving them away to competitors.
Broken links send a signal to search engines that your site may not be well-maintained or reliable.
Search engines prioritize websites that provide a seamless and valuable experience for users. If they encounter too many broken links, it could negatively affect your search rankings.
Why it’s important?
Fixing broken links improves user experience and prevents you from losing potential customers.
How to do this?
Use tools like Broken Link Checker to identify broken links. Replace or remove them regularly. Audit each page of your website for broken links on a quarterly basis to ensure it is all good.
6. Add Internal Links to Improve Navigation
Internal links are hyperlinks that connect one page of your website to another page on the same site.
Search engines use internal links to crawl your website and understand its structure.
They show search engines which pages are most important. For instance, frequent links to a “Services” page signal that it’s a key part of your site.
Internal links also transfer “SEO value” from one page to another, boosting the ranking potential of the linked pages.
Why it’s important?
Internal links enhance user engagement by keeping visitors on your site longer.
How to do this?
When writing blogs or updating pages, link to relevant services, blogs, or resources within your site.
For example, link “learn more about SEO services” to your SEO service page. Do not overdo it.
3-5 internal links on a page are good enough.
Keep it logical, and do not force it. Forcing internal links can hamper SEO.
7. Create Mobile-Friendly Pages
With most people using smartphones and tablets to browse the internet, about 60% of the searches happen on these devices.
If your site isn’t optimized for mobile devices, users may experience issues like tiny text, hard-to-click buttons, or images that don’t display properly.
This can lead to frustration and cause visitors to leave your site quickly, which is bad for both user experience and SEO.
Though creating mobile-optimized pages might not be one of the simple SEO tasks, it definitely is an important aspect for CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization).
Why it’s important?
Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in search rankings.
How to do this?
Test your site’s mobile compatibility using Bing Mobile-Friendly Test Tool. Make the changes if the tool highlights.
To Conclude
SEO doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming.
By doing these simple SEO tasks on a consistent basis, your small business can steadily build its online presence and attract more customers.
The best part? These tasks are simple enough to tackle on your own or with minimal guidance.