1. Optimise Your Page Titles and Meta Descriptions

Your page titles and meta descriptions are what show up in Google’s search results, and they’re the first thing people see.

• Include your main keyword naturally in the title (e.g. "Affordable Garden Design in Oxford")

• Keep titles under 60 characters and descriptions under 160 characters

• Write descriptions that encourage people to click (like a mini sales pitch)

This is something that we do for all of our website clients prior to launching their website.

2. Create Quality, Keyword-Focused Content

Google rewards content that’s useful, relevant, and easy to understand. Focus on writing for humans, but with keywords in mind.

• Identify what your audience is searching for using tools like Google Trends or Answer the Public

• Include relevant keywords in headings, body text, and image alt tags

• Aim to answer common questions or provide value in every post or page

A good rule of thumb: if someone searches a question and lands on your site, they should find the answer quickly.

3. Improve Page Speed and Mobile Friendliness

Google prioritises websites that load quickly and work well on mobile devices. If your site is slow or hard to use on a phone, you’ll likely drop in rankings.

• Test your site using an insights tool

• Compress large images using free tools such as TinyPNG

• Ensure that your website is fully responsive and that it adapts to any screen size

A fast, user-friendly site keeps visitors engaged, which sends positive signals to Google.

4. Use Internal Linking

Internal links (links from one page on your site to another) help Google understand the structure of your site and keep users exploring your content longer.

• Link related blog posts together using natural anchor text

• Include a few internal links in each page or article

• Create cornerstone content — pages that act as hubs for related topics

Not only does this help with SEO, it also improves the user experience by guiding visitors to useful information.

5. Claim and Optimise Your Google Business Profile

If you run a local business, your Google Business Profile is a must-have. It’s free and helps your business show up in local search results and on Google Maps.

• Visit google.com/business to claim your listing

• Add your address, hours, services, and photos

• Collect and respond to reviews from happy customers

A fully completed and regularly updated profile can dramatically boost your visibility for local searches like “plumber near me” or “best coffee shop in town”.

Final Thoughts

Improving your Google search ranking doesn’t require technical expertise or a big budget. By focusing on high-quality content, site performance, and user experience, you’ll set yourself up for long-term success, without spending a penny.

Start small, be consistent, and remember: SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.

How 88 Digital Media Can Help

At 88 Digital Media, we follow all the SEO best practices listed above to ensure your website performs well and stays visible on Google — without the technical stress on your end. We offer full-service website packages from just £20/month, which includes:

• Professional design and development

• Fast, secure hosting

• Ongoing website management

• Regular SEO checks and updates to help you grow organically

Whether you're just starting out or need help improving your existing site, we make it easy and affordable to get online and get found.

Get in touch with us today to see how we can help!