Google will show your website to more people when they are searching for the services you offer.

Owning a website is like having a shop on the internet. But what good is a shop if nobody can find it? That's where search engine optimisation (SEO) comes in. SEO helps your website get noticed by search engines like Google and Bing so they can show it to more people.

Ways to optimise your website for search engines include:

1. Keywords: Think about the words or phrases people might type into Google when looking for the services you offer. These are your keywords. Make sure your website includes these keywords in its content, headings, titles, and even in the web address (URL).
2. Content: Focus on creating quality and consistent content. This could be in the form of blog posts, product/service descriptions, or videos. Search engines favour websites offering quality content, and regular uploads tell them that your site is active and relevant, boosting its ranking in search results.
3. Mobile-Friendly Design: With 60% of internet users on mobile, your website must be optimised for mobile devices, as well as desktop and tablet. A poorly designed website will not rank high in search results.
4. Page Speed: By reducing unnecessary code, your website loads faster which will make it rank higher. This is one of the advantages of hand-coded websites over page-builders like WordPress, which often use more code than necessary to implement basic functions.
5. Backlinks: These are links from other websites that link to yours. Think of it as a collaboration. Seek out opportunities to get backlinks from reputable companies in your industry.

This is merely an introduction to search engine optimisation. By now, you have learned that SEO is an essential aspect of creating a successful website. By staying up-to-date with SEO best practices (this requires on-going effort), you can improve your website's ranking, attract more visitors, and ultimately achieve your online goals. Happy optimising!