For business owners

“I want to be on Google for this keyword” – why it doesn’t work like that

You can’t just add a few words to your website and expect Google to put you on top. Here’s what actually happens behind the scenes – and what you can realistically do about it.

Read on

It’s Not Magic Keywords

Google doesn’t work like a phone book where you just list what you do

This is the biggest misconception out there. Many business owners believe that if you just type the right words somewhere on your website, Google will pick them up and show your site to people searching for those words.

That’s not how it works. Not even close.

Google is more like a very picky librarian. It reads your entire website – every page, every paragraph, every image description – and then makes its own decision about what your website is about, how trustworthy it is, and whether it deserves to be shown to anyone at all.

You can’t just tell Google “I’m a builder in Manchester who does extensions.” You have to prove it. Your website needs to clearly demonstrate what you do, where you do it, and that you’re actually good at it. And even then, Google decides on its own terms.

So when someone says “can you just add these keywords to my site” – the honest answer is: that alone won’t do anything meaningful. Keywords matter, but they’re just one tiny piece of a much bigger picture.

What Google Actually Needs From Your Website

Before you can rank for anything, Google needs something to work with

Here’s the thing most people miss – Google doesn’t rank websites. It ranks individual pages.

That means if you want to appear when someone searches “kitchen renovations in Leeds”, you need a dedicated page on your website specifically about kitchen renovations in Leeds. Not a homepage that says “we do kitchens, bathrooms, extensions and everything else.” A proper, detailed page about that one service in that one area.

Think of it this way. If you walked into two shops looking for running shoes – one shop has a big sign saying “we sell everything” and the other has an entire wall dedicated to running shoes with descriptions, sizes, and reviews – which one would you trust more? Google thinks the same way.

Each service you offer needs its own page. These are sometimes called landing pages or service pages. They need to be well written, specific to what you do and where you do it, and give enough detail that both Google and a real person can understand exactly what you’re offering.

Without these pages, there is literally nothing for Google to show in search results. You could have the best business in town, but if your website is just a homepage with a phone number and a list of services – Google has nothing to work with.

This is the foundation. Everything else comes after this.

Once The Pages Exist, It’s Google’s Call

Nobody controls where or when you appear – and anyone who says otherwise is lying

So you’ve got proper service pages on your website. Great. Now what?

Now you wait. And this is the part that frustrates people the most.

Google has automated software that constantly crawls the internet, reading new and updated pages. At some point it will find yours, read them, and decide where they fit in its search results. This could take a few weeks. It could take several months. Sometimes even longer.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth – nobody can guarantee where you’ll end up. Not your web designer, not an SEO agency, not anyone. Google keeps its ranking formula secret and changes it regularly. There are over 200 known factors that affect where a page shows up, and Google never tells anyone exactly how they’re weighted.

What we do know is that having well-structured, relevant pages gives you a real chance. Without them you have zero chance. That’s the difference.

So if someone ever promises you “page one of Google guaranteed” – be very cautious. They either don’t understand how it works, or they’re hoping you don’t.

So How Do People Get To The Top?

There are two paths – one is fast and costs money, the other is slow and earns its place

If simply having good pages isn’t enough to guarantee a top spot, how do businesses get there? There are basically two approaches, and most successful businesses use some combination of both.

The fast way – paid ads

Google Ads, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads – these let you skip the queue entirely. You pay to appear at the top of search results or in people’s social media feeds. The moment your ad campaign goes live, you’re visible. The catch is simple – you pay for every single click, and the moment you stop paying, you disappear. It works, it’s fast, but it’s an ongoing cost that never stops.

The slow way – search engine marketing

This is the long game. It involves building your website’s reputation over time so that Google naturally ranks you higher. Things like getting other reputable websites to link to yours, collecting genuine Google reviews, regularly updating your site with fresh content, and making sure your site is technically sound. It takes effort and patience, and it’s usually not cheap to get started – but once you earn those rankings, they tend to stick around without paying per click.

Neither approach is wrong. It depends on your situation, your budget, and how quickly you need results. Some businesses need customers tomorrow. Others are happy to invest now and reap the benefits over the next year or two.

Here’s Where I Come In

Find out what you actually need based on your situation

Great. Now what?

Now that you understand how this all works, the question is – what makes sense for your business right now? Not every business needs the same thing. Some need to start from scratch with proper service pages. Others already have the foundations and just need a push in the right direction.

The short questionnaire below will help figure out exactly where you stand and what your next step should be.

Do you have a dedicated page on your website for each service you want to appear on Google?

How fast do you want to appear in search results?

You need landing pages first

Without a proper page for each service, Google has nothing to show in search results – no matter what else you do. This is step one, and nothing works without it. I can create tailored service pages for your business that are built to give Google exactly what it needs.

Paid advertising – Google, Bing & Facebook Ads

The fastest route to visibility. Your business appears at the top of search results almost immediately. The tradeoff – you pay for every single click, whether that person becomes a customer or not. Expect to pay around £2 to £5 per click, and the moment you stop paying, you disappear from results entirely. I can set up and manage ad campaigns for you so you start getting enquiries right away.

Search engine marketing strategy

An aggressive SEO strategy is your best bet. It’s not cheap initially – it takes real work to build your site’s authority and reputation with Google. But once those rankings are earned, they stick around without paying per click. Over time this is significantly cheaper than ads. I can put together an SEO strategy tailored to your business and area.

DIY – share your pages and let Google find you

If budget is tight, the most affordable route is to make sure your service pages are built properly and then get them visible yourself. Share them on social media, post them in local groups and directories, ask happy customers to leave Google reviews. If the pages are built right, Google will find them over time and start showing them to potential customers. It’s the slowest path, but it costs very little beyond the initial page creation.

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