Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Basics

Why Google Traffic Matters

Google is often the biggest source of traffic for your website—and best of all, it brings people who are actively searching for your products, services, or expertise. Yet, despite how powerful SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) can be, most business websites in Australia are not optimised properly. That leaves the door wide open for you to dominate your niche with some simple, smart changes.

While SEO is a vast and ongoing process, there are a few proven basics that can help your site climb the rankings. Keep in mind, SEO doesn’t produce overnight results—it’s a long-term investment that pays off for years to come.

Foundations of On-Page SEO

1. One Keyword = One Page

Don’t try to cover too many topics on one page. Focus each page on a single keyword or phrase. If you’re selling red chairs and blue chairs, give each product its own page. The same goes for services—break them into clear, keyword-focused sections.

2. Unique Content

Avoid duplicate content, whether it’s copied from other sites or repeated across your own pages. Google favours original, helpful information. If you have multiple domains, don’t clone your content across them.

3. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

It’s tempting to overload your pages with every variation of your keyword, but that’s a fast way to get penalised. Instead of saying, “Dining chairs, kitchen chairs, office chairs,” create individual pages for each type.

Key SEO Elements to Focus On

Title Tags

The <title> tag is one of the most important SEO factors. It’s what appears as the headline in Google search results. Make sure each page has a unique title that includes your target keyword—avoid wasting the beginning of your title on your company name. Keep it under 60 characters to avoid being cut off.

Example:

• ✅ Good: "Business Valuation Services Sydney – Dolman Bateman"

• ❌ Poor: "Dolman Bateman – Welcome to Our Website"

Meta Descriptions

Though meta descriptions don’t directly influence rankings, they do affect click-through rates. Write compelling descriptions (under 150 characters) that encourage users to click. Include your keyword at least once to reinforce relevance.

URL Structure

URLs should be simple and keyword-rich. Avoid complex or dynamic URLs with question marks or IDs (e.g., ?page=1234). A clean structure like /services/business-valuation is more user-friendly and easier for Google to index.

Pro Tip: If you’re changing existing URLs, use 301 redirects to tell Google that the page has moved permanently. This helps maintain your SEO rankings.

Headings (H1, H2, H3)

Use heading tags properly:

• <h1> – Main title (once per page)

• <h2> – Subheadings

• <h3> – Further sub-points

Include your target keywords naturally within these headings to help Google understand the structure and content focus of your page.

Image Alt Text

Alt text is used by search engines and screen readers to describe images. It’s essential for accessibility, and it gives your SEO an extra boost. Describe the image in plain language, and include your page’s keyword if it fits naturally.

Example:

• alt="business-valuation-sydney-expert-report"

How to Check Your SEO Progress

Use this quick test to see how your site is being indexed:

1. Go to Google

2. Type: site:yourdomain.com.au

3. You’ll see all the pages Google has indexed from your site.

If you only see a handful of pages, that means you only have a few chances to be found. Every blog post or service page is a new doorway into your site,

so keep building!

Final Thoughts

SEO is not a set-and-forget task. It’s a continuous effort, but it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to generate qualified traffic and grow your business online. Implementing these basic strategies puts you ahead of most of your competitors.

We’ll cover more advanced SEO topics like link building, blogging, and local search in future posts.

Need Help With SEO or Website Optimisation?

Book a consultation with the Dolman Bateman team today. We’ll help you get your site working smarter for your business.

Further Reading

This is only a very brief overview of a enormous subject. There is a mountain of information on SEO on the web, some of it bad and some very good. As a start, there is:

• Google Webmaster Central - Webmaster Guidelines

• Everything you need to know about SEO (but were afraid to ask)

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Disclaimer:

The information provided in this article is general in nature and does not constitute personal financial, legal or tax advice. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this content at the time of publication, tax laws and regulations may change, and individual circumstances vary. Dolman Bateman accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage incurred as a result of acting on or relying upon any of the information contained herein. You should seek professional advice tailored to your specific situation before making any financial or tax decision.