How to Do SEO of My Website: Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

Wondering how to do the SEO of website pages yourself, without hiring an agency? This step-by-step guide shows you exactly what to do in 2026, from choosing the right keywords to fixing technical issues and showing up in Google’s AI Overviews. Every step can be done with free tools, even if you are a complete beginner.

What is SEO?

SEO (search engine optimisation) is the work of improving your website so it appears higher in Google, Bing and AI-powered search results for the words your customers type. Better rankings bring more free, organic traffic, and unlike ads, that traffic does not stop when you stop paying.

Google decides rankings using hundreds of signals, but they fall into four groups: helpful content, relevance to the search, authority (links and mentions from other sites) and page experience (speed, mobile usability and security).

How to do SEO for your website: 10 steps

Step 1: Set up Google Search Console and Analytics

Google Search Console shows which searches bring people to your site, which pages are indexed and any errors Google finds. Add your site, verify it and submit your XML sitemap (on WordPress it is usually at /sitemap.xml). Add Google Analytics 4 to see what visitors do once they arrive.

Step 2: Find low-competition keywords

New websites rarely rank for broad terms like “SEO” or “shoes”. Target long-tail keywords instead: longer, specific phrases such as “how to do SEO for a small business website”. They have fewer searches but much less competition and visitors who know what they want.

• Type your topic into Google and note the autocomplete suggestions and “People also ask” questions.
• Check the Queries report in Search Console for words you already appear for on page 2.
• Use free tools such as Google Keyword Planner, or the free versions of Ahrefs and Semrush, to compare search volume and difficulty.
• Pick one main keyword per page and a few closely related phrases.

Step 3: Match search intent

Search the keyword yourself and look at what ranks. If the top results are step-by-step guides, write a guide; if they are product pages or local businesses, a blog post will struggle. Giving people the type of page they expect is one of the biggest ranking factors.

Step 4: Write helpful, people-first content

Google rewards content written for people, not for search engines. Show E-E-A-T: experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust.

• Answer the main question in the first two or three sentences.
• Add your own experience: examples, screenshots, results and opinions.
• Use clear H2 and H3 headings, short paragraphs, lists and tables.
• Cover the topic fully, but do not pad it out to hit a word count.
• Show who wrote it, and link to trustworthy sources.

Step 5: Optimise titles, meta descriptions and headings

Element	Best practice
Title tag	Main keyword near the start, roughly 50–60 characters, unique on every page
Meta description	About 150–160 characters that summarise the page and give a reason to click
H1	One per page, matching the topic of the title
URL	Short, readable and keyword-based, e.g. /how-to-do-seo-of-my-website/
Image alt text	Describe what the image shows, naturally including a keyword where it fits

Step 6: Add internal links

Link each new page from two or three related pages on your site, using descriptive anchor text. Internal links help Google find and understand your pages, and keep visitors reading.

Step 7: Fix technical SEO

• Speed and Core Web Vitals: aim for good scores on LCP, INP and CLS in Search Console. Compress images, use caching and choose fast hosting.
• Mobile-friendly design: Google ranks the mobile version of your site, so test every page on a phone.
• HTTPS: make sure every page loads securely.
• Indexing: check robots.txt and noindex tags are not blocking important pages, and fix 404 errors and broken links.
• Structured data: add schema for FAQs, articles, products or your local business so search engines and AI tools understand your content.

Slow hosting holds many small sites back. If yours is slow, our guides to Hostinger and Cloudways cover two popular, affordable options.

Step 8: Optimise for AI Overviews and AI search

In 2026 many searches show an AI-generated answer before the normal results, and tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity also cite websites. To be the page they quote:

• Start each section with a direct, one or two sentence answer, then explain.
• Use question-style headings that match how people ask.
• Add an FAQ section with FAQPage structured data.
• Keep facts, prices and dates current, and say when you last checked them.
• Build your brand so your business is mentioned on other trusted sites.

Step 9: Build authority with backlinks and mentions

Links from other relevant websites are still a strong signal. Focus on quality, not quantity:

• List your business in trusted directories and industry associations.
• Write guest articles or give expert quotes to blogs and news sites in your niche.
• Create useful resources, such as guides, tools or original data, that people want to link to.
• Never buy links in bulk; spammy links can harm your rankings.

Step 10: Do local SEO if you serve a local area

If your customers are nearby, local SEO can bring results quickly. Claim and complete your free Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business):

• Use the same business name, address and phone number everywhere online.
• Choose accurate categories, add opening hours, photos and services.
• Ask happy customers for Google reviews and reply to every review.
• Create a page for each city or area you serve, with genuinely local content.

Free SEO tools to use

Tool	What it helps with
Google Search Console	Indexing, search queries, Core Web Vitals and errors
Google Analytics 4	Traffic, user behaviour and conversions
Google Business Profile	Local rankings, reviews and Maps visibility
PageSpeed Insights	Page speed and Core Web Vitals
Google Keyword Planner	Keyword ideas and search volume
An SEO plugin (e.g. All in One SEO, Yoast or Rank Math)	Titles, meta descriptions, sitemaps and schema on WordPress

Common SEO mistakes to avoid

• Keyword stuffing: repeating a keyword unnaturally makes content worse and can hurt rankings.
• Thin or copied content: pages that add nothing new rarely rank.
• Mass-produced AI content: AI can help you draft, but publish only content you have checked and improved.
• Ignoring mobile and speed: slow, hard-to-use pages lose visitors and rankings.
• Never updating old posts: out-of-date prices and facts lose trust and clicks.

SEO checklist for 2026

1. Search Console and Analytics set up, sitemap submitted
2. One clear keyword and search intent for every page
3. Helpful content that answers the question early
4. Unique title, meta description and H1 on every page
5. Descriptive alt text on images
6. Internal links to and from each new page
7. Fast, mobile-friendly, secure site with good Core Web Vitals
8. FAQ and other structured data added
9. Google Business Profile complete (local businesses)
10. Key pages reviewed every 3–6 months

Frequently asked questions

Can I do SEO for my website myself?

Yes. Most small business websites can do the basics themselves with free tools: Google Search Console, Google Analytics 4, Google Business Profile and an SEO plugin for WordPress. Hire an expert when you need technical fixes, link building or faster results in a competitive market.

How long does SEO take to show results?

Most new pages take 3 to 6 months to rank well, and competitive keywords can take longer. Local searches and low-competition long-tail keywords often move faster.

What is the first step in SEO for a new website?

Set up Google Search Console, submit your XML sitemap and make sure your pages can be indexed. Then research a handful of low-competition keywords and write one helpful page for each.

How do I get my website into Google AI Overviews?

There is no separate setup. Pages cited in AI Overviews are usually ones that already rank well and give clear, direct answers. Answer the question in the first lines of a section, use descriptive headings, add FAQs with structured data, and show real experience and expertise.

Is SEO free?

SEO itself costs nothing except your time, and the core tools from Google are free. Paid tools such as Ahrefs or Semrush, content writers and link building speed things up but are optional when you are starting.

How often should I update my content for SEO?

Review your most important pages every 3 to 6 months. Update facts, prices, screenshots and dates, and expand sections that searchers clearly want more on.

How do I do SEO for my website step by step?

Set up Google Search Console and Google Analytics, find low-competition keywords, write one helpful page for each keyword, fix technical basics such as speed, mobile layout and indexing, add internal links, then earn a few quality backlinks and keep your content up to date.

Final thoughts

SEO is a long-term investment, but the steps are simple: pick the right low-competition keywords, write the most helpful page for each, keep your site fast and technically sound, and earn mentions from other sites. Follow the checklist above, measure results in Search Console, and keep improving.

Want faster growth while your SEO builds? GetToMarketing helps businesses get leads and sales with Facebook and Instagram ads.