The 11 Essential Beginner’s Guide to SEO (Step-by-Step)

Struggling to get your website noticed on Google?

You’re not alone.

Most people feel overwhelmed trying to figure out where to start with SEO—especially if you’re not a tech expert.

But here’s the good news:

You only need a few simple steps to set up your site the right way and start attracting real traffic.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through 11 proven SEO basics that work—whether you’re on WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or even a custom HTML site.

Ready to set yourself up for success?

Let’s dive in.

Step 1: Prepare Your Website for SEO

Before you start tweaking keywords and titles, you need to get your website ready.

If you’re using WordPress, it’s easy.

Here’s exactly what to do:

1️⃣ Log in to your WordPress dashboard.

2️⃣ On the side menu, click Plugins, then Add New.

3️⃣ In the search box, type Rank Math.

4️⃣ When it appears, click Install, then Activate.

That’s it!

Once Rank Math is active, you’ll see a new SEO section below your content editor whenever you create or edit a page. This is where you can fill in all the critical details:

✅ Page Title
✅ URL (Permalink)
✅ Meta Description

These are the pieces that tell Google what your page is about—and help you rank.

What If You’re Not on WordPress?

No worries.

You can still do everything in this guide.

Whether you’re using Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, or HTML, the process is the same:

👉 You need a place to set your title, keywords, and description.

Just search in browser:
“How do I change SEO settings in Wix or Squarespace?”

You’ll find step-by-step instructions in minutes.

Here’s What to Do Right Now:

✅ If you’re on WordPress:
Go ahead and install Rank Math.

✅ If you’re using another platform:
Find the SEO settings section.

✅ Then:
Create a new page or open an existing one so you’re ready to follow along.

🎯 Rule #1: Nail Your Focus Keyword Research

Alright, friends—let’s start with the first rule that makes or breaks your SEO:

👉 Choosing the right keyword.

Your focus keyword is the main word or phrase you want your page to rank for in Google.

It’s what people are typing into that search box when they need help.

But here’s the thing:

Don’t just grab the biggest, most generic keyword you can find.

Why?

Because those short, broad keywords are way too competitive—especially if your website is new.

So, What Should You Do Instead?

✅ Look for specific, long-tail keywords.

These are longer phrases like:

“SEO basics for beginners”
instead of just
“SEO.”

Long-tail keywords are:
✅ Easier to rank for
✅ Less competitive
✅ More likely to attract the right audience

Tools to Find Winning Keywords

You don’t need to spend a fortune.
Here are my favorite tools to get started:

🔹 Google Keyword Planner (Free)
🔹 Keyword Surfer Extension (Free—just install it in Chrome)
🔹 KeySearch (Paid, but has a cheap trial)

🟢 Pro Tip

When you find keywords, note down two things:

✅ The search volume (how many people search for it)
✅ The difficulty score (how hard it is to rank)

Aim for keywords with good search volume but lower competition.

🎯 Rule #2: Craft an Irresistible Page Title

Alright everyone—now that you’ve got your keywords ready, let’s talk about your page title.

This is super important because it’s the very first thing people and Google see.

Think of it like your website’s first impression—so you want it to stand out.

Why Does Your Title Matter So Much?

Because a strong title can:
✅ Grab attention instantly
✅ Boost your click-through rates
✅ Help you rank higher in search results

Let’s break it down step by step.

🟢 Step #1: Use Your Focus Keyword

Your title must include your main focus keyword.

This is the #1 word or phrase you want your page to rank for.

🟢Step #2: Put the Keyword at the Front

Here’s a little secret:

👉 The closer your keyword is to the beginning, the better.

Search engines pick up on it faster—and so do your readers.

✅ Good Example:
SEO Basics for Beginners – 13 Easy Tips

❌ Not so great:
13 Tips to Learn On-Page SEO and SEO Basics

See the difference?

The first example puts your keyword right up front, where it belongs.

🟢 Step #3: Add Numbers + Power Words

Numbers make your title more specific and clickable.

Power words make it irresistible.

Some of my favorite power words:

• Easy

• Proven

• Essential

• Simple

• Quick

Example Titles You Can Steal

✅ SEO Basics for Beginners – 13 Simple Rules
✅ SEO Basics – 7 Essential Tips for Faster Rankings
✅ SEO Basics Guide – 10 Proven Steps to Boost Traffic

✅ Pro Tip:

Keep your title under 60 characters so it doesn’t get cut off in search results.

🎯 Rule #3: Create a Clean, Keyword-Rich URL

Alright, let’s move on to something that might look small—but actually packs a big SEO punch:

👉 Your URL, also called the permalink.

Think of your URL as the address for your content.

It’s what people (and Google) read to figure out what your page is all about.

What Exactly Is a URL Slug?

Here’s a quick example:

✅ If your website is:
bloomings.in

And your page is about SEO basics, your URL might look like this:
bloomings.in/seo-basics-for-beginners

Everything after the slash is called the slug.

Simple, right?

3 Must-Follow Rules for Perfect URLs

Rule #1:
✅ Keep it short and clean.
Aim for under 75 characters so it’s easy to read and doesn’t get chopped off in search results.

Rule #2:
✅ Always include your main keyword.
If you’re targeting SEO Basics, make sure those words are right there in your URL.

👉 Why?
Because Google looks at your URL to understand your topic—and keywords make it clear.

Rule #3:
✅ Use hyphens instead of spaces.
So instead of this:
❌ seo basics

Write it like this:
✅ seo-basics

Quick Tip: Where to Edit Your URL

When you’re in your WordPress page editor, look for:

✅ Permalink
✅ Slug

Or—if you’re using Rank Math—just click Edit Snippet.

From there, you can adjust:
✅ Your title
✅ Your URL
✅ Your meta description

Why Does This Matter So Much?

Clean, keyword-rich URLs help you:
✅ Rank higher in search engines
✅ Get more clicks
✅ Look more professional

Even though they seem tiny, they play a huge role in your 10 essential SEO rules.

🎯 Rule #4: Write a Click-Worthy Meta Description

Alright—next up is something a lot of people skip…

👉 Your meta description.

Think of this as your mini sales pitch in Google search results.

It’s that little bit of text you see right under your page title when you search for something.

And trust me—it matters more than you think.

Why Should You Care?

Two big reasons:

✅ It tells people exactly what they’ll get if they click your link.

✅ It helps Google understand your content—and match it to the right searches.

Where Do You Edit It?

When you’re editing your page, look for:

✅ Edit Snippet

Scroll down a bit—you’ll see the Description box.

That’s where the magic happens.

3 Simple Rules for a Perfect Meta Description

Rule #1:
✅ Keep it short.
Aim for under 160 characters so it doesn’t get cut off.

Rule #2:
✅ Use your main keyword.
If your focus keyword is SEO Basics, it should be right there in the sentence.

Rule #3:
✅ Make it irresistible.
Tell people why they should click.
👉 What’s in it for them?

Example You Can Steal

Here’s a quick example:

Learn 13 simple SEO basics to boost your website ranking and attract more visitors fast.

See how it:
✅ Includes the keyword (SEO Basics)
✅ Explains the benefit (boost ranking, get more visitors)
✅ Sounds clear and friendly

🎯 Rule #5: Place Your Keyword in the First 10%

Alright—let’s talk about a simple but powerful SEO move that most people forget:

👉 Where you put your keyword.

This is one of those quick tweaks that can seriously boost your rankings.

Here’s the Big Idea

Whenever you write a page or blog post, you want your main keyword to show up near the very start.

Ideally, it should land within the first 10% of your content.

Why does this matter so much?

Because Google scans the beginning of your page first.

If your keyword isn’t there, search engines might think:

❌ “Hmm…maybe this page isn’t really about that topic.”

And guess what?

You’ll have a much harder time ranking.

Quick Example

Let’s say your article is 1,000 words.

✅ Your keyword should show up somewhere in the first 100 words.

Super simple, but incredibly effective.

🟢 Pro Tip

Don’t just stuff your keyword in.

👉 Make it sound natural and helpful—like you’re talking to a friend.

🎯 Rule #6: Write at Least 600 Words (But Aim Higher)

Alright—let’s talk about something super important for ranking well:

👉 How much content you actually write.

🟢 Here’s the deal

If your page is too short, Google won’t see it as helpful or complete.

✅ 600 words is the bare minimum.

Anything less, and search engines often think:

❌ “This page doesn’t have enough value to show in the top results.”

But here’s a secret…

If you look at the top-ranking pages—the ones sitting at the top of Google (the SERP)—you’ll notice something interesting:

👉 They almost always go way beyond 600 words.

Many of them have:
✅ 2,000 words
✅ 5,000 words
✅ Even 10,000 words

Why?

Because more content usually means more value.

🎯 Rule #7: Master Your Headings (H1 to H6)

Headings don’t just make your content look nice—they tell Google exactly how your page is organized.

Here’s How It Works

When you build a page, you’ve got heading tags from H1 all the way down to H6.

Think of it like this:

✅ H1 is your main headline.
It’s the big boss—the most important title on the page.

✅ H2 is your subheading.
✅ H3, H4, H5, H6 keep breaking your content into smaller sections.

The bigger the number, the less important the heading.

One Simple Rule You Have to Follow

👉 Every page should have exactly ONE H1.

Not zero.
Not two.
Just one.

That’s your page’s way of telling Google:
🎯 “Hey, this is what my content is really about.”

Where Should You Use Your Keyword?

Somewhere in your smaller headings—H2 to H6—you should include your focus keyword at least once.

✅ Just pick one heading and work it in naturally.

Quick Example

If your keyword is SEO Basics, you might have an H2 like this:

H2: SEO Basics – A Quick Guide to Get Started

Simple, clear, and optimized.

No need to stuff your keyword into every heading.

Pro Tip

Want to check which headings are already on your page?

✅ There’s a handy Chrome extension called SEO Meta in 1 Click.

With one click, you’ll see:
✅ How many H1s, H2s, H3s you have
✅ If you’ve missed anything important

🎯 Rule #8: Use Alt Text to Supercharge Your Images

What Is Alt Text, Anyway?

Alt text stands for alternative text.

It’s simply a short description you add to every image on your page.

Why does this matter?

Because search engines can’t actually see your images.

They rely on your alt text to figure out what the picture is showing.

Plus, alt text helps people who use screen readers understand your content better.

What Is Alt Text, Anyway?

Alt text stands for alternative text.

It’s simply a short description you add to every image on your page.

Why does this matter?

Because search engines can’t actually see your images.

They rely on your alt text to figure out what the picture is showing.

Plus, alt text helps people who use screen readers understand your content better.

Pro Tips for Perfect Alt Text

✅ Add alt text to every single image.

✅ Make sure at least one image includes your focus keyword.

So if your keyword is SEO Basics, you might write:

“SEO basics settings screenshot.”

🎯 Rule #9: Keep Your Keyword Density Balanced

What Does That Mean?

Keyword density is simply how often your main keyword appears in your content.

Sounds simple, right?

But here’s the catch…

✅ Use it too little—Google might not understand what your page is about.

✅ Use it too much—Google might think you’re keyword stuffing and penalize you.

So What’s the Sweet Spot?

There’s no “perfect” number, but here’s a safe range:

✅ 1% to 2.5% keyword density.

Quick Example

If your article has 1,000 words, you want your keyword to appear about 10–25 times.

That’s it—no more.

A Better Approach

✅ Use your focus keyword naturally.

✅ Mix in related words and synonyms to keep your content sounding smooth.

✅ Always prioritize helpful, clear information over stuffing keywords.

Pro Tip

If you’re using Rank Math or Yoast SEO, they’ll automatically check your keyword density for you.

You’ll see a little percentage indicator—just keep it in the healthy range.

🎯 Rule #10: Add a Dofollow External Link

What’s an External Link?

An external link is any link on your page that points to another website.

✅ For example:
If you link to Google, Wikipedia, or any trusted resource, that’s an external link.

Simple, right?

What Does “Dofollow” Mean?

When search engines crawl your page, a dofollow link tells them:

🎯 “Hey, I trust this site—pass some SEO value to it.”

It’s like giving that website a little endorsement.

How Do You Know if Your Link is Dofollow?

✅ By default, all links are dofollow, unless you change them.

When you add a link in WordPress or Elementor, look for this checkbox:

✅ “Add rel=nofollow.”

👉 If you leave that unchecked, your link stays dofollow.

Easy!

Why Does This Matter?

Because having at least one dofollow external link on your page does two important things:

✅ It makes your content look more trustworthy to Google.

✅ It shows you’re connecting your readers to credible, helpful resources.

🎯 Rule #11: Use Smart Internal Links

What Are Internal Links?

They’re simply links on your page that point to other pages on your own website.

✅ Example:
If you write “read more about bounce rate” and link that text to another guide you wrote, that’s an internal link.

Why Do They Matter So Much?

Three big reasons:

✅ They help search engines understand your site structure.

✅ They show Google you’ve built a network of related content.

✅ They pass link value—sometimes called “link juice”—to your other pages, helping them rank better.

👉 Think about Wikipedia.

Have you noticed how almost every sentence links to another Wikipedia page?

That’s exactly why their content dominates search results.

Your Next Step

Go ahead and:

✅ Review your page.
✅ Add links to at least 2–3 related posts.
✅ Make sure the anchor text is clear and helpful.

Done?

Perfect—this is one of the fastest ways to strengthen your SEO.