SEO Basics Every Small Business Should Know
A practical guide to improving your search visibility without the jargon.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. At its core, SEO is about making your website easy for both users and search engines to understand. Here’s what actually matters.
The Foundation: Technical SEO
Before worrying about keywords, make sure your site is technically sound:
Speed Matters
Google uses page speed as a ranking factor. A slow site hurts both rankings and user experience.
- Aim for under 3 seconds load time
- Compress images before uploading
- Use a content delivery network (CDN)
Mobile-First
Google indexes the mobile version of your site first. Make sure:
- Text is readable without zooming
- Buttons are easy to tap
- No horizontal scrolling required
Security (HTTPS)
An SSL certificate is non-negotiable. Sites without HTTPS:
- Get marked as “Not Secure” in browsers
- May rank lower in search results
- Lose user trust
Content That Ranks
Write for Humans First
The best SEO content answers real questions your customers have. Don’t write for search engines — write helpful content, then optimize it.
Structure Matters
Use proper heading hierarchy:
# Page Title (H1) - only one per page
## Main Sections (H2)
### Subsections (H3)
This helps both users and search engines understand your content.
The Basics of On-Page SEO
| Element | Best Practice |
|---|---|
| Title Tag | 50-60 characters, include main keyword |
| Meta Description | 150-160 characters, compelling summary |
| URL | Short, descriptive, includes keyword |
| H1 | Clear, matches search intent |
| Images | Descriptive alt text, compressed |
Local SEO for Albanian Businesses
If you serve customers in a specific area, local SEO is crucial:
- Google Business Profile — Claim and optimize your listing
- NAP Consistency — Same Name, Address, Phone everywhere
- Local Keywords — Include “Tiranë” or your city in content
- Reviews — Encourage happy customers to leave reviews
46% of Google searches have local intent. If you’re not showing up locally, you’re invisible to nearly half your potential customers.
Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid
🚫 Keyword stuffing — Repeating keywords unnaturally
🚫 Duplicate content — Same content on multiple pages
🚫 Ignoring mobile — Desktop-only optimization
🚫 Slow images — Uploading uncompressed photos
🚫 No internal linking — Pages that don’t link to each other
What We Do Differently
At ueb.al, SEO is built into every project:
- Semantic HTML — Proper heading structure and landmarks
- Schema markup — Rich snippets for better visibility
- Performance optimization — Fast sites rank better
- Clean URLs — Human-readable, keyword-friendly
Quick Wins You Can Do Today
- Check your site on PageSpeed Insights
- Make sure every page has a unique title and description
- Add alt text to all images
- Verify your Google Business Profile is complete
Need Help?
SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. If you want professional help:
- Contact us for an SEO audit
- View our portfolio to see our results
- Read more about our services