Why SEO Still Matters
In 2025, search engines remain the first place people go when looking for products, services, and answers. That means if your business isn’t showing up, you’re missing out.
This SEO field guide is your straightforward companion to understanding what SEO is, how it works, and how it helps your business grow—especially if you’re serving a local market like Surrey, BC.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization—the process of improving your website to appear higher in search engine results like Google.
It’s not about gaming the system. It’s about helping your ideal customers find you when they need you most.
Whether someone searches for “best plumber in Surrey” or “custom home builder near me,” SEO helps your business show up first.
How Search Engines Work
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization—the process of improving your website to appear higher in search engine results like Google.
To understand SEO, you first need to understand how search engines work. They’re constantly scanning and ranking billions of web pages to deliver the best results to users.
Here’s how that process works in three main steps:
Crawling – Bots (called crawlers or spiders) scan your website for content.
Indexing – The content is analyzed and stored in Google’s database.
Ranking – Google decides which pages to show first based on relevance and quality.
SEO is all about optimizing your site for these three stages.
Understanding this process helps you create content and structure your site in a way that search engines—and your users—can trust.
The Three Core Parts of SEO
SEO isn’t just one tactic—it’s a system made up of several key elements working together.
To improve your visibility in search results, you need to focus on three main areas: technical SEO, on-page SEO, and off-page SEO.
1. Technical SEO
This ensures search engines can access and understand your site. It includes:
Fast page load speeds
Mobile-friendly design
Clean code and proper site structure
Secure connection (HTTPS)
2. On-Page SEO
This involves optimizing content on your site:
Page titles, headings (H1–H3), and keyword placement
Descriptive meta descriptions
Image alt tags and filenames
Internal linking and readable formatting
3. Off-Page SEO
This is what happens off your site to build authority:
Backlinks from trusted websites
Mentions on social media and directories
Positive reviews and local listings (like Google Business Profile)
Together, these three areas form the foundation of a strong SEO strategy. Focusing on just one won’t be enough—real success comes from balancing all three and keeping them aligned with your business goals.
Local SEO: A Must for Businesses
If your business serves a specific region like Surrey, BC, general SEO isn’t enough.
You need strategies that help you show up right when local customers are searching for what you offer. If you serve customers in Surrey, Local SEO should be your top priority. It helps your business appear in Google’s Map Pack and local searches.
To improve your local SEO:
Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
Use location-based keywords like “marketing agency in Surrey”
Get listed in local directories
Collect and respond to Google reviews
Local SEO ensures your business becomes a familiar and trusted presence in your neighbourhood—both online and off.
SEO vs. SEM vs. PPC: What’s the Difference?
There are a lot of acronyms thrown around in digital marketing, and it’s easy to confuse them.
Here’s a breakdown of how SEO compares to paid strategies like SEM and PPC.
SEO = Organic traffic (you earn clicks by ranking well)
SEM/PPC = Paid ads (you pay for placement at the top)
Both can be part of a strategy—but SEO builds long-term visibility and credibility.
Understanding the differences helps you make smarter decisions about where to invest your marketing dollars.
Why SEO Is a Long Game
SEO doesn’t offer quick wins—but it does offer lasting results.
Let’s explore why patience and consistency pay off in the long run. Good SEO doesn’t produce overnight results. It builds momentum over time. But once your pages rank, they can attract traffic without extra cost per click.
Think of it like planting a garden. It takes time and care, but the long-term payoff is worth it.
If you commit to the process, your efforts will continue to deliver value long after the initial work is done.
How to Measure SEO Success
You can’t improve what you can’t measure.
Tracking SEO performance helps you understand what’s working—and where to adjust.
You don’t have to guess. Use these tools:
Google Search Console – Track impressions, clicks, and rankings
Google Analytics – See what traffic converts into leads or sales
Yoast or Rank Math – On-page SEO guidance right inside WordPress
Watch for:
Higher rankings for key terms
Increased organic traffic
More form submissions, calls, or sales
Regular tracking gives you confidence that your strategy is aligned with real business growth.
Real-World Example: SEO in Action
Let’s bring all this theory to life with a real success story. It’s one thing to talk strategy—it’s another to see how it plays out in the field.
One of our clients, a Surrey-based electrician, had a decent website but wasn’t showing up in local search. We started with a few key improvements: optimizing their Google Business Profile, adding local service keywords to key pages, and improving on-page structure for faster loading and clearer navigation.
The results? Within three months, they secured a top spot in Google’s local Map Pack for “emergency electrician Surrey.” The phone started ringing consistently—week after week—all without any additional ad spend.
This shows how a few well-targeted, strategic SEO actions—especially for local visibility—can generate measurable business growth. You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Start with what matters most to your audience and build from there.
Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to fall into traps that hurt your rankings.
Here’s what to look out for—and how to fix it.
Stuffing keywords unnaturally
Ignoring mobile users
Forgetting to update or maintain your site
Skipping internal links
Using generic page titles like “Home”
Avoiding these mistakes helps keep your SEO efforts efficient and effective, saving you time and boosting your results.
How We Do SEO (And How You Can Too)
SEO isn’t guesswork—it’s a structured process rooted in research, planning, execution, and analysis.
Here’s how we approach SEO for our clients at EV Agency, and how you can apply the same framework to your own website.
RESEARCHING
The first step is understanding your audience, competitors, and your own goals.
Know your audience: Explore demographics, pain points, and key questions. What are they searching for—and how can you answer it better than anyone else?
Keyword research: Use tools to identify high-potential keywords based on search volume and competition.
Competitor research: Analyze what your competitors rank for, what they’re doing well, and where gaps exist.
Brand and business research: Clarify your unique offerings, positioning, and business goals.
Website audit: Evaluate technical SEO, site content, backlinks, and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust).
SERP analysis: Understand the intent behind search queries and reverse-engineer content that ranks.
PLANNING
With research in hand, we build a roadmap tailored to your business.
Your plan should include:
Clear SEO goals (e.g., SMART goals, OKRs)
Timelines and deliverables
Defined KPIs
Team roles, tools, and resources
Budget and reporting cadence
Documentation of workflows and priorities
CREATING & IMPLEMENTING
Execution is where strategy meets creativity.
Guide new content: Provide clear direction on what to write and why it matters.
Upgrade existing content: Refresh outdated pages, improve keyword usage, and add relevant internal links.
Remove low-performing content: Eliminate or consolidate pages that offer little value.
Technical fixes: Ensure page speed, mobile responsiveness, and crawlability are on point.
MONITORING & MAINTAINING
SEO isn’t one and done.
Update outdated content
Fix broken links
Reoptimize pages based on new data
Monitor site health and technical performance regularly
ANALYZING & REPORTING
We track, measure, and refine.
Use tools like:
Google Analytics for engagement and conversions
Google Search Console for impressions, clicks, and rankings
SEO platforms (like Ahrefs or SEMrush) for link audits and keyword tracking
SEO: A Journey, Not a Destination
SEO takes time, testing, and continuous effort. But when done right, it builds momentum—and keeps working long after the initial investment. Whether you’re handling SEO in-house or with EV Agency, the key is consistency, curiosity, and a commitment to helping your audience.
Advanced SEO Best Practices from Google’s Official Starter Guide
Google’s SEO Starter Guide lays out essential practices that every website owner should follow.
These next-level tips go beyond the basics and help ensure your site is structured for long-term visibility and performance.
SEO-Friendly URLs
Short, clean, and descriptive URLs help both users and search engines understand what a page is about. Avoid long strings of numbers or irrelevant characters. For example, use /seo-basics instead of /page?id=12345.
Descriptive Anchor Text
When linking between pages, always use clear and specific anchor text. For example, instead of saying “click here,” say “learn more about SEO content strategies.”
Image Optimization
Images should be optimized in three ways:
Use descriptive filenames (e.g.,
local-seo-surrey.jpg)Include relevant alt text for accessibility and search relevance
Compress files to improve page load speed
Mobile-First Design
Since Google uses mobile-first indexing, your site should:
Use responsive layouts that adapt to all screen sizes
Ensure that text is readable without zooming
Avoid elements that break or misalign on mobile
Clear Site Navigation
A logical, intuitive menu and internal link structure help users and crawlers navigate your site easily. Keep your primary navigation simple and consistent.
Duplicate Content & Canonicalization
Duplicate content can confuse search engines. Use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of a page. Avoid publishing the same content in multiple places unless necessary.
Natural Backlink Strategy
Instead of buying backlinks (which violates Google’s guidelines), focus on creating content that others want to link to:
Publish original research
Share case studies
Contribute guest posts to industry-relevant sites
Crawl Budget Management
Google has a limited “crawl budget” for your site. Don’t waste it on unnecessary or duplicate pages. Use:
robots.txtto block unimportant sectionsnoindextags for pages you don’t want in search results (e.g., admin or thank-you pages)
By applying these advanced practices, you strengthen the foundation of your SEO strategy and give your site the technical edge Google rewards. Make sure these improvements extend across your content, templates, and overall site structure for consistent performance.
SEO Is for People
At its core, SEO isn’t just for search engines—it’s for humans. When you focus on helping real people find clear answers and solutions, your rankings naturally improve.
Need help choosing your next step? Get in touch with the marketing outfitters at EV Agency. We’ll help you chart the path—and walk it with you.
SEO optimizes your site to rank higher in search results by improving technical, content, and off-page elements.
It’s a cost-effective way to improve visibility and grow your business.
Yes, SEO drives traffic, builds trust, and provides long-term benefits.
Focus on keyword optimization, quality content, and backlinks, and maintain consistent updates.
Technical, On-Page, Off-Page, and specialized SEO like Local or Ecommerce.
Yes, it’s a foundational component.
To increase visibility, drive traffic, and build trust with search engines and users.
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