How to Use SEO to Build a Stronger Brand and Increase Online Visibility

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a term that has been thrown around for more than ten years. But the average person’s mind glazes over at just the thought of dealing in the SEO space.

But whether you are bootstrapping a biz from the ground up, or overseeing brand asset management for a corporation, some basic SEO skills are necessary if you are to stay relevant in the marketplace. But, first let’s dispel some of the myths around SEO that scare off most non-marketers.

Dispelling Myths around SEO

MYTH: SEO is too technical

Truth. SEO does not require coding skills or any deep knowledge of algorithms. In fact, most of the impactful and necessary practices are straightforward, such as writing clear helpful content, using words your audience actually searches for, and organizing your pages so they are easy to navigate.  

Myth: You Need a big budget to use SEO

Truth: This myth is certainly not true. Most of the simple SEO techniques I employ every day are free online. Though larger companies may big-budget their road to visibility and advertising success, a small website with focused, useful content can outperform larger competitors in niche areas. In truth, time, consistency, and understanding your target audience goes a long way towards optimizing your online presence.

Myth: SEO is Difficult to learn

Truth: While, it’s true that SEO isn’t instant—that doesn’t mean difficult. Many people expect overnight traffic and give up too early. In reality, even small optimizations (like improving titles or answering common questions) can lead to gradual gains. Over time, SEO compounds, meaning early efforts keep paying off long after you’ve done the work.

How Does SEO Benefit Me?

Perhaps the better question is…do you want to be found online? According to an article titled “A Beginner’s Guide to SEO: Tips, Strategies & How to Begin” by the University of San Diego, “Nearly all online traffic is driven by search engines (think Google, Bing)” Search engines populate both organic and paid results based on dynamic algorithms that crawl the internet looking for the most relevant results to the query.

In other words, it’s much harder to be found without even the most basic SEO behind your content. This means that an introductory grasp of SEO isn’t just a marketing bonus—it will shape how you show up as a business, compete, and grow online. So, here are some practical ways it helps:

SEO Ranks Without Costly Ads

Basic SEO will get your website in front of the people who are already searching for your products or services. With SEO, there is no need to rely on paid ads alone. Instead, you can generate consistent organic traffic by aligning your content with the topics your target audience is already searching for.

Smarter Content Decisions

SEO allows you to think like your audience.Your blog posts, product pages, and even FAQs can become more targeted and useful, resulting in a reduction in guesswork, while allowing you to create more targeted and memorable content that your audience can resonate with. 

Improved User Experience (which boosts conversions

Basic SEO principles—like fast-loading pages, mobile-friendly design, and clear site structure helps your rankings and make you easier to find and engage with. This translates into visitors not only finding you, but also staying longer before taking action.

Simple Ways to Use SEO in Your Everyday Content

First let’s go to the lowest hanging fruit when it comes to SEO ideas. And believe it or not, one of the simplest SEO tricks hides in plain sight.

• Start with a basic Google search such as: “best clean brands of household cleaners”

• Scroll to the very bottom of the page where it says “related searches.” These will show the other popular topics that people are actively searching for.

• Use these “related search ideas” as blog post titles, newsletter content, social media video content

• Then click on one of the related searches and repeat the process for even more highly searched topics

Enroll in YouTube University

There are literally 100s of YouTube videos teaching DIY SEO classes. You can check out Sam Oh’s video here Complete SEO Course for Beginners: Learn to Rank #1 in Google. It is nearly 2 hours of beginner information that gives you the perfect start on your SEO journey. 

Feeling overwhelmed? There are many lessons and courses in smaller bites, such as how to find long and short-tale key words, how to optimize your website and blog posts, etc. Google even offers a starter guide Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide. It’s a lot drier content but appealing to those who prefer their steps outlined.

Let AI Work for You

Rather than viewing AI engines like OpenAI, Google Gemini or Claude as creative replacements  - view them as virtual personal assistants that let you speed up your work processes and “buy’ back some precious free time. These AI platforms can literally scour the internet for information that once took hours in nano-seconds. Harnessing AI allows you to conduct highly detailed research, structure your content and hit the bullseye on your intended target audience.

Do yourself a favor and learn some simple prompts that will take you further. But if you are a first timer, I recommend typing out what you want in a conversation as though you are talking with a person.

Example; go to ChatGPT (OpenAI) and type in the following:

“I run a company that makes dog walking leashes for larger-sized dogs. I need to reach owners with big dog breeds. I want to create content that will appeal to people with larger hard-to-handle dogs. Give me 5-10 ideas for content that appeals to large dog owners.” 

If you are not satisfied with the answer, type in additional questions that fine tune the responses. You can do this with a text, with an image, and even create a video (on the premium level versions). 

Once satisfied with the responses, you can download or cut and paste the information where you need it. But don’t forget to proofread for the correct information, rework it with your brand voice and most of all - remove all the AI formatting!

Hire an SEO Expert to Optimize Your Online Assets

Finally, my favorite option of all. Head over to FIVERR, Upwork, Zirtual, or Freelancer.com. These platforms have thousands of experts that you can pay to optimize your assets for you. Best of all - it saves you the time of searching, compiling and implementing your findings. This is an option I have chosen multiple times, if only to conserve my time for other resources.

Bonus: Online website template builders such as  WIX, and SquareSpace offer built-in tools for optimizing your website directly on their platforms. 

Conclusion:

So, growing your brand with SEO is easier than ever, even for beginners. You can use Google Search and YouTube to learn simple SEO tips, AI tools to help write content and find keywords, and Fiverr or Upwork to hire affordable experts when you need extra help. These tools will allow you to show up better online without needing coding skills. Yes, anyone can deploy SEO, improve their brand, and reach more people online with a little time and consistency.