I'm not tech-savvy. Is that a problem?

Not at all! That's exactly who I work with. You tell me what you want in plain English, and I handle all the technical stuff. No coding, no jargon, no headaches for you.

How much does a website cost?

It depends on what you need - every project is different. Contact me with what you're looking for and I'll give you a custom quote with no hidden fees.

How long does it take to build a website?

Most websites are ready in 3 days to a week. More advanced websites with custom features could take longer. I'll give you a timeline upfront and keep you updated along the way.

Can I update the website myself later?

Yes! I set up everything so you can make changes yourself - adding products, updating prices, posting news. I'll show you how it works. And if you ever get stuck, just call me.

Do you speak Spanish?

Sí! I'm fluent in both English and Spanish. If you're more comfortable discussing your project in Spanish, no problem at all. I can also build bilingual websites for your business.

5 Free Ways to Improve Your Website's Google Ranking

You don’t need an expensive SEO agency to improve your Google rankings. Most of the fundamentals cost nothing but time.

Here are five things you can do this week, using only free tools.

1. Speed Up Your Website

Page speed affects both rankings and user experience. A slow website loses visitors before they even see your content.

How to Check Your Speed

Go to PageSpeed Insights and enter your website URL. Google will give you a score from 0-100 and specific recommendations.

Don’t panic if your score isn’t perfect. Focus on the issues marked “High Impact.”

Common Speed Fixes

Compress your images Large images are the most common speed killer. Use TinyPNG or Squoosh to compress images before uploading. You can often reduce file size by 70% with no visible quality loss.

Enable browser caching This tells browsers to remember files so returning visitors load faster. Most web hosts have a simple setting for this. Ask your host if you’re not sure how.

Remove unused plugins or apps Each plugin on your site adds code that needs to load. Audit what you’re actually using and remove the rest.

Consider your hosting Cheap shared hosting can be slow. If you’re on a $3/month plan and your site is sluggish, that might be why.

2. Write Better Title Tags

Your title tag is the blue headline that appears in Google search results. It’s one of the most important on-page SEO factors, and most small business websites get it wrong.

What Bad Title Tags Look Like

“Home | My Business Name”
“Welcome to Our Website”
“Page 1”
Just your business name with nothing else

What Good Title Tags Look Like

“Emergency Plumber in Austin | 24/7 Service | [Business Name]”
“Handmade Leather Wallets | Free Shipping | [Business Name]”
“Affordable Wedding Photography Portland | [Business Name]“

The Formula

[What You Offer] + [Location or Unique Selling Point] + [Business Name]

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

How to Change Your Title Tags

This depends on your platform:

WordPress: Use a plugin like Yoast SEO or RankMath
Shopify: Edit in the page’s “Search engine listing preview” section
Squarespace: Look for “SEO” settings in each page editor
Wix: Check the “SEO Basics” panel for each page

Check every page on your site. Your homepage, service pages, and product pages should all have unique, descriptive titles.

3. Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile

If you serve customers in a specific area, Google Business Profile is essential. It’s what shows up in the map results when people search for local businesses.

How to Claim Your Listing

Go to business.google.com
Search for your business name
If it exists, claim it. If not, create a new listing
Verify ownership (usually via postcard, phone, or email)

How to Optimize It

Complete every field Fill out hours, services, description, and attributes. Google favors complete profiles.

Choose the right categories Pick your primary category carefully. Add relevant secondary categories too.

Add photos Businesses with photos get more clicks. Add your storefront, interior, products, and team.

Get reviews Ask satisfied customers to leave a review. Respond to all reviews, positive and negative.

Post updates Google lets you post updates similar to social media. Use this to share news, offers, or content.

Add products or services List what you offer with descriptions and prices where applicable.

Why This Matters

For local searches (“plumber near me,” “coffee shop downtown”), Google Business Profile often appears above regular search results. It’s free real estate you’re missing if you haven’t claimed it.

4. Do Basic Keyword Research

Keywords are the words and phrases people type into Google. Understanding what your potential customers search for helps you create content that matches.

Free Tools for Keyword Research

Google Search itself Start typing a search and watch the autocomplete suggestions. These are actual searches people make.

Google’s “People Also Ask” Search for something related to your business. Look for the box with expandable questions. These are content ideas.

“Related Searches” at bottom of results Scroll down on any Google search results page. You’ll see related searches that give you more keyword ideas.

AnswerThePublic Enter a topic and it shows questions people ask about it. Free version has limited searches per day.

Ubersuggest Neil Patel’s tool shows search volume and keyword difficulty. Free version is limited but useful for basics.

How to Use What You Find

Once you know what people search for:

Make sure your main pages include those terms naturally
Create content that answers the questions you find
Use the exact phrases in your headings when it makes sense

Don’t stuff keywords unnaturally. Write for humans first, but be aware of what words you’re using.

5. Make Sure Your Site Works on Mobile

More than half of all web searches happen on phones. If your website doesn’t work well on mobile, you’re losing both visitors and rankings.

How to Test Mobile-Friendliness

Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. Enter your URL and it will tell you if there are problems.

Also, literally use your site on your phone. Click around. Try to complete common tasks. Is it easy?

Common Mobile Problems

Text too small to read Font size should be at least 16px for body text on mobile.

Buttons too small or close together Tappable elements should be at least 48x48 pixels with enough space between them.

Content wider than screen If users have to scroll sideways, something is wrong. Usually it’s an image or table that isn’t responsive.

Pop-ups blocking content Mobile pop-ups are especially annoying and Google may penalize sites that overuse them.

The Fix

If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you may need a new theme or design. Most modern website templates are “responsive,” meaning they adapt to different screen sizes. If yours doesn’t, it’s time for an upgrade.

What to Do This Week

Don’t try to do everything at once. Pick one area and focus:

Monday: Run PageSpeed Insights and compress your largest images

Tuesday: Audit your title tags. Fix the homepage and your top 3 pages

Wednesday: Claim or update your Google Business Profile

Thursday: Spend 30 minutes on keyword research. Make a list of what people search for

Friday: Test your site on mobile. Note any problems

Small improvements add up. A slightly faster site with better titles and a complete Google Business Profile puts you ahead of most local competitors.

The Bottom Line

SEO doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. The fundamentals are free, and they matter more than any advanced tactic.

Focus on these basics first. Once they’re solid, you can explore more advanced strategies.

Gustavo has worked in web development and digital marketing for 15 years. He writes these guides to help small business owners understand technology without the jargon.