SEO optimisation - how to improve your website's visibility in Google

What is SEO optimisation and why it matters

SEO optimisation is the systematic work of improving a website to raise its positions in Google search results. Unlike a one-off fix, SEO optimisation is a continuous process covering technical infrastructure, content quality, external authority and user experience.

In Latvia, where Google dominates with more than 92% of search volume, quality SEO optimisation can be the difference between a business that receives new enquiries daily and one that stays invisible to its target audience.

This guide covers every area of SEO optimisation - from on-page to off-page, from technical SEO to local SEO. Use it as a practical handbook for improving your company's website.

On-page SEO - page-level optimisation

On-page SEO covers everything you can control on your own site. It is the foundation without which no external optimisation produces results.

Title tag optimisation

The title is the most important on-page element. It appears in search results as the clickable headline and is the primary signal to Google about the page topic.

• Place the main keyword near the start of the title
• Length: 50-60 characters (to avoid truncation in results)
• Every page should have a unique title - do not duplicate
• Include the brand name (usually at the end, separated by "|")

Meta description

Meta description does not directly affect ranking, but it affects CTR (click-through rate) in search results. Higher CTR = more visitors.

• Length: 120-155 characters
• Include the keyword and a call to action
• Describe the page content accurately and persuasively

Heading hierarchy (H1-H6)

Headings structure the content for both the user and Google. A correct hierarchy helps search engines understand the page topic and subtopics.

• One H1 per page - the main topic of the page
• H2 subheadings split content into logical sections
• H3 subheadings detail the H2 topics
• Include keywords in headings naturally, without spam

Content quality and E-E-A-T

Google evaluates content against E-E-A-T criteria: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness. In practical terms this means:

• Content is written from a position of experience and expertise
• The author is identifiable and has demonstrable competence
• Facts are backed by references and data
• The site as a whole is trustworthy (contact info, legal info, HTTPS)

Internal linking

Internal links are one of the strongest on-page SEO tools. They help Google discover new pages, understand site structure and distribute authority across pages.

• Connect related pages with descriptive anchor text
• The most important pages should receive the most internal links
• Avoid "orphan pages" - pages without internal links

Keyword research - the foundation of SEO strategy

Keyword research is the process of finding out what queries your potential customers enter into Google. It is the starting point of SEO strategy - without research, optimisation is guesswork.

Keyword types

• Short-tail (1-2 words) - high volume, high competition. Example: "SEO" (global), "accounting" (LV)
• Long-tail (3+ words) - lower volume, lower competition, higher conversion. Example: "SEO optimisation for e-shop in Latvia"
• Transactional - purchase intent. Example: "SEO services pricing"
• Informational - looking for knowledge. Example: "what is SEO"

Research tools

Core tools for keyword research in the Latvian market:

• Google Keyword Planner - free, reliable volume data (requires a Google Ads account)
• Google Search Console - shows which queries your site already appears for
• Ahrefs / SEMrush - professional tools with competitor analysis and backlink data
• Google autocomplete and "People also ask" - a free source of ideas

Off-page SEO - external authority

Off-page SEO covers every activity outside your site that affects its rankings. The main element is backlinks - links from other sites to yours.

Backlink-building strategies

• Content marketing - create content so valuable that others want to reference it
• Guest posting - write expert articles for industry portals
• Digital PR - research and publish data that interests journalists
• Partner and supplier links - request a mention from business partners
• Broken link building - find broken links on other sites and offer your content as a replacement

What not to do

Google strictly penalises artificial link schemes. Avoid:

• Buying links or participating in mass link exchanges
• Automatic link generation
• Low-quality directories and forums created only for links
• Repeating the same anchor text

Technical SEO - site infrastructure

Technical SEO ensures Google can efficiently find, read and index your site. Even the best content will not deliver results if the technical foundations are not in order.

The main areas of technical SEO:

• Page loading speed - Core Web Vitals (LCP < 2.5s, CLS < 0.1, INP < 200ms)
• Mobile responsiveness - Google uses mobile-first indexing
• Crawlability - robots.txt, XML sitemap, internal linking
• Indexation - correct use of noindex/nofollow tags
• Canonical tags - preventing duplicate content
• Schema.org - structured data for rich results

For a detailed technical SEO guide, read the article Technical SEO - optimising the foundations of your website.

Core Web Vitals - Google's speed standards

Core Web Vitals are the site performance metrics officially set by Google that directly affect ranking. The three main metrics:

• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) - how quickly the main visual element loads. Target: under 2.5 seconds
• CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) - how much the page content jumps during load. Target: under 0.1
• INP (Interaction to Next Paint) - how quickly the page responds to user actions. Target: under 200ms

Check your metrics with PageSpeed Insights and the Google Search Console Core Web Vitals report.

Local SEO - visibility in your local market

If your business serves customers in a specific geographic area, local SEO is critical. It includes:

• Google Business Profile - a fully completed and regularly updated profile
• NAP consistency - the same company name, address and phone number across the web
• Local review management - actively collecting and responding to reviews
• Local keywords - including the city or region in content and meta data
• Local citations - company mentions in local business directories

Content strategy for SEO

Content is the engine of SEO. Without regular quality content, rankings stagnate or even drop. An effective content strategy includes:

Building a content plan

1. Identify the main topic clusters in your industry
2. Create pillar pages for each main topic
3. Plan supporting content with long-tail keywords
4. Set a publishing cadence - quality always beats quantity

Content formats that work for SEO

• Guides and how-to articles - answer "how" questions
• Industry reports with data - attractive for backlinks
• FAQ pages - win Featured Snippets positions
• Case studies - demonstrate expertise and E-E-A-T
• Comparison articles - attract transactional traffic

SEO optimisation for e-commerce

E-commerce sites have specific SEO requirements:

• Product page optimisation - unique descriptions, not manufacturer copies
• Category page content - not just a product list but useful content
• Product schema - structured data for price, availability, reviews
• Faceted navigation - filter pages without duplicate content issues
• Seasonal page strategy - optimise "Black Friday" and similar pages in advance

SEO measurement and analysis

SEO without measurement is guesswork. Core tools and metrics:

• Google Search Console - positions, clicks, impressions, CTR, indexation status
• Google Analytics 4 - organic traffic, conversions, user behaviour
• Rank tracking - target keyword position changes over time
• Backlink monitoring - tracking new and lost links

KPIs to track

• Organic traffic growth (monthly and yearly)
• Target keyword positions
• Organic traffic conversion rate
• Visible domain authority (Domain Rating / Authority)
• Number and quality of new backlinks

The most common SEO mistakes

From JKonsult's experience with hundreds of sites, the most common mistakes:

1. Ignoring the mobile version - Google has used mobile-first indexing since 2021
2. Duplicate content - multiple pages with identical or nearly identical content
3. Slow loading speed - unoptimised images and excessive JavaScript
4. Ignoring meta data - missing titles, descriptions or identical ones across all pages
5. No internal linking - pages existing in isolation, without links to each other
6. Content without a goal - pages that do not target any specific keyword
7. Ignored technical signals - 404 errors, redirect chains, indexation blocks

The impact of AI on the future of SEO

AI search engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overview) are changing how users search for information. How to prepare:

• Write content that answers specific questions (citation-friendly)
• Structure content with clear headings and bullet points
• Make sure your site is technically accessible to AI crawlers
• Focus on demonstrating unique expertise that AI cannot replace

For a detailed guide, read AI SEO - how to optimise for ChatGPT and Perplexity.

The JKonsult SEO approach

The JKonsult SEO strategy is built on data, not guesswork. Our process:

1. Technical audit - full site diagnostic with 100+ checkpoints
2. Keyword strategy - competitor analysis and opportunity mapping
3. On-page optimisation - improvement of existing pages
4. Content planning - new content creation for SEO
5. Off-page activities - authority building
6. Monthly reporting - clear results with business metrics, not just positions

Learn more about JKonsult SEO services or get in touch for a free consultation.

SEO optimisation roadmap - from zero to results

If you are starting SEO from scratch or after a long pause, here is a realistic month-by-month plan:

Months 1-2: foundations and audit

• Full technical SEO audit - find and fix critical errors
• Google Search Console and Analytics 4 setup and review
• Keyword research and prioritisation - which queries will deliver the fastest return
• Competitor analysis - what content and strategy they use
• On-page optimisation of existing pages (title, meta, headings, internal links)

Months 3-4: content and structure

• Build a content plan - topic clusters and a content calendar
• Publish first pillar pages and supporting articles
• Roll out an internal linking strategy
• Implement Schema.org structured data
• Optimise Google Business Profile (for local businesses)

Months 5-6: authority and growth

• Off-page activities - guest posting, digital PR, partner links
• First visible results - traffic growth, rank improvements
• Content optimisation based on early data - what works and what does not
• Conversion optimisation - organic traffic → enquiries

Months 7-12: optimisation and scaling

• Consolidating and solidifying positions on main queries
• Adding new keyword groups
• Refreshing and expanding content (content refresh)
• Expanding and diversifying the backlink profile
• ROI analysis - how much organic traffic saves compared with PPC

The most common SEO mistakes in Latvia

From our experience with more than 100 Latvian company websites, these are the most common issues:

1. Identical titles and meta descriptions across all pages - many CMS systems set identical meta data by default. Every page needs unique ones
2. No Google Search Console - surprisingly many companies have not even connected this free tool that gives direct insight into Google's view
3. Mobile version as a shrunken desktop - tiny fonts, non-reactive elements and slow loading
4. Content as manufacturer copy - especially in e-commerce, where hundreds of product descriptions are identical to other sites
5. Ignored local SEO - empty or outdated Google Business Profile, no reviews strategy
6. Over-reliance on a single channel - SEO works better in combination with other channels
7. No measurement - without Google Analytics and Search Console it is impossible to understand what works
8. SEO "experts" with guarantees - if someone guarantees first place in Google, walk away. No one can guarantee Google rankings

SEO synergy with other marketing channels

SEO rarely works in isolation. The best results come when SEO is integrated with other digital marketing channels:

• SEO + Google Ads - use PPC data to test keywords before investing in SEO. Ads data shows which queries convert, and SEO can target those directly
• SEO + Content marketing - quality content is the engine of SEO, and SEO makes sure that content reaches an audience
• SEO + Email marketing - SEO brings in new visitors, email marketing converts and retains them
• SEO + Social media - social signals amplify content visibility and can help earn backlinks

As a full-service digital marketing agency, JKonsult offers an integrated approach where SEO works together with Google Ads, social media and email marketing.

Jānis Kursītis CEO, JKonsult · Google Ads expert since 2008 · SEO strategist

"SEO is a job you cannot forget about. It is a continuous process - refreshing content, fixing technical issues, monitoring competitors."

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