When it comes to running a business online, SEO is one of those topics that can make even the most confident business owner want to hide under a blanket. But today’s guest, Lisa Smith from Activ Digital Marketing North Essex, is on a mission to change that.
With 16 years of experience running a digital marketing agency and nearly three decades working alongside her husband in the industry, Lisa knows exactly what online business owners get wrong, why SEO feels overwhelming and most importantly how to simplify it so it actually works for you.
In this episode of the This Mum Loves Tech Podcast, we talk about the foundations every business needs in place and why SEO is never something you “have done once”.
Why So Many Business Owners Misunderstand SEO
One of the biggest misconceptions Lisa sees is the idea that SEO is a one-time task.
She shared that she often hears people proudly say “Oh, I’ve had my SEO done”, but as she explains, SEO simply doesn’t work like that. It isn’t something you buy once and tick off your to-do list. Instead, it’s an ongoing process that evolves with your business and with the changes search engines make over time
This is often where overwhelm creeps in. If nobody has explained SEO properly, business owners assume it’s too complicated, too technical or too time-consuming.
But as Lisa reminds us, SEO is only complicated when you don’t understand what it’s actually meant to do.
What Search Engines Really Care About (It’s Not What You Think)
Many small business owners believe that search engines exist to send traffic to their website. Lisa beautifully reframed this idea:
Search engines aren’t trying to deliver customers to you. Their job is to deliver the best and most relevant answer to the person searching.
Your job is to make sure your website could be that best answer.
In Lisa’s words,
“SEO is about making sure your website can be the most appropriate result.”
And when you see SEO through that lens, suddenly it feels much simpler and far less intimidating.
The Foundations Every Website Needs Before Anything Else
Before you look at link building, blogging or outsourcing SEO, Lisa wants every business owner to get the basics right.
She regularly works with people who have spent money on SEO services only to discover their website lacks the fundamentals search engines need to understand what the business actually does.
She says she’s seen websites that “look beautiful on the outside but are an empty vessel underneath” — no H1 titles, no meta descriptions, no keywords, nothing a search engine can use to categorise or rank the site.
It’s no surprise those websites don’t show up on Google.
SEO starts with:
• page titles
• headers (H1s, H2s etc.)
• meta descriptions
• keywords that match what people are actually searching for
• clear, relevant content
Once those foundations are in place, that’s when SEO work can really start paying off.
Why Getting SEO Wrong Costs You Time and Money
Lisa has met so many business owners who feel frustrated, confused or even embarrassed when their website doesn’t appear in search results — especially if they’ve already invested in SEO before.
But as she explains, none of this is the business owner’s fault.
The digital world changes constantly. SEO rules shift. Plugins update. Search engines evolve. And unless someone teaches you the fundamentals, you don’t know what you don’t know.
This is exactly why Lisa is passionate about helping small businesses understand SEO in a simple, practical way. Because when you know how it works, you can finally take control of your online presence instead of guessing your way through it.
Want hands-on support with your tech, SEO and website? Join the Membership
If this episode has given you that little nudge to finally understand your website and get your SEO foundations in place, you’re going to love being inside the This Mum Loves Tech Membership.
Each month you get:
• A practical, easy-to-follow masterclass that helps you build a stronger online business
• A weekly Q&A call where you can ask me anything about your tech, your website or your systems
• A friendly community of business-mums who get it and are learning right alongside you
Lisa has already delivered her brilliant SEO masterclass for members, and the replay is now waiting for you inside the portal. So if your website needs some love (or you’re finally ready to stop avoiding SEO), this is the perfect place to start.
Join the membership for £30 a month here 👉 https://thismumlovestech.co.uk/membership/
Connect with Lisa and Activ Digital Marketing North Essex:
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