It’s 2025, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) isn’t a “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s foundational. If you own a business with a website (and let’s be honest, you probably do), then how well that website performs in search results can directly influence your ability to get clients, drive sales, and build credibility. But here’s where it gets tricky: the SEO landscape changes constantly, and what worked in 2022 or even 2024 might not get you far this year.
As someone who runs a web design agency in Franklin, TN, and works intimately with small business owners and service professionals, I get under the hood of a lot of websites. I’ve seen the behind-the-scenes: that well-meaning blog with zero traffic, the beautifully designed homepage that doesn’t rank for a single keyword, and the frustrated business owner wondering why their phone stopped ringing. The answer is usually a combination of technical oversights, SEO missteps, and strategy gaps.
So let’s break it all down. There’s no magic bullet, but there are proven SEO strategies that consistently boost rankings and visibility. Whether you’re building on Webflow, WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix, these principles apply. And we're not just going to toss around buzzwords here—we’re talking real-world methods, client-tested approaches, and insights pulled straight from experience.
Let’s get into it with a mindset of learning, clarity, and actionable impact.
SEO starts before you ever write a blog post or optimize a title tag—it starts with how your site is built. A clean, accessible, fast website is not just user-friendly, it’s search-engine friendly. And yet, I’ve seen plenty of architects with gorgeous portfolios and painfully slow, structurally unsound websites.
Page speed is still a core ranking factor. In 2024, Google rolled out updates that emphasized Core Web Vitals even more heavily. Tools like PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix help identify bottlenecks, but it’s what you do with that info that counts.
Case in point: I worked with a Nashville-based photographer who moved from Squarespace to Webflow. Her load times dropped from 7 seconds to under 2 seconds, bounce rate improved by 31%, and she noticed an uptick in organic inquiries within two weeks.
Over 60% of search traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t mobile-responsive or has touch elements jammed too close together, you’re turning away users and signaling poor UX to search engines.
This is especially prevalent in older DIY Wix sites—we recently rebuilt one for a boutique in Brentwood, and the shift to a sleek mobile layout helped rankings on product keywords jump from pages 3–4 to page 1 within a month.
If SEO were a house, content would be the living room—the place where people interact, linger, and form impressions. But not all content is created equal. Writing for the sake of word count or stuffing in keywords might have worked in 2010, but Google’s algorithm now emphasizes intent, expertise, and helpfulness (see Google's Helpful Content Update introduced in late 2022).
Start by understanding your customer’s decision journey. What are they dealing with at different stages? For example, a Nashville-based estate planning attorney we worked with hadn’t written anything for his site in over two years. We sat down, identified common client questions he kept answering in consultation calls, and turned those into blog posts:
Not only did site dwell time increase, but those blogs started ranking locally within 60 days and began bringing in consistent traffic from people who were already primed to hire.
Abstract blog titles like “The Importance of Web Presence” are going to tank. Instead, focus on specificity and clarity: “5 Ways Your Website Might Be Costing You Local Clients in Franklin.” That kind of targeted content connects more directly with both humans and algorithms.
Keyword research isn’t about cramming terms into pages anymore—it’s about positioning yourself where intent meets expertise. And it starts with understanding how different types of keywords reflect different levels of readiness.
I often explain it this way: if someone Googles “DIY website tips,” they’re not ready to hire me. But if they search “Webflow specialist in Nashville,” the intent is more transactional. You want a good mix of:
One of my accounting clients started outranking national competitors just by combining city-based service pages with clear intent: “Affordable bookkeeping services in Brentwood TN.”
Tools I frequently use include Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest. Even Google’s own Keyword Planner will give you an idea of monthly search volumes and competition levels.
Once you’ve chosen your primary keyword for a page or post, make sure it’s in your:
This one tends to fly under the radar for many business owners, especially those unfamiliar with what’s happening behind the scenes. But structured data helps search engines understand your content more thoroughly, leading to rich results (those enhanced-looking listings with stars, pricing, FAQs, etc.) that stand out in the SERPs.
There are different types of Schema depending on your content. Here are a few that I regularly implement for clients:
One of our clients, a yoga studio outside Franklin, saw a 17% increase in organic clickthrough rate just by utilizing FAQ schema on their class scheduling page. Suddenly their listing was taking up more real estate in search results and speaking directly to what people were curious about.
Curious how your site stacks up? Use Google’s own Rich Results Test tool to preview what’s recognized on your page.
If you're a service-area business or brick-and-mortar location, local SEO isn’t optional. This one hit home when I rebuilt a chiropractor’s website in Spring Hill, TN. He had 23 Google reviews, a beautiful new site, but wasn’t ranking at all in the 3-pack. Why? His local signals were scattered and inconsistent.
That chiropractor? We tightened up his Google Business Profile, encouraged more client reviews, added an FAQs section to his site with local keywords—and within two months, he landed in the 3-pack for “chiropractor Spring Hill TN.”
Consistency is key here. Use a tool like Moz Local or BrightLocal to audit your citations across the web. Make sure Yelp, YellowPages, Apple Maps, and even industry-specific directories have your info correctly listed.
Backlinks are still one of the most influential ranking factors. But not all links are equal. One strong contextual link from a reputable local blog or industry site beats 100 shady spammy directory links.
This is where brand-building intersects with SEO. My approach usually involves:
An example: I collaborated with a local branding agency on a joint webinar. We linked to each other’s event pages with solid keyword-rich anchor text, and within weeks, my own domain authority saw measurable improvement.
If you’ve been featured in news articles, interviewed on podcasts, or even published on Medium, make sure those mentions link back to your homepage or relevant internal pages. I often help clients build an “As Seen On” section that not only builds trust but improves link equity.
One of the biggest SEO mistakes people make is setting and forgetting. The algorithm changes. Competitors ramp up. Your industry evolves. Which means your SEO needs to flex with it.
Case Study: A Webflow eCommerce client selling handmade wedding invitations noticed drop-offs on product pages after a mobile UX revamp. Heatmap tools revealed the cart button was hidden on smaller devices. We fixed the layout and nearly doubled conversion rate in 10 days. It’s not just about getting traffic—it’s about making traffic count.
SEO isn’t a checklist—it’s a living system. Adjust it regularly, and you’ll continue to reap the benefits.
SEO in 2025 isn’t about tricks. It’s about clarity, intent, and connection. Whether we’re talking about Core Web Vitals or answering customer questions through blogs, the through-line is this: Every ranking gain is rooted in better alignment between what people want and what your site offers.
Technical fixes might get your foot in the door, but it’s meaningful content and consistent local presence that play the long game. When all those strategies intersect—website structure, local SEO, content relevance, and backlink credibility—you’re not just ranking better. You’re becoming more visible to the people who actually want and need what you provide.
I’ve seen it happen for coaches, fitness trainers, accountants, architects, and boutique shop owners from Franklin to Fairview. SEO isn’t always fast, but it works. The keys are empathy, curiosity, and a long-term mindset.
That’s the approach we aim for at Zach Sean Web Design: thoughtful, strategic transformations that go beyond pixels into purpose. When your website becomes a trusted bridge between you and your ideal client, that’s when SEO becomes more than just a tactic—it becomes momentum.
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