“Can you just SEO this blog post for me?”
I get asked this a lot, and the answer is usually a resounding “No.”
That’s not how any of this works.
Search engine optimisation isn’t a magic wand you can wave at a single page. It’s about your entire website working together to show search engines you know your stuff.
Here’s why focusing on just one page is a waste of time, and what you should be doing instead.
SEO Is About Your Whole Website
Anyone telling you they can optimise just one page of your site is either clueless about SEO or lying to you. Search engines don’t judge pages in isolation – they look at your entire website to determine whether you’re worth ranking.
This isn’t just me being difficult. Search engines want to see that you’re a genuine authority in your field, not just someone who’s cobbled together one decent page.
Internal Linking Makes Or Breaks Your SEO
One optimised page floating in space is useless. Without proper internal linking, search engines can’t understand how your content connects or what’s important on your site.
Think about it – if you’ve got a brilliant page about dog training but nothing links to it and it doesn’t link to anything else, how are search engines supposed to know it’s related to your other pet content? They can’t. And if they can’t understand your content’s context, they’re not going to rank it well.
Technical Issues Tank Everything
Got the most perfectly optimised page in the world? Brilliant. But if your site’s riddled with technical problems, you’re still not going to rank well.
Search engines look at technical factors across your entire site. If you’re serving up a terrible experience everywhere except that one optimised page, you’re wasting your time.
Content Relationships Show Your Expertise
Here’s something most people don’t get – one page about a topic doesn’t make you an expert. Search engines want to see comprehensive coverage that demonstrates real knowledge.
You need supporting content that shows genuine depth of understanding. Without it, that single optimised page looks suspiciously thin – like you’re trying to rank for something you don’t really know much about.
User Behaviour Tells Search Engines Everything
How visitors interact with your whole site affects your rankings. If someone lands on your perfectly optimised page but bounces straight back to search results because the rest of your site’s rubbish, that sends clear signals to search engines – and not good ones.
User behaviour patterns across your entire site matter. One good page can’t override terrible user experience everywhere else.
Site Architecture Matters More Than You Think
Your URL structure and how pages connect isn’t just technical faff – it’s crucial for SEO. Search engines use this to understand your site’s hierarchy and how important different pages are.
Poor architecture undermines everything else you’re doing. It’s like having a brilliant shop but making customers climb through the window to get in.
Site Authority Can’t Be Page-Specific
Trust and authority are built at site level. You can’t just build authority for one page – it doesn’t work like that. Your whole site needs to demonstrate expertise and trustworthiness.
This includes everything from your backlink profile to your brand signals. One page can’t carry your entire site’s authority.
Users Never Stop At One Page
Most importantly, real people don’t just read one page and leave. They explore your site, read related content, check your about page – and search engines know this.
If the rest of your site’s rubbish, users won’t stick around. And if users don’t stick around, search engines won’t rank you well.
What You Should Do Instead
Stop trying to optimise individual pages in isolation. Instead:
Sort Your Technical Setup First
Your technical foundation affects everything else. If search engines can’t properly crawl and understand your site, nothing else matters.
Start with:
- A proper site audit to identify issues
- Speed optimisation across all pages
- Mobile responsiveness checks
- Fixing broken links and redirect chains
- Improving your site structure
This isn’t just box-ticking – it’s about making your site accessible to both search engines and users.
Create Proper Internal Linking Throughout Your Site
Internal linking isn’t just about connecting pages – it’s about showing search engines what matters on your site.
Focus on:
- Creating natural content connections
- Building topic clusters
- Linking to important pages from your navigation
- Using descriptive anchor text
- Maintaining a logical site hierarchy
Good internal linking helps users find related content and helps search engines understand your expertise.
Build Comprehensive Content That Shows Real Expertise
Stop creating isolated pieces of content. Build interconnected content that demonstrates genuine knowledge.
This means:
- Developing proper topic clusters
- Answering related questions
- Creating supporting content
- Updating existing content regularly
- Showing real-world expertise
When your content works together, it shows search engines you actually know your stuff.
Focus on Overall User Experience
User experience isn’t just about making things look pretty – it’s about helping people find and use your content easily.
Prioritise:
- Clear navigation
- Sensible content structure
- Fast loading times
- Easy-to-read content
- Mobile-friendly design
If users can’t use your site properly, search engines can’t either.
Develop Site-Wide Authority
Authority isn’t page-specific – it’s about your entire domain. Build trust across your whole site.
Work on:
- Creating genuinely helpful content
- Building real expertise in your field
- Earning natural backlinks
- Maintaining consistent quality
- Demonstrating industry knowledge
Make Your Whole Site Work for You
Stop focusing on single-page optimisation. It doesn’t work. Instead, build a site that demonstrates real expertise and helps your users. That’s how you actually win at SEO.
Need some proper SEO, for your whole site, not just one page? Take a look at my SEO Services.
